Best Female Singing Voice

[Frank Tuesday]

I don't care who has the "best" voice. All I know is right now my favorite is Anelis Assumpção.

 

[John M Ewers]

Linda Ronstadt

 

[NikMuso]

I'm on a Japanese kick lately...

Mariya Takeuchi is all around marvelous. One of the few Japanese songstresses that can actually sing proper in English.

REOL is one of the best rappers of all time, and still has melodic sensibilities.

Western singers, there are so many, and it feels impossible to choose just one. I enjoy Ariana Grande, lately.

 

[Kujibo]

I might guess people consider "best" as range, power, dynamics, etc., and if that was the case for the music I like I'd say Ann Wilson. But maybe "best" is more an individual's characterization of what moves them as a complete musical package, and for me that would be Chrissie Hynde, my favourite.

 

[TyBo]

Since we're kinda going with "Singers I like" at this point (and why not? ), here's Camila Cabello ("Havana"). Tiny girl with a not so tiny voice (btw, Ariana Grande - another tiny girl, great voice, haven't noticed her mentioned yet, quite a singer). Apparently Camila had a cold during this performance, but didn't want to cancel this opportunity to sing. Great band, great performance:

 

[Geddaric]

While I really respect all Karen Carpenter has done, my vote goes to another 70’s voice….
Carly Simon.

 

[stringbassdave]

Karen Carpenter. But good discussion!

 

[DECEMBER]

Tori Amos!

 

[LBS-bass]

Lots of love for Karen Carpenter, and I have to say she is certainly a sleeper talent. She did have a sweet voice and such an emotive delivery. Sad that we lost her so young.

 

[DennisO]

Best female singer of all time is Whitney Houston, and I'll fight any man who says different

 

[DennisO]

Karen Carpenter was an awesome drummer. I love her too

 

[Miles_ONeal]

+1 on "No such thing as best".
Personal fave: Janis. No one pours as much emotion into songs as her (IMO). She moves me. Takes me places like no one else.

Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, and Cari Q are up there, too. Two of my books were written with Cari’s music as the main writing sountrack.

 

[jdh3000]

Wholeheartedly agree! Angelic voice, so pure.. apparently she would nail her vocal performances in one take. No drop ins , no autotune ( wasn’t invented then of course).. The Carpenters best of album is unashamedly tucked away in between my Zep,Sabbath,and Deep Purple Vinyl and i still drag it out occasionally and marvel at Karens’ voice and those deliciously smaltzy tunes.

Yep, not many voices move me, but hers does. She had a timbre in her voice like no other.

 

[Larryfales]

My vote goes to Karen Carpenter, hands down. If there were a female angel, she would sing like Karen.

Your vote goes to .... ?

Angelina Jordan

 

[picker1974]

Stevie Nicks.

 

[slam dunk]

My vote goes to Karen Carpenter, hands down. If there were a female angel, she would sing like Karen.

Your vote goes to .... ?

I agree with Hummergeist, “there is no best”. Here are just a few I love; Gloria Estefan, Joni Mitchell, Janice Joplin, Lzzy Hale, Stevie Nicks, and the list goes on and on.

 

[ey_tony]

There are or have been lots of good female vocalists over the years to choose from and usually it will depend upon which genres one prefers as to choice of vocalist but my vote goes to Linda Ronstadt for versatility and easy listening.

I was a fan of hers back in the 70s and was never without a cassette of hers in my car and even now I still rate her as one of the best.

 

[slam dunk]

There are or have been lots of good female vocalists over the years to choose from and usually it will depend upon which genres one prefers as to choice of vocalist but my vote goes to Linda Ronstadt for versatility and easy listening.

I was a fan of hers back in the 70s and was never without a cassette of hers in my car and even now I still rate her as one of the best.

Absolutely! Linda Ronstadt, wow, I listened to her all the time.

 

[MrBeta]

I would vote for Minnie Ripperton. There has ever been another voice quite so sublime.

She passed far to early and we were all cheated out of what might have been.

 

[Greywoulf]

I wouldn't say these had the 'greatest' voices but their styling was fantastic to listen to...
Billie Holiday
Blossom Dearie
Etta James
~And I could listen to Dinah Washington all night!

Here's Billie with some of the greatest of all time jazz stars at a 1957 TV special on jazz. (That this was even broadcast in '57 was a miracle in itself!) About 6 months after this both she and Lester Young were dead...