Best Female Vocalists

[The Sad Punk]

Anita O'Day
Laura Nyro
Ethel Merman
Connee Boswell (Boswell Sisters singing together = Dang!)

And others mentioned in the thread, of course. Especially Judy Garland. She had a voice at the age of 12 more accomplished than even some of the other great singers in this thread.

 

[Zooropean103]

How about Skye Edwards from Morcheeba and Denise Johnson from Primal Scream? Two great very soulful voices.

 

[Zoomerang96]

wow, can't believe noone's mentioned feist yet.

regina spektor is another.

 

[lazarus]

Anita O'Day
Laura Nyro
Ethel Merman
Connee Boswell (Boswell Sisters singing together = Dang!)

And others mentioned in the thread, of course. Especially Judy Garland. She had a voice at the age of 12 more accomplished than even some of the other great singers in this thread.

Funny that you mention Laura Nyro. I found one of her records really cheap at a thrift store and was pleasantly surprised. I had heard of her before but I was curious because Striesand had recorded a fair amount of her material, including 3 songs on her album Stoney End (the title track is one of Nyro's).

 

[indra]

wow, can't believe noone's mentioned feist yet.

regina spektor is another.

Ah but someone has mentioned Feist. And Spektor.

 

[bonojr62]

Neko Case.... Go look her up.

 

[*browneyedgirl*]

Gwen Stefani, my favorite female singer ever

 

[MrPryck2U]

Christina Aguilera

 

[impy13]

I'll have to echo Zoomers. My love for Leslie Feist is well documented around here.

Also, I saw Regina Spektor last week and it made me appreciate her even more. The little spurts, strange inflections, and always interesting turns-of-phrase make hers an extremely lovely and unique voice. She's fantastic.

But seriously, for my money it doesn't get any better than Feist.

 

[zuropa_fit]

I can't friggin' stand Joni Mitchell and Aimee Mann reminds me of a 15-year-old cutter (sorry for the harsh words, but my feelings are strong on this matter, feel free to disagree)

Ella Fitzgerald and Fiona Apple are honestly the only female singers I'll listen to by choice (am I sexist or what?). Christina Aguilera (sp?) is actually growing on me. I used to like Gwen Stefani before she sold her soul to the devil.

oh and Feist.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I will wholeheartedly agree with Annie, Chrissie, and Fiona. Lots of other great females in here as well.

How about Bic Runga? Only got into her music in recent times, but I love her voice-so soft and pretty.

Angela

 

[Saracene]

PJ Harvey
Kate Bush
Fiona Apple
Tori Amos
Annie Lennox
Lisa Gerrard
Regina Spektor
Nina Simone
Bjork
Cat Power
Beth Orton
Beth Gibbons
Martha Wainwright
Loretta Lynn
Edith Piaf
Janis Joplin
Marianne Faithful
Chrissie Hynde
Jenny Lewis
Cerys Matthews
Keren Ann

 

[TranceEnding]

cool avatar Trance, looks like Klimt (?)

Hey! Yes indeedy, it is a Gustav Klimt picture One of my very favourite artists/painters

 

[lazarus]

But seriously, for my money it doesn't get any better than Feist.

Apple Computer's money too, apparently.

(oh no, not THAT discussion again...)

 

[yolland]

a few additions...

Miriam Makeba
Lhasa
Lata Mangeshkar
Cesaria Evora

 

[No spoken words]

Neko Case.... Go look her up.

Cannot believe that I left her off of my list.

 

[snowbunny00774]

Cannot believe that I left her off of my list.

I thought you were going to bed? leave your books hanging like that and they'll be mean to you too


not the best but people I like:
Sarah Mc.
nelly furtado
dolores O'riordan
annie lennox
amy winehouse


I'll think of more later

 

[beegee]

This is beautiful...

Parting Gift

 

[intedomine]

Dolores O'Riordan puts Sinead to shame I reckon.

Nelly Fertado
Donna Lewis

And cause the male thread got closed cause of some funny stuff that happened, I'd like to put forward Fran Healy, who was overlooked, and Robin Wilson and Ian Brown

 

[CrashedCarDriver]

nina simone

alison goldfrapp

alison moyet

beth gibbons

wendy matthews

roisin murphy

 

[Saracene]

Kim Gordon is not a technically good singer, but I find her flat, detached vocals strangely compelling.

 

[redhotswami]

In no particular order:

Ella Fitzgerald
Alison Krauss
Aretha Franklin
Natalie Cole
Janis Joplin
Mary J. Blige
Mariah Carey (pre-divorce)
Alicia Keys
Tori Amos
Nina Simone
Joss Stone
Norah Jones
Gladys Knight

 

[UberBeaver]

Kim Deal
Lisa Hannigan
Nelly Furtado
Amy Winehouse
Delores O'Riordeen
Harriet Wheeler
Lisa Hannigan
NSW
Karen O (sometimes anyway)
Tori Amos
Lisa Hannigan
Aretha
The Chantels
The Supremes

And then the Christina Aguilera's, Alicia Keyes, etc that I don't listen to but I can recognize they can sing. Probably better than most of the women on my list.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

NSW

Glad to see Emmylou Harris getting recognized, she's my favourite...

 

[BVS]

Dolores O'Riordan puts Sinead to shame I reckon.

Not on any planet in this universe.

 

[U2Girl416]

Tori Amos
Sarah Mclachlan
Shirley Manson
Christina Aguilera, though I don't care for her myself.
Ella Fitzgerald
used to be a Mariah fan back when she first debuted, same for Whitney.

 

[redhotswami]

NSW

gangstas need love too has to be the greatest song i've never heard.

 

[corianderstem]

Not on any planet in this universe.

That was my reaction, too.

I liked the Cranberries at the same time everyone and their brother had a copy of their debut album, but I never did like her voice. I hate that warbly, fluttery thing she does.

It's interesting how one voice can strike someone as great and someone else as so annoying. Natalie Merchant is like that for me.

I loved 10,000 Maniacs, and her voice never bothered me with the band, but her solo records ... I just can't even listen to more than a song or two in a row. Her voice just grates on me. Which is a shame, because I think a lot of her songs are really good. Just not the voice she sings them with.

 

[BVS]

That was my reaction, too.

I liked the Cranberries at the same time everyone and their brother had a copy of their debut album, but I never did like her voice. I hate that warbly, fluttery thing she does.

It's interesting how one voice can strike someone as great and someone else as so annoying. Natalie Merchant is like that for me.

I loved 10,000 Maniacs, and her voice never bothered me with the band, but her solo records ... I just can't even listen to more than a song or two in a row. Her voice just grates on me. Which is a shame, because I think a lot of her songs are really good. Just not the voice she sings them with.

I'm the same way with NM as well.

Yeah Delores has a decent voice but can be just downright grating, i.e. Zombie. Plus that band just went downhill fast...

Now I'll be the first to admit that Sinead's last two albums have been kind of out there and aren't for everyone, and I know most(especially in the US) lost interest after her second album, but her voice still just rises above the rest.

 

[gump]

Lisa Hannigan
Lisa Hannigan
Lisa Hannigan

So true. Can't wait for her debut album.