The 50 Greatest Rock Singers of All Time
As voted by thousands of Planet Rock listeners
Last updated 28th May 2024
After counting down on air throughout Bank Holiday Monday, Planet Rock can now reveal The 50 Greatest Rock Singers of All Time as voted by our listeners.
Just like all Planet Rock polls, it was an open vote meaning that listeners could vote for any singer in the history of rock music – and thousands of listeners had their say over the past month.
Taking the crown as the Greatest Rock Singer ever is, perhaps unsurprisingly, Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.
The consummate showman and an unparalleled performer armed with a thunderous yet seraphic voice, Freddie Mercury is the very definition of the words ‘rock legend.’
Narrowly missing out on the top spot, and just over 300 votes behind Freddie Mercury, was metal titan Ronnie James Dio.
Possessing an earth-shatteringly powerful voice despite his tiny frame, the much-missed Ronald James Padavona changed the face of heavy music as the distinctive vocalist of Rainbow, Elf, Black Sabbath, Dio and Heaven & Hell.
Black Sabbath are the most represented band on the countdown with four of their vocalists making the list, including the aforementioned Ronnie James Dio.
Deep Purple aren’t too far behind with three singers on the list, while AC/DC frontmen Bon Scott and Brian Johnson both have lofty positions.
The 50 Greatest Rock Singers of All Time:
50) Beth Hart
49) Sebastian Bach
Bands a member of: Skid Row, Madam X, Damnocracy, solo artist
48) Elvis Presley
47) Mike Patton
Bands a member of: Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Fantômas, Tomahawk, Dead Cross, Peeping Tom, Lovage, Kaada/Patton, Hemophiliac, Nevermen
46) Layne Staley
Bands a member of: Alice in Chains, Mad Season, Class of '99
45) Sammy Hagar
Bands a member of: Van Halen, Montrose, Sammy Hagar & the Waboritas, Chickenfoot, Sammy Hagar and the Circle, Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve, Planet Us.
44) Chester Bennington
Bands a member of: Linkin Park, Dead by Sunrise, Grey Daze, Kings of Chaos, Stone Temple Pilots
43) Jon Anderson
Bands a member of: Yes, The Warriors, Mabel Greer's Toyshop, ,Jon and Vangelis, Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, Yes featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman
42) Bruce Springsteen
41) David Draiman
Bands a member of: Disturbed
40) James Hetfield
Bands a member of: Metallica
39) Dave Grohl
Bands a member of: Foo Fighters (vocals, guitar); Nirvana, Them Crooked Vultures, Scream, Mondo Generator (drummer and backing vocals); Sound City Players, (vocals, guitar and drums); Probot (lead guitar, drums, bass)
38) Geddy Lee
Bands a member of: Rush, The Big Dirty Band (bass only).
37) Steve Marriott
Bands a member of: Small Faces, Humble Pie, solo artist
36) David Bowie
35) Shane Greenhall
Bands a member of: Those Damn Crows
34) Danny Vaughn
Bands a member of: Tyketto, Waysted, Vaughn, Snake Oil & Harmony, solo
33) Mick Jagger
Bands a member of: The Rolling Stones, From the Inside, The Illegal Eagles, Burning Kingdom
32) Lemmy
Bands a member of: Motörhead, Hawkwind, The Rockin' Vickers, Opal Butterfly, The Damned, The Head Cat, Sam Gopal
31) Jay Buchanan
Bands a member of: Rival Sons
30) Geoff Tate
Bands a member of: Queensrÿche, Operation: Mindcrime, Sweet Oblivion, solo artist
29) Eddie Vedder
Bands a member of: Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog, Hovercraft, Bad Radio
28) Janis Joplin
Bands a member of: A solo artist who also performed with Big Brother and the Holding Company
27) Phil Lynott
Bands a member of: Thin Lizzy, Grand Slam, The Greedies, Skid Row
26) Stevie Nicks
Bands a member of: Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham Nicks and an esteemed solo artist
25) Brian Johnson
Bands a member of: AC/DC, Geordie
24) Glenn Hughes
Bands a member of: Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Trapeze, Black Country Communion, The Dead Daisies, Finders Keepers, Hughes/Thrall, Phenomena, Hughes Turner Project, Michael Men Project, Kings of Chaos, California Breed, solo artist.
