Hey guys don't forget about me!

Jagger, Mercury, Tyler, Axl, Plant in that order.

Peter Wolf should get an honorable mention.

Well, to be fair, I never saw Plant in person just on film, and when I saw Axl he's started slowing down.

OTOH, Tyler just turned 70 and he's still a crazed maniac.

cocaine will do that.... and sure except Aerosmith sucks so that doesn't help his cause.

This is Rolling Stone's top 10. Good list.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/rolling-stone-readers-pick-the-best-lead-singers-of-all-time-19450/8-john-lennon-256521/

My favorite, though, is Tom Petty. Miss him.

Canyon99 said:

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Hey guys don't forget about me!

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Dude's laughing all the way to the bank.

Eddie Vedder.

MookieBlaylock said:

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C@LAg said:

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MookieBlaylock said:

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Dave Grohl is fun on the Internet and a cool guy but he isn't even close to Cobain Staley or Cornel

Vedder is the best of the grunge front men and it really isn't close

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not even close.
Chris Cornell was a better front man than Eddie.

And while liberal, he was not an obnoxious asshat like Eddie always is,

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I saw both in their prime and it wasn't even close
Vedder is off the charts as a front man and still is today

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Dave Grohl is carrying a bunch of torches for rock music (grunge, classic rock), so respect to him, but I don't consider him in the same conversation as the legends we've been talking about.

As for the other 90s / Grunge guys, well... they're the definition of anti-frontman. Eddie Vedder was more interested in his shoes and the ceiling than any crowd. That leaves Lane Staley, Chris Cornell, Kurt Cobain, Andrew Wood, Shannon Hoon, and Scott Weiland who all sadly took their own lives. How are Vince Neil, Bret Michaels, Axl Rose, Mick Jagger, and David Lee Roth all still touring while those guys are pushing daisies? Maybe that says something about the music and its inspiration.

Geez, how depressing. Think I'll go put on a KISS record to pep myself back up.

Oh my.

You're so wrong about Eddie.

Philo B 93 said:

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MookieBlaylock said:

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C@LAg said:

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MookieBlaylock said:

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Dave Grohl is fun on the Internet and a cool guy but he isn't even close to Cobain Staley or Cornel

Vedder is the best of the grunge front men and it really isn't close

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not even close.
Chris Cornell was a better front man than Eddie.

And while liberal, he was not an obnoxious asshat like Eddie always is,

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I saw both in their prime and it wasn't even close
Vedder is off the charts as a front man and still is today

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Dave Grohl is carrying a bunch of torches for rock music (grunge, classic rock), so respect to him, but I don't consider him in the same conversation as the legends we've been talking about.

As for the other 90s / Grunge guys, well... they're the definition of anti-frontman. Eddie Vedder was more interested in his shoes and the ceiling than any crowd. That leaves Lane Staley, Chris Cornell, Kurt Cobain, Andrew Wood, Shannon Hoon, and Scott Weiland who all sadly took their own lives. How are Vince Neil, Bret Michaels, Axl Rose, Mick Jagger, and David Lee Roth all still touring while those guys are pushing daisies? Maybe that says something about the music and its inspiration.

Geez, how depressing. Think I'll go put on a KISS record to pep myself back up.

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Just say garth brooks the dance is the greatest song ever

John Fogerty...

My 2 cents about some I've seen personally.

Geddy Lee. - as a huge Rush fan circa 1980, I will say that I don't think he belongs on a frontman list, and that's not a knock on Geddy. Rush fans are renowned for loving Rush because they are so unique. That uniqueness imo stems from their equality as members of the band. There is no Ringo, and there's only 3 guys. And that's the great thing about a Rush show - there's 3 frontmen.

Mick Jagger - I don't get it. Yes, the Rolling Stones are huge. Yes, Mick Jagger is Mick Jagger. But greatest frontman?? Please. That strut thing is way overrated, and to be a great frontman, you should also sound good live. I saw them in 97ish in the astrodome and it was as bad a show as I've seen. The sound was bad, his voice was bad, just bad.

Steven Tyler - belongs nowhere near the top of this list. Saw them in 87 - boring. Though I might be biased cuz I was so pissed they didn't play Sweet Emotion. How can Aerosmith not play Sweet Emotion? And Joe Perry is terrible live.

Bono - I can't stand what he's become, but U2 in 88 was one of the best shows I've seen. The crowd sang "40" all the way to the parking lot when the show was over. Bono was a big reason for that.

