Best Male Singers of the 20th Century

What's the best food??? Well it depends on your mood/hunger doesn't it? Sometimes you want a nice big juicy steak to sink your teeth into, at other times a sweet sugary desert. What's best is what satisfies your hunger at the time. I prefer to believe I have an educated palate. For "standards". I'll take Sinatra of the 40's and 50's. He sings every song like he's livin' it. Like he's singing the song for the first time. As though he where speaking his thoughts/feelings not interperting someone elses words. Johnny Hartman with John Coltrane is so smooth. Armstrong sings like he plays his horn. Out of this world! Pavarotti in the 70's. Heavy metal in tights! Does Hank Williams count? Maybe he should be listed under one of the best songwriters of the 20th century along with Dylan, the Gershwins. Anyway these on my menu for now. Howie

Kevziek, I grew up in a house that had a Steinway in almost constant use and we were all conservatory trained on that and other instruments so our tastes are similar. And in terms of classical, you are right. On that basis, I would vote for Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. However, I would rather hear Nat King Cole than Sinatra so Nat must be the best, Rod Stewart and that guy from Led Zeppelin are derivative of Sam Cooke so ... Taj Mahal is my favorite blues man, there's another vote, Roy Orbison has a nice voice as does Justin Hayward, Steve Windwood,(oops, Windwood is derivative of Ray Charles) Jim Morrison "Riders on the Storm" is good music, and of course, Jimi singing "All Along the Watchtower". So who's right? Answer, everyone, music is about emotion.

HECTOR LAVOE.

While jazz,opera, blues have been adequately covered here, I beg to differ with those who feel that rock means you don't have a voice. Au contraire. and folk has some great pipes as well.
I have heard Marty Balin of Jefferson Starship and Gordon Lightfoot up close and in person, and they were incredible.
(And yes, I love all genres and have a good basis for comparison.) And let's not forget the great voices of Broadway, like Larry Kert(the original Tony in West Side Story, or Gordon McRae(Carousel) or Jerry Orbach(Carnival).
Of these Mcrae was the strongest voice, actually holding his own with Shirley Jones in her prime. Oh, yeah, back to rock- how about Jon Anderson of Yes or Sting? Or Bob Weir's
vocal magic for the Dead or later Ace? (Jerry being better instrumentally). Jackson Browne has a quality voice,
as does Greg Lake, John Mellencamp, and let's not forget one of the best set of lungs out there - the Boss.
Marvin Gaye had one of my all time favorite sounds, as does
Al Green(for a crooner.) Peabo Bryson and James Ingram have
major chords.

As a classically trained pianist, guitarist, etc. I still think almost any genre has some great singers in it.
Sure, there are about 20 on my Lengendary Opera Tenors CD,
but Iglesias(the father not the son) doesn't exactly suck .

I wandered into the C&W room after everyone had already left. In terms of white popular music (apologies to Charlie Pride, etc., for the generalization), that's where real vocal talent is cultivated, IMO. Some male singers with amazing chops were mentioned in the C&W thread. You don't have to have a very good voice to make it in rock (altho there are plenty of good voices)-- I'm with those who think it's more about attitude. I'm not knocking it; I listen to a heck of a lot more rock than country. They are just two very different approaches, either one of which can communicate feeling and emotion. To me, Springsteen is one of the great male rock vocalists. He's got some chops, but he's not on the same level as someone like Merle Haggard. Doesn't mean I enjoy him any less.