23) Brent Smith
Bands a member of: Shinedown, Smith & Myers
22) Roger Daltrey
Bands a member of: The Who
21) Floor Jansen
Bands a member of: Nightwish, Northward
20) Meat Loaf
19) Axl Rose
Bands a member of: Guns N' Roses, Hollywood Rose, L.A. Guns
18) Steven Tyler
Bands a member of: Aerosmith, Chain Reaction
17) Noddy Holder
Bands a member of: Slade
16) Steve Perry
Bands a member of: Journey, solo artist
15) Rob Halford
Bands a member of: Judas Priest, Halford, Fight, 2wo
14) Ozzy Osbourne
Bands a member of: Black Sabbath, solo artist
13) Danny Bowes
Bands a member of: Thunder, Terraplane, Nuthin' Fancy, Bowes & Morley
12) Lzzy Hale
Bands a member of: Halestorm, Skid Row (temporary singer)
11) Bon Scott
Bands a member of: AC/DC, Fraternity, The Valentines, The Spektors
10) Chris Cornell
Bands a member of: Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog, solo artist
9) Ian Gillan
Bands a member of: Deep Purple, Gillan, Black Sabbath, The Javelins, Episode Six, Ian Gillan Band, Gillan & Glover, WhoCares
8) Ann Wilson
Bands a member of: Heart, solo artist
7) David Coverdale
Bands a member of: Whitesnake, Deep Purple, Coverdale-Page
6) Bruce Dickinson
Bands a member of: Iron Maiden, Samson, solo artist
5) Myles Kennedy
Bands a member of: Alter Bridge, Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, Kings of Chaos, solo artist
4) Paul Rodgers
Bands a member of: Free, Bad Company, The Firm, The Law, Queen + Paul Rodgers, solo artist
3) Robert Plant
Bands a member of: Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Band of Joy, The Honeydrippers, various solo bands
2) Ronnie James Dio
Bands a member of: Dio, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, Rainbow, Elf, Ronnie & The Red Caps, Ronnie Dio & The Prophets, The Electric Elves, The Elves
1) Freddie Mercury
Bands a member of: Queen, Ibex Sour, Milk Sea
Feature: The 50 Greatest Album Covers of All Time
Feature: The 50 Greatest Rock Albums of All Time
Feature: The Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time
- Queen
- Freddie Mercury
- ronnie james dio
- Robert Plant
- Led Zeppelin
- paul rodgers
- myles kennedy
- Alter Bridge
- Slash
- Iron Maiden
- Bruce Dickinson
- whitesnake
- deep purple
- david coverdale
- heart
- ann wilson
- Black Sabbath
- Chris Cornell
- Soundgarden
- Audioslave
- Temple of the Dog
- Pearl Jam
- AC/DC
- Halestorm
- skid row
- Thunder
- Ozzy Osbourne
- Judas Priest
- Rob Halford
- Journey
- slade
- Aerosmith
- noddy holder
- Guns N' Roses
- Meat Loaf
- Axl Rose
- nightwish
- the who
- glenn hughes
- Shinedown
- Fleetwood Mac
- thin lizzy
- phil lynott
- Eddie Vedder
- Janis Joplin
- rival sons
- Motorhead
- Lemmy
- Lemmy Kilmister
- The Rolling Stones
- those damn crows
- David Bowie
- Foo Fighters
- Nirvana
- Dave Grohl
- Metallica
- James Hetfield
- Linkin Park
- beth hart
- Alice in Chains
- Faith No More
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