Here we go guys, In this list, we are going to see the best rock singers of all time. Rock music is amazingly popular and has a long history. The best rock singers are often identified with their band, but many enjoy solo careers and have been performing for decades.
Rock singers are a very important part of music history and culture as they are typically the face of the band and are the one who performs the vocals. Rock singers are usually the lead singer, with the exception of bands such as The Beatles.
Singers are often the only person who sings in the band and they are usually singing about the band.
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30 Best Rock Singers Of All Time
30 – Dave Grohl
David Eric Grohl is a famous rock musician, and songwriter, born on January 14, 1969. He is well-known as the founder of Foo Fighters. From 1990 to 1994, he was the drummer for the Nirvana rock band. Grohl inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of Nirvana in 2014 and as a member of Foo Fighters in 2021. He also marks one of the most influential rock singers of the last 20 years.
29 – Bon Scott
Ronald Belford “Bon” Scott was an Australian rock singer and songwriter, born on 9 July 1946 & died on 19 February 1980. Best known as the lead vocalist of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980.
In the July 2004 issue of Classic Rock, Scott marked as number one in a list of the “100 Greatest Frontmen of All Time“. Also, He had performed in many other bands, including The Valentines and Fraternity, before replacing Dave Evans as the lead singer of AC/DC in 1974.
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28 – Ronnie James Dio
Ronald James Padavona aka Ronnie James Dio was an American heavy metal rock singer and composer, born on July 10, 1942, & died on May 16, 2010. He founded many groups during his career, including Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio, and Heaven & Hell.
Dio had an emphatic, versatile vocal span and was skilled in singing both hard rock and more delicate lyrics, marking him one of the greatest and most significant heavy metal artists of all time.
27 – Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann Harry is an American rock singer & actress, known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondi, born on July 1, 1945. Harry co-formed Blondie in 1974 in New York City. The band released their eponymous debut album in 1976 and released a further three albums between then.
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26 – Prince
Prince Rogers Nelson was a popular American rock singer & multi-performer, born on June 7, 1958, & died on April 21, 2016. Widely considered one of the most prominent musicians of his generation.
His music included a wide multiplicity of styles, including funk, R&B, rock, new wave, soul, jazz, synth-pop, pop, and hip hop. Prince sold over 150 million records worldwide, ranking him among the best-selling music artists of all time.
25 – Joe Elliott
Joseph Thomas Elliott is a hard rock singer & record producer, born on 1 August 1959. Best known as the lead singer and one of the founding members of the English hard rock band Def Leppard. Also, Elliott is famous for his distinctive and wide-ranging raspy singing voice.
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24 – Paul Rodgers
Paul Rodgers is a British-Canadian rock singer & songwriter, born on 17 December 1949. He was the main vocalist of numerous bands, including Free, Bad Company, The Firm, and The Law. In 1991, John Mellencamp called Rodgers “the best rock singer ever.”
23 – Don Henley
Donald Hugh Henley is an American rock musician & singer and a founding member of the rock band Eagles, born on July 22, 1947. He has sold over 150 million albums worldwide, won six Grammy Awards, and had five number-one singles, 17 top 40 singles, and six number one albums.
Henley sang the head vocals on Eagles hits such as “Witchy Woman”, “Desperado”, “Best of My Love”, “One of These Nights”, “Hotel California”, “Life in the Fast Lane”, “The Long Run” and “Get Over It”.
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22 – Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall “Jimi” Hendrix was an popular American musician & singer, born on November 27, 1942, & died on September 18, 1970. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame represents him as “arguably the most outstanding instrumentalist in the history of rock music”.
He was the first instrumentalist to use stereophonic phasing effects in recordings. Widely considered one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of famous music and one of the most prominent musicians of the 20th century.
21 – Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen is an one of the popular American rock singers and musicians, born on September 23, 1949. In his career, He has dropped twenty studio albums, many of which feature his sponsorship band the E Street Band.
He has gained multiple awards for his work, including 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, & an Academy Award. He is one of the founders of the heartland rock style of music, mixing mainstream rock musical style with narrative songs about performing class American life.
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20 – Steve Perry
Stephen Ray Perry is a famous singer and songwriter, born on January 22, 1949. Best known as the major singer of the rock band Journey during their most commercially flourishing periods from 1977 to 1987, and again from 1995 to 1998. Perry inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Journey on April 7, 2017.
19 – Bob Dylan
Robert Dylan is one of the greatest rock singers & songwriters, born on May 24, 1941. Dylan has been a major bust in popular culture during a career transiting for more than 60 years. He has sold more than 125 million records, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. Many of his songs adapted the songs and phrasing of older folk songs.
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18 – Stevie Nicks
Stephanie Lynn Nicks is a famous rock singer and producer known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist, born on May 26, 1948. In 1975, Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac, helping the band to become one of the best-selling melody acts of all time with over 120 million records sold worldwide.
She has released eight studio solo albums and seven studio albums with Fleetwood Mac, selling a certified total of 65 million copies in the US alone.
