Rolling Stone has just compiled its list of the "200 Greatest Singers of All Time" and Aretha Franklin, the late "Queen of Soul," was #1 on the list. The magazine's writers called her "a force of nature. A work of genius. A gift from the heavens."
On the rock ‘n roll side, John Lennon ranked the highest at #12 on the list.
In putting together the list, the writers said: "When Rolling Stone first published its list of the "100 Greatest Singers in 2008," we used an elaborate voting process that included input from well-known musicians. The results skewed toward classic rock and singers from the '60s and '70s . This new list was compiled by our staff and key contributors, and it encompasses 100 years of pop music as an ongoing global conversation…”
They added, "In all cases, what mattered most to us was originality, influence, the depth of an artist’s catalog and the breadth of their musical legacy... In the end, the singers behind it are here for one reason: They can remake the world just by opening their mouths."
Here's a look at the top 25 on the list:
- Aretha Franklin
- Whitney Houston
- Sam Cooke
- Billie Holiday
- Mariah Carey
- Ray Charles
- Stevie Wonder
- Beyoncé
- Otis Redding
- Al Green
- Little Richard
- John Lennon
- Patsy Cline
- Freddie Mercury
- Bob Dylan
- Prince
- Elvis Presley
- Celia Cruz
- Frank Sinatra
- Marvin Gaye
- Nina Simone
- Adele
- Smokey Robinson
- George Jones
- Mary J. Blige
[Source: Classic Hits Today]