Is There or Will There Ever Be Another Singer Like Ann Wilson (Heart)?

[sonitus mirus]

Anne is like a female vocal version of Robert Plant. In her time, she was unmatched in her talent. Today, her achievements are not quite as amazing at face value, but, wow, she was an absolutely amazing rock singer. Heart's hits stand out because of her vocals. You rarely see anyone else attempt to sing one of Heart's songs, and when they do, it ain't the same.

 

[drewdawg999]

Ann Wilson is certainly a singular talent, with the power and the chops to rock out with the Gods. I love her deeply, and there may not be another like her. But there's also only one Bob Dylan, one Jerry Garcia... it may be futile to search for another like them when as artists they are incomparable.
In a different vein, I'm quite fond of Neko Case, she can really belt it out.

 

[sonitus mirus]

As odd as it may seem, since I love just about everything they have produced, but I really don't care too much for either Bob or Jerry's vocals. Nasally(Dylan) and weak(Garcia), and I much prefer covers of some of their songs better, which is not something I can say for any Heart tunes.

 

[JSmith]

Mariah Carey beats Ann Wilson for vocal range.


JSmith

 

[drewdawg999]

As odd as it may seem, since I love just about everything they have produced, but I really don't care too much for either Bob or Jerry's vocals. Nasally(Dylan) and weak(Garcia), and I much prefer covers of some of their songs better, which is not something I can say for any Heart tunes.

I mean yes and no. Dylan was quite nasal when he was young but his vocal style changes so much from period to period. I love his Rolling Thunder Revue period best, I think that's his vocal peak. He's still on the road like a madman, aging gracefully and singing softly like a grandpa should, becoming the old wise bluesman he's always wanted to be. And Jerry, his voice was weak like from the mid-'80s and onward, but in the '70s he was quite strong and so soulful. But they're instrumentalists and songwriters of great accomplishment so that's all wrapped up in a package with their unique vocal style to present an artistic statement of grand beauty.
Dylan at his best:

Jerry at his best:

And Heart far from their peak, but Ann still amazing:

 

[Waxx]

This tread is a nother old men complaining about the music of today. There are great voices out there, but in more modern music styles that may not be your cup of tea. All the music mentioned here is old mens music today. The youth does not listen (or very little) to that kind of music, just like you don't listen to the music of your parents. Styles move on and the real big names become classics.

But for young female vocalists i like: check Awa Fall (Italia/Senegal), Eva Keyes (UK), Charlotte Adigéry (BE/FR), ... and those are only those i know by heart. I'm sure i missed quiet a lot and forget a few others. But these are all top perfomring vocalists of this moment, just maybe not in styles you like. And the music bussiness is way more divers now than it used to be, in styles, in origin of performers and in singing styles.

 

[mhardy6647]

How could I forget Annie Lennox or Rhiannon Giddens?!? Both are superlative.

 

[mhardy6647]

PS. no comment from me on Diana Krall.

Edit: oh. I will also add Madison Cunningham (with comment, that is ). A fine singer in her own right, during her tenure on the semi-lamented Live From Here radio program she also demonstrated a remarkable ability to  imitate numerous classic pop and rock female singers.

 

[blueone]

But look into some of Linda Ronstadts recordings and live performance. She is astounding. And in many of the similar ways that Anne his incredible : fabulous vocal control, can sing like an angel at whisper levels but belt it out with the best just like Anne.

In terms of singing skill, individuality, and sheer natural talent. I would certainly put Karen Carpenter up in the top rank. Though she never really sang with the power you get from a rocker like Anne.

I completely agree on both of these points. Linda's voice was amazing. Huge range, awesome purity of tone and vocal control.

