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Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Singers of All Time
"The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time" is a feature published by American magazine Rolling Stone in 2008. The list presented was compiled by a panel of 179 musicians. It was updated in 2023, and upgraded as "The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time" list. The 2023 list was compiled by the magazine's staff and key contributors. American singer Aretha Franklin topped the list both times.
When publishing the updated list in 2023, Rolling Stone noted that "this is the Greatest Singers list, not Greatest Voices list. Talent is impressive; genius is transcendent".
| Rank | Image | Name | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aretha Franklin | March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018 | |
| 2 | Ray Charles | September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004 | |
| 3 | Elvis Presley | January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977 | |
| 4 | Sam Cooke | January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964 | |
| 5 | John Lennon | October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980 | |
| 6 | Marvin Gaye | April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984 | |
| 7 | Bob Dylan | May 24, 1941 – present | |
| 8 | Otis Redding | September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967 | |
| 9 | Stevie Wonder | May 13, 1950 – present | |
| 10 | James Brown | May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006 |
| Rank | Image | Name | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aretha Franklin | March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018 | |
| 2 | Whitney Houston | August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012 | |
| 3 | Sam Cooke | January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964 | |
| 4 | Billie Holiday | April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959 | |
| 5 | Mariah Carey | March 27, 1969 – present | |
| 6 | Ray Charles | September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004 | |
| 7 | Stevie Wonder | May 13, 1950 – present | |
| 8 | Beyoncé | September 4, 1981 – present | |
| 9 | Otis Redding | September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967 | |
| 10 | Al Green | April 13, 1946