Using Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers of All-Time as a Predictor for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rolling Stone magazine
unleashed their latest "greatest" list today, this one focusing on the best singers of all-time (not necessarily rock, by the way).The
list was compiled after
Rolling Stone polled a bunch of artists, journalists and music industry folks to name their top 20 singers.
A hefty 72 of the artists listed are Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. That leaves just 28 artists who are not yet in. Quite a few of these are primarily known as country singers (George Jones, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Patsy Clline), and generally wouldn't be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame anyway, although there have been exceptions (like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash). There are seven artists who aren't eligible yet, but a few of them are likely future inductees, like Nirvana, Radiohead and Guns 'N Roses.
Of the notable snubs on the list, Nina Simone ranks the highest, but many rock fans will likely point to Steve Perry's inclusion on this list as another reason for Journey's induction.
The full list:
- Aretha Franklin
- Ray Charles
- Elvis Presley
- Sam Cooke
- John Lennon
- Marvin Gaye
- Bob Dylan
- Otis Redding
- Stevie Wonder
- James Brown
- Paul McCartney
- Little Richard
- Roy Orbison
- Al Green
- Robert Plant
- Mick Jagger
- Tina Turner
- Freddie Mercury
- Bob Marley
- Smokey Robinson
- Johnny Cash
- Etta James
- David Bowie
- Van Morrison
- Michael Jackson
- Jackie Wilson
- Hank Williams
- Janis Joplin
- Nina Simone *
- Prince
- Howlin' Wolf
- Bono
- Steve Winwood
- Whitney Houston *
- Dusty Springfield
- Bruce Springsteen
- Neil Young
- Elton John
- Jeff Buckley
- Curtis Mayfield
- Chuck Berry
- Joni Mitchell
- George Jones *
- Bobby "Blue" Bland
- Kurt Cobain *
- Patsy Cline *
- Jim Morisson
- Buddy Holly
- Donny Hathaway *
- Bonnie Raitt
- Gladys Knight
- Brian Wilson
- Muddy Waters
- Luther Vandross *
- Paul Rodgers *
- Mavis Staples
- Eric Burdon **
- Christina Aguilera *
- Rod Stewart
- Björk *
- Roger Daltrey
- Lou Reed
- Dion
- Axl Rose *
- David Ruffin
- Thom Yorke *
- Jerry Lee Lewis
- Wilson Pickett
- Ronnie Spector
- Greg Allman
- Toots Hibbert *
- John Fogerty
- Dolly Parton *
- James Taylor
- Iggy Pop **
- Steve Perry *
- Merle Haggard *
- Sly Stone
- Mariah Carey *
- Frankie Valli
- John Lee Hooker
- Tom Waits *
- Patti Smith
- Darlene Love *
- Sam Moore
- Art Garfunkel
- Don Henley
- Willie Nelson *
- Solomon Burke
- The Everly Brothers
- Levon Helm
- Morrissey *
- Annie Lennox *
- Karen Carpenter *
- Patti LaBelle *
- B.B. King
- Joe Cocker *
- Stevie Nicks
- Steven Tyler
- Mary J. Blige *
* = not yet in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
** = nominated in 2009