Under-rated/over-rated vocalists

[Sixgunn]

Benjamin Orr, bass player for The Cars, under-rated. He sang on some of their most known/most popular songs.

His solo effort is also really good.

 

[Mannyinnewyork]

Over - Robert Plant
Under - Paul Young

 

[Sixgunn]

Under-rated:

Jack Russell - Great White - Great, powerful vocal tone, stellar range, sense of melody, etc. I think he was hamstrung by record company's ideas on "formula rock". He could have been legendary

Cristina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil - Beautiful, powerful voice, great melodic sense, excellent range and an engaging, passionate performer.

Tori Amos - Flat out amazing musician. Incredible, natural talent.

Over-rated - Vince Neil - Awful voice tone and horrible pitch. Un-listenable to me.

Ozzy - Same as Vince.

 

[DDXdesign]

I saw Heart just a couple years ago and Ann still sounds EXACTLY LIKE THE DAMN RECORDS from 40 years ago. It's UNREAL. I'm on the 'not-underrated' train.

Underrated because probably unknown: Annette Strean, from Venus Hum. They're a little indie synthpop band, probably not everyone's cup of tea here, but I caught them a couple times when they opened for Blue Man Group on the Complex tour. I swear, half the time she didn't need the mic to fill the theater. She could do everything from sexy, breathy quietness to wall-shaking belting. 'Hummingbirds' from their Big Beautiful Sky album probably shows off her range the best within a single song, while the chorus to 'The Bells' shows you, just, power. That album is sweet and cute and great - their later stuff has a little more edge to it. I think she damaged her voice at one point in recent years but hope she's still at it. She's super cute and all, but I just plain fell in love with that damn voice.

EDIT: you might know her voice actually - she's the one that sang on the Blue Man Group's cover of I Feel Love, used in an Intel commercial and I think it was also in Suicide Squad.

 

[Aqualung60]

I nominate Annie Haslam for under-rated.

 

[Vooter]

Underrated: Homer!

 

[steamthief]

Underrated - Pat Benatar - powerful pipes!

Overrated - anyone who's selling tickets as a hologram these days.

 

[Humbled]

Probably unknown to the majority of TBers:

Bassist for the Doobie Brothers 1993-1995, also studio bassist for Travis Tritt, Steve Earle, Garth Brooks, and Wynonna, John Cowan.

 

[Stewie]

Overrated—Kim Carnes. Anything above a 0 on a scale of ten is overrating her. Can’t belief anyone ever thought that voice should be recorded.

Can't argue with that, hit another button on the truck radio after 2 or 3 notes.
Most under rated is Beth Hart, she can put you to sleep with sweetness, or rip your head off with power

 

[neddyrow]

i always liked Jerry Garcia's voice back in the 70s. i also liked bob dylan in the 60s - not well liked by most standards

i agree with all the aforementioned overrated singers

 

[GoesThump]

Rolling Stone ranked Cobain as the 45th greatest singer in the history of music.
100 Greatest Singers of All Time

I don't know about under- and over- rated singers, but Rolling Stone is without a doubt the most overrated publication in the history of music, if not in the history of paper.

"100 Greatest Singers of All Time" ... and not one opera singer on the list? No lieder experts? No jazz people either?

An honest title would've been "100 Singers American Rock Journalists Really Like, considering their microscopic experience with music from other times and cultures."

Yeah, Cobain sure kicked Fischer-Dieskau's ass as a singer... righto.

GT

 

[RichardW]

I nominate Annie Haslam for under-rated.

I was a huge Annie Haslam fan back in the day. Went to see her perform a couple of years ago and...wish it were back in the day again. Unfortunately, she was pitchy all night long. It was painful.

Under-rated: Howlin' Wolf. Best voice in the blues, IMO.

 

[Bill Pool]

I totally agree!!

Agreed! And I would add John Fogerty, during and after CCR. To me, he had the perfect voice for classic rock.

 

[Spacecase]

Overrated: Florence Welch (Florence and the Machine)

 

[teh-slb]

Leo Kottke is an underrated vocalist, in my opinion.

 

[Robert B]

I don't know if he's underrated, but I sure wish I could sing like Doug Pinnick!

 

[Frank Tuesday]

Leo Kottke is an underrated vocalist, in my opinion.

I wish I could find it, but when Great Big Boy came out, there was a great review: "Leo Kottke sings. What else is there to say. 5-star"

Also,

 

[Spacecase]

Leo Kottke is an underrated vocalist, in my opinion.

Violently agree, although Leo, himself, describes his singing as a "goose farts on a muggy day."

 

[foolforthecity]

I’ve never cared for Robert Plant’s singing in general. To me his voice is grating, and has a lot of flat and sharp variance going on. YMMV

 

[Charlzm]

Kind of a follow-up to my "musicians you appreciate but don't like" thread, who are some truly under-rated (and over-rated) vocalists?

I nominate Ann Wilson of Heart as most under-rated. Early Heart is so powerful. As a runner up I nominate (as I prepare to duck the slings and arrows) Meatloaf. Yes, his music was overly bombastic, but the dude had a set of pipes.

Most over-rated? Ozzy Osbourne. Heck of a front man, but not a talented vocalist at all. I remember reading an interview of Tommy Iommi, where he said there was a reason they didn't put out live albums with him as vocalist.

Over-rated - so many.... My latest nomination is Adele.
Under-rated - hmmmmm.... will get back to you on that one, though I think the OP's Ann Wilson remark is dead on.