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The article below was posted by TommyGunn over on Shidoobee. I swiped it from him and he swiped it from 411mania.com. Thievery is awesome isn’t it, but credit was and is given.

Personally I’d say take Ozzy off the list and put Anthony Keidis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers in any other spot. Freddy Mercury at #1 I don’t get either, Mick Jagger is a far better front man than he is.

Ask 411 Music
Posted by Blake Lauderback

7b. Roger Daltrey (The Who) - Roger sports an incredible range was one of the most influencial vocalists of the British Invasion. Whether he is crooning away in ballads like “Behind Blue Eyes” or letting out that infamous primal scream in “Who Are You,” Daltry has to be acknowledged as a pioneer of the rock front man.

7a. Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) - Kurt was the voice of the grunge movement and an entire generation during his short career. While he was his usual outstanding self on their studio albums, he made a huge impact showing of his softer but still raw sound during the band’s Unplugged performance. It is impossible to imagine rock music today without the influence of Cobain.

6. Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) - While Aerosmith is one of the best chameleon acts in rock, changing their tune every decade or so to stay current, Tyler is a constant. There is no need to fine tune his vocals, because his voice is tops in any generation. From the 70’s (”Walk This Way,”) the 80’s (”Love in an Elevator,”) to the 90’s (”Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”) Steven is always at the top of his game.

5. Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath) - We are focusing in on his work with Sabbath here and not his solo work. (You can’t really refer to yourself as a front man when you are a solo artist. Way too redundant.) The Wizard of Ozz brought a darkness, and frankly, an evilness to hard rock that had never been heard before. His menacing vocals on songs like “Ironman,” “Sweet Leaf,” and “War Pigs” created the blueprint for the metal vocalist. No offense to those that followed him, but Sabbath isn’t Sabbath without Ozzy.

4. Jim Morrison (The Doors) - There are many out there that would place Jim atop this list hands down, but I do feel that he had a few missteps musically that keep him out of the same league as the top three. At this point he is held in high esteem for his antics just as much as his ability. That said, there is no denying the uniqueness of his voice and power of his presentation. Check out some of his classic work on songs like “Light My Fire,” “The End,” and my personal favorite, “L.A. Woman.”

3. Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) - Again, just like with most everyone on this list, his band would not be the same with someone else screeching out the vocals. Robert managed to show of his high-powered, shrill upper register while maintaining the blues roots that were so entwined with Zeppelin. One of his greatest qualities has to be his humility, as he never had a problem stepping aside and letting the genius of Jimmy Page or John Bonham shine. Not too many lead singers are confident enough to simply introduce their band mate and then step out of the spotlight.

2. Mick Jagger (The Rolling Stones) - He is the most recognized face from the most recognized band in music today with a career that spans damn near a half century. Jagger’s greatness cannot be denied. If one were to pick out only one voice to identify with rock music over the years it would be impossible to not include Mick in the conversation. There is nowhere to even begin recommending his work, as it is all classics. He is only narrowly surpassed for the number one slot by this guy…

1. Freddie Mercury (Queen) - I have an immeasurable amount of repect for Mr. Mercury’s ability as a songwriter an vocalist. I do not believe that any vocalist past or present can match what Freddie could do on stage. His pure energy is amazing and his uniquely operatic style is unforgettable. If you have somehow managed to avoid hearing the greatness of Queen, by all means, go now and do so. No, seriously, go NOW. Read the rest of the column when you get back. It will seem much more monumental when backed by classics like “Killer Queen,” “Tie Your Mother Down,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” “We Are the Champions,” and the unbelievable “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

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