Roger Daltry - Saw them in 89 before I was a big fan of The Who. I was more interested in seeing Stevie Ray, who played before them. Roger Daltry blew me away. Amazing voice, amazing stage presence, amazing stamina. He's my vote for greatest frontman ever. One of the coolest things he did was spin the microphone (no cordless Mic). And he spun it all different ways, different speeds, and he always caught the Mic perfectly in time to start singing again.

Cornell, Plant, Vedder, Grohl, Bon Scott, Bowie are all great too. Mercury is great, just a little too flamboyant for me.

Best frontman is tough one.

But I do know who the best rock backman is . . .

Frok said:

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The Debt said:

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Is personal life a factor here?

I'm a big fan of Bon Scott and Freddie Merc, but their personal lives killed their careers.

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Personal lives killing your career is so rock and roll though

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Don't most rock stars personal life kill them too?

Let's have some fun

Either Ann Wilson or Michael Stipe

Ferg said:

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Peter Wolf should get an honorable mention.

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Holy hell, how did I forget him? This is a GREAT addition. He was the epitome of a great front man.

snowdog90 said:

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My 2 cents about some I've seen personally.

Geddy Lee. - as a huge Rush fan circa 1980, I will say that I don't think he belongs on a frontman list, and that's not a knock on Geddy. Rush fans are renowned for loving Rush because they are so unique. That uniqueness imo stems from their equality as members of the band. There is no Ringo, and there's only 3 guys. And that's the great thing about a Rush show - there's 3 frontmen.

Mick Jagger - I don't get it. Yes, the Rolling Stones are huge. Yes, Mick Jagger is Mick Jagger. But greatest frontman?? Please. That strut thing is way overrated, and to be a great frontman, you should also sound good live. I saw them in 97ish in the astrodome and it was as bad a show as I've seen. The sound was bad, his voice was bad, just bad.

Steven Tyler - belongs nowhere near the top of this list. Saw them in 87 - boring. Though I might be biased cuz I was so pissed they didn't play Sweet Emotion. How can Aerosmith not play Sweet Emotion? And Joe Perry is terrible live.

Bono - I can't stand what he's become, but U2 in 88 was one of the best shows I've seen. The crowd sang "40" all the way to the parking lot when the show was over. Bono was a big reason for that.

Roger Daltry - Saw them in 89 before I was a big fan of The Who. I was more interested in seeing Stevie Ray, who played before them. Roger Daltry blew me away. Amazing voice, amazing stage presence, amazing stamina. He's my vote for greatest frontman ever. One of the coolest things he did was spin the microphone (no cordless Mic). And he spun it all different ways, different speeds, and he always caught the Mic perfectly in time to start singing again.

Cornell, Plant, Vedder, Grohl, Bon Scott, Bowie are all great too. Mercury is great, just a little too flamboyant for me.

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See...and this is why I didn't put Gene Simmons in the mix...Paul Stanley was as much or more the lead singer of Kiss and, therefore, neither is the best frontman.

Agreed on Bono and that is why I brought him up. He has the ability to swell the crowd collective and then keep them with him so well and their concerts were a lot of fun.

As far as how people sound in person, damn there are a lot that I've seen that were just okay live. I have to give mad props to 3 particular acts that have never disappointed live...AC/DC, Metallica and Chevelle may even sound better live.

I never saw Bowie or Idol live but wish I had.

No doubt!

I'm way too old to even pretend to know who that it or what Benny is referring to.

Quote:

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Steven Tyler - belongs nowhere near the top of this list. Saw them in 87 - boring. Though I might be biased cuz I was so pissed they didn't play Sweet Emotion. How can Aerosmith not play Sweet Emotion? And Joe Perry is terrible live.

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Saw them in '78 and they didn't do Dream On. My wife is still pissed about that, even though we've seen them a bunch since then and they've done it every other time.

you don't need to ... way too obscure for frontman discussion

Benny - Tool

Macarthur - Maynard James Keenan of Tool and A Perfect Circle

OK, I've heard of that second guy and both bands.

Never heard of Noise Floor (Google hasn't either, evidently).

Love the discussion but this thread makes me sad because I think the rock era is fading fast. I'm sure there are some new low key bands that are worth listening to but for me I've got to reach back to the 90's, maybe early 2000's to find good rock music.

Yep. When's the last time a band that features actual guitars won anything of consequence?

maca1028 said:

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Love the discussion but this thread makes me sad because I think the rock era is fading fast. I'm sure there are some new low key bands that are worth listening to but for me I've got to reach back to the 90's, maybe early 2000's to find good rock music.

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People in the 1970s said that too.