17 – Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney One of the most successful composers and performers of all time, was born on 18 June 1942. He achieved worldwide fame as co-lead vocalist, co-songwriter, and bassist for the Beatles. He is known for his melodious approach to bass-playing, universal and wide tenor song range.
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16 – Bono
Paul David Hewson aka Bono an Is Irish rock singer & songwriter, born on 10 May 1960. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. As a member of U2, Bono received 22 Grammy Awards and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
15 – John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon was an English singer & musician, born on 9 October 1940 & died on 8 December 1980. He gained global fame as the founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist, and beat guitarist of the Beatles.
“Double Fantasy,” his best-selling album, won the 1981 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (in 1997) and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
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14 – Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin was one of the famous American rock singers and songwriters, Born on January 19, 1943, & died on October 4, 1970. One of the most booming and widely known rock stars of her generation, Noted for her emphatic mezzo-soprano vocals and “electric” stage sight.
She stays one of the top-selling instrumentalists in the United States, with Recording Industry Association of America certifications of 18.5 million albums sold.
13 – Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne is an English rock singer & songwriter, born on 3 December 1948. He gained popularity during the 1970s as the lead singer of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He seated in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Black Sabbath and into the UK Music Hall of Fame as a solo artist and as a member of the band.
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12 – Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor, born on January 8, 1935, & died on August 16, 1977. Regarded as one of the most influential cultural icons of the 20th century. Presley evolved as the greatest figure in the newly popular sound of rock and roll.
He won three Grammy Awards, received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36, and inducted into numerous music halls of fame.
11 – Steven Tyler
Steven Victor Tallarico aka Steven Tyler is a famous American rock singer & musician, born on March 26, 1948. He is best known as the lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith. He is also known for his on-stage acrobatics.
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10 – Axl Rose
W. Axl Rose is one of the top American rock musicians & singers, born on February 6, 1962. Best known for being the lead vocalist and lyricist of the hard rock and heavy metal band Guns N’ Roses. Rose marks one of the greatest singers of all time by various media outlets, including Rolling Stone and NME.
9 – Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American songwriter and artist, born on February 20, 1967, & died on April 5, 1994.
He was the guitarist & lead vocalist of the rock band Nirvana. Regarded as one of the most effective instrumentalists in the history of alternative rock. He formed Nirvana with Krist Novoselic and Aaron Burckhard in 1987 and established it as part of the Seattle music scene, which later evolved as grunge.
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8 – David Bowie
David Robert was an English singer & songwriter, born on 8 January 1947 & died on 10 January 2016. Considered one of the most influential players of the 20th century. His profession was marked by reinvention and pictorial exhibition, and his music and stagecraft had a powerful impact on widespread music. Also, In 1996, He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
7 – Eddie Vedder
Eddie Jerome Vedder is one of a famous American singers & musicians, Born on December 23, 1964. Best known as the lead vocalist and one of four guitarists of the rock band Pearl Jam. In 2017, Vedder was placed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a fellow of Pearl Jam.
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6 – Jim Morrison
James Douglas Morrison was an American rock singer and songwriter, born on December 8, 1943, & died on July 3, 1971. Best known as the major vocalist of the rock band the Doors. In 1993, Morrison was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Doors.
5 – Roger Daltrey
Roger Harry Daltrey is an English singer & actor, born on 1 March 1944. He is a co-founder and the lead singer of the rock band the Who. In 1973, He started his solo career, while still a member of the Who. His solo super hit song includes “Giving It All Away”, “Walking the Dog”, “Written on the Wind”, “Free Me”, “Without Your Love” and “Under a Raging Moon”.
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4 – Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip Jagger is one of the popular English singers & songwriters, born on 26 July 1943. He has gained global fame as the lead songster and one of the founder’s fellows of the Rolling Stones. His songwriting collaboration with Keith Richards is one of the most successful in history. In 1989, Jagger was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2004 into the UK Music Hall of Fame with the Rolling Stones.
3 – Chris Cornell
Christopher John Cornell was a famous American singer and musician, born on July 20, 1964, & died on May 18, 2017. Best known as the lead vocalist and beat guitarist for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave. Best known for his comprehensive catalog as a songwriter, his nearly four-octave vocal range, and his emphatic vocal belting technique. He was nominated for 18 Grammy Awards, winning three.
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2 – Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British rock singer, who achieved fame as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen, born on 5 September 1946 & died on 24 November 1991. Best known as one of the most incredible singers in the history of rock tunes, he was known for his dazzling stage persona and four-octave vocal range.
Mercury wrote multiple hits for Queen, including “Killer Queen”, “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Somebody to Love”, “We Are the Champions”, “Don’t Stop Me Now” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”.
1 – Robert Plant
Robert Plant is one of the famous rock singers and songwriters, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the English rock band Led Zeppelin, born on 20 August 1948. Plant appreciated prominent success with Led Zeppelin from the late 1960s to the end of the 1970s.
An emphatic and expansive vocal range has given Plant a victorious singing career transiting more than 50 years. In 2009, Plant was voted “the greatest voice in rock” in a poll conducted by Planet Rock.