Same with Karen Carpenter, who also had a voice and skill for the ages. I was sometimes not a fan of the songs her brother and Herb Alpert chose for them, but I would still listen just to hear her sing. Karen is also a personal hero for my wife, since Karen was drummer. There are few fields in music more male-dominated than drumming. My wife still brings me along to music shops, because many of the male bozos working in the drum departments don't offer to help her, and if I'm there they come up to me (and I'm not a drummer). The audiences are also sometimes weird for her. Some guys think a female drummer is incredibly sexy (she's had occassional groupies over the years, including a former boss of mine), but some make the most sexist remarks I've heard in decades. One guy not so very long ago came up to her after she finished playing "Wipe Out!" and told her, "You played that as well as any man could!"

 

[Krusty09]

I worked with Heart at the 2024 Winter Classic and they were pretty good for the age. Never really followed them or for that matter cared for them but they were fun and the crowd seemed to enjoy it .

 

[GK.]

Barracuda and Magic Man are the only Heart tunes I'd add to a playlist.

 

[bluefuzz]

Not sure which famous person that was?

There's a famous Dylan bootleg where someone in the crowd shouts out 'Blowing in the Wind' or some such early track and Dylan anwers 'That was then and this is now' and plays something different ...

I do admit however I think there was a cycle of magic in the artists from the 70's and perhaps that's my bias setting.

Yes, most people are biased toward the music they grew up with, myself included. There was a time from, say, the early 60s to the late 80s when popular music was important to people in a way that it isn't any more. There is far more competition for our attention in later years. Although I grew up in the 70s and 80s, and still love much of the music from back then, I can barely keep up with all the great new music I'm hearing. Much of it as good, if not better, than those oldies.

If you think there is one out there please share them

There are several music suggestion threads on this site, to which I have contributed, including 'best female vocalists'. However, if Ann Wilson is your gold standard then I fear our tastes are somewhat non-overlapping magisteria ... ;-)

 

[Mort]

This board is so classic rock oriented. Monoculture nostalgia.

 

[blueone]

How could I forget Annie Lennox or Rhiannon Giddens?!? Both are superlative.

Ditto on Rhiannon Giddens. I don't care for a lot of her material choices lately, but the woman has an incredible voice and is very skilled.

 

[dpturner]

Chrissie Hynde brings it.

 

[blueone]

This tread is a nother old men complaining about the music of today.

Wrong. And I am an old man. That I happen to agree about a couple of singers from the 1970s does not mean I don't think highly of more recent performers.

There are great voices out there, but in more modern music styles that may not be your cup of tea. All the music mentioned here is old mens music today. The youth does not listen (or very little) to that kind of music, just like you don't listen to the music of your parents. Styles move on and the real big names become classics.

There are great young voices out there. I've been listening a lot to Laufey lately. Heard her for the first time on the SXM Coffee House station, which I listen to for finding new music I might like. The song they play, Silver Lining, strikes me as a bit dumb every time I hear it, but Laufey's voice, wow. Amazing purity of tone.

 

[jeffbook]

More of a cult following, but Eva Cassidy is amazing. Basically discovered after she passed away from melanoma. She has a limited catalog available, but it is remarkable.

 

[MattHooper]

Mariah Carey beats Ann Wilson for vocal range.


JSmith

She was also one of the instigators of the horrible melisma vocal style which, for quite a while was a blight on pop and R&B music, as well as running through the American Idol vocal contestants.

I’m not totally against such vocal trilling - Stevie Wonder was a master! But it turned into an affectation IMO in the hands of many singers.

Mariah Carey is one example that sends me running to the more reserved and tasteful singing of performers like Karen Carpenter, Agnetha Faltskog and others.

Generally speaking, I’m less into singers these days than I used to be. I do find the occasional singer today compelling. The very little in the pop landscape, which is so dominated by vocal trends (eg the Billie Eilish “ whisper vocals” that is supposed to signify emotional depth).

 

[MattHooper]

Anne is like a female vocal version of Robert Plant.

Cue Heart’s magnificent rendition of Stairway to Heaven at the Kennedy center, honouring Led Zeppelin:

 

[DMill]

If your looking for a BIG voice like Anne, Bjork can certainly belt it out