Who Are Your Two Top Vocalists In Heavy Metal History?

Blackjack

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1. Rob Halford - incredible range and incredible power even n his highst ranges whereas mostt guys' voices get thin on the very high notes. Halford a a tremendous variety of heavy metal songs and could sing any style from ballad type stuff like Dreamer Deceiver, Diamonds And Rust, Before The Dawn, and When The Night Comes Down, to aggressive heavy songs from the photo-thrash of the title track of Screaming For Vengeance and Freewheel Burning to heavy metal classics like Victim Of Changes, The Sinner, The Sentinel and Hell Bent For Leather. He was a tremendous frontman as well.

2. Ronnie James Dio - An intensely melodic and powerful singer who conjured up great emotion in all his best songs and there are lots of them. Whether he was singing a ballad like "Catch The Rainbow", and epic like "Stargazer", an absolute classic like "Heaven and Hell, or songs from his illustrious solo career including the amazing "Rainbow In The Dark", "Don't Talk To Strangers", "The Last In Line", or the very heavy blues of "Evil On Queen Street", he could do it all. He was another incredibly charismatic and captivating frontman.
 
Anselmo (Cowboys/Vulgar)
Mustaine (Friedman era Megadeth)
 
Mike Patton is probably the best vocalist in heavy metal in general, but I feel like it's almost cheating to mention him (and his music spans too many genres to really call him a "metal" vocalist anyways).

That said:
2) Devin Townsend. He's another one whose output is almost to diverse to be called a metal singer, and he's such a ridiculously talented songwriter and musician that it overshadows his vocal chops sometimes, put Steve Vai chose him as his singer for a reason.




1) Kyo from Dir en Grey. Yes, I hate the Hot Topic frequenting weebs that make up most of their audience, but Kyo is actually an amazing vocalist. If you don't listen to them just because you hate their fanbase, you're doing yourself a massive disservice. Just listen to Uroboros from start to finish. You'll thank me for it.


 
Ronnie James Dio

and

Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
 
1. Rob Halford - incredible range and incredible power even n his highst ranges whereas mostt guys' voices get thin on the very high notes. Halford a a tremendous variety of heavy metal songs and could sing any style from ballad type stuff like Dreamer Deceiver, Diamonds And Rust, Before The Dawn, and When The Night Comes Down, to aggressive heavy songs from the photo-thrash of the title track of Screaming For Vengeance and Freewheel Burning to heavy metal classics like Victim Of Changes, The Sinner, The Sentinel and Hell Bent For Leather. He was a tremendous frontman as well.

2. Ronnie James Dio - An intensely melodic and powerful singer who conjured up great emotion in all his best songs and there are lots of them. Whether he was singing a ballad like "Catch The Rainbow", and epic like "Stargazer", an absolute classic like "Heaven and Hell, or songs from his illustrious solo career including the amazing "Rainbow In The Dark", "Don't Talk To Strangers", "The Last In Line", or the very heavy blues of "Evil On Queen Street", he could do it all. He was another incredibly charismatic and captivating frontman.

So, I wonder what we are considering "metal" and by what criteria are we judging them? I think I would go with...

2. Max Cavalera (Sepultura, Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy)
1. Ozzy Osbourne (he was a bit shaky sometimes live, but no one could duplicate what he accomplished in a studio)

Honorable mentions:

Layne Staley (Alice in Chains)
Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
Glen Danzig (Danzig/Misfits)
 
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1. Anselmo
2. Danzig

Almost made the cut
Ripper Owens.
 
This chick from battle Beast is pretty good.



Should not all the power metal guys be on top of the list? It is kind of their specialty.
 
Danzig (not sure he really counts here) and Bruce Dickinson.
 
Rob Halford
Danzig
Dax Riggs (Acid Bath)
Blackie Lawless
Layne Staley if we're including grunge
Mike Patton if we're including Mike Patton

I can't narrow it down to 2
 
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Two? Damn that's hard.

I'd say Ronnie James Dio and Geoff Tate (80s and early 90s Queensryche).

Halford, Dickinson, and Ozzy are in my top five.
 
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