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Best Vocally Aesthetic Rock Front Men 70s- early 80s

Posted on 6/8/24 at 6:46 am
Posted by Quesadilla Superman
SELA
Member since Aug 2020
829 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 6:46 am
I started a similar thread years ago on this about who in my opinion had the smoothest, prettiest vocals of any Rock Bands from 69-80’. Trying to stay out of “pop” music.

Robert Plant is obviously one of the greatest frontmen ever and the voice is absolutely incredible.

For my money, as far as a vocalists, I listed Lou Gramm (Foreigner) and Paul Rodgers (Free & Bad Company) as the two in my opinion who had probably the best voices during that period.

I know I’m trying to stay away from “pop” in this thread even though “Waiting for Girl Like You” & “I Want to Know What Love is” are more pop oriented songs but Foreigner had some killer rock tunes.

There is someone I forgot to list though and it was a huge miss. I don’t even see this guy listed in some of these rock frontman threads probably due to only having really only one really good album out of the three they made. That one album was a banger though. The band, Boston. Frontman Brad Delp.

How did I never think to add him to this list? I think it’s because that first album has just been overplayed and i stopped listening for years. Well, the other day I was thumbing through terrestrial radio on my way home and “More Than a Feeling” was playing and I had forgotten how great Brad Delp’s vocals were and how good those guys were on that one album. Delp’s range is pretty incredible. How he controls his breathing to step up a few times in octaves is beyond me.

Posted by Saint Alfonzo
Member since Jan 2019
28402 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 8:54 am to
Robert Plant and Freddie Mercury would be my choices. Steve Perry is up there. But I think that Rod Stewart doesn't get enough credit nowadays, where he's probably underrated now.
Posted by rebelrouser
Columbia, SC
Member since Feb 2013
12830 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 10:14 am to
Paul McCartney, Harry Nilsson, Marvin Gaye, and David Bowie.
Posted by STigers
Gulf Coast
Member since Nov 2022
3827 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 10:26 am to
Jim Morrison
Lou Reed
This post was edited on 6/8/24 at 10:35 am
Posted by metallica81788
NO
Member since Sep 2008
10071 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 10:39 am to
Plants voice is the opposite of smooth and aesthetic sounding to me - like nails on chalkboard. I know where he stands in the rock pantheon but I just don’t like his voice

Brad Delp was amazing he’s the winner for me. Perry and Mercury also incredibly smooth vocals.
Posted by haikarate
Member since May 2011
1637 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 10:50 am to
David Byron of Uriah Heep has a very strong case .
Posted by nealnan8
Atlanta
Member since Oct 2016
4002 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 11:03 am to
These guys are underrated and have great voices:
1. Paul Carrack - Squeeze, but not really a rock front man
2. Roger Daltrey - The Who
3. Peter Gabriel - Genesis
4. Greg Lake- King Crimson, ELP
5. Bob Seger

Seger and Daltrey have the best pure rock n' roll voices.
Posted by A12 Oxcart
On the float out in the Belt
Member since Dec 2022
1041 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 11:17 am to
Perry
Mercury
Gramm
Plant
Posted by Keyszer10
Member since Aug 2018
646 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 11:43 am to
David Coverdale
Posted by FightinTigersDammit
Louisiana North
Member since Mar 2006
46425 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 2:01 pm to
Paul Rodgers would make all but a very few rock bands sound better.
Posted by Jake88
Member since Apr 2005
78176 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 2:36 pm to
quote:

Plants voice is the opposite of smooth and aesthetic sounding to me - like nails on chalkboard
Yep. I can't really listen very long.
Posted by ddbnsb
Raised in New Orleans
Member since Dec 2005
3440 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 2:49 pm to
some good choices so far. I'll add Ian Gillan to the list
Posted by hogcard1964
Alabama
Member since Jan 2017
17629 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 2:50 pm to
Daryl Hall
Posted by Ace Midnight
Between sanity and madness
Member since Dec 2006
94811 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 4:09 pm to
quote:

How did I never think to add him to this list?


I have no idea. Many folks would have Delp #1 (ahead of Plant, Mercury, everybody). However, I do like both Lou Gramm and Paul Rodgers get some love as they get lost in the shuffle sometimes.

I mean, I love The Who and Daltrey did some great things vocally, but I don't think he is in the same conversation with those guys above.

Rod Stewart should get some talk as well and, for as great a songwriter and guitarist he was, David Gilmour should get some consideration, although he split "front man" responsibilities to a degree with Syd and Waters (without a doubt Gilmour was the best vocalist in the Floyd).

This post was edited on 6/8/24 at 4:11 pm
Posted by Quesadilla Superman
SELA
Member since Aug 2020
829 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 5:52 pm to
quote:

Plants voice is the opposite of smooth and aesthetic sounding to me - like nails on chalkboard. I know where he stands in the rock pantheon but I just don’t like his voice


I should’ve made it more clear when I was talking about Plant. I just mentioned him as a frontman, not necessarily the best sounding one.

Mercury needs to be up there as well. His voice is incredible.

Saw another poster state Steve Perry and his voice was certainly a high unique, smooth one.
Posted by Wulfgar
Member since Jan 2013
2036 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 6:15 pm to
David Coverdale
Tommy Shaw
John Waite
This post was edited on 6/8/24 at 6:16 pm
Posted by DeltaTigerDelta
Member since Jan 2017
13508 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 8:19 pm to
Robin Zander
Posted by ATCTx
Member since Nov 2016
1390 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 8:27 pm to
Michael Hutchence - INXS
Freddie Mercury (of course)
Steve Perry (of course)
Posted by SteelerBravesDawg
Member since Sep 2020
43337 posts
Posted on 6/8/24 at 8:32 pm to
Freddie Mercury
Steve Perry
Lou Gramm

And not a man but Ann Wilson. The greatest female voice in rock history and the undisputed Queen of Rock.
Posted by Quesadilla Superman
SELA
Member since Aug 2020
829 posts
Posted on 6/9/24 at 7:20 am to
quote:

some good choices so far. I'll add Ian Gillan to the list


Ian Gillan is another great one.

Another poster added David Gilmour which I personally have in my top 7. Gilmour is certainly one of if not the greatest lead guitarist/ lead vocalist in rock history.

Didn’t want the thread turning into a Waters v Gilmour pissing match. Yes, without Waters writing ability PF probably doesn’t become the band they were. On the flip side, had Gilmour not joined PF, we’re probably not talking about them today. His guitar brought them into a whole new world. Without Gilmour, perhaps PF doesn’t have the sound they ended up having. With all due respect to Syd, I don’t think they would’ve made it far and just continued to play underground psychedelic rock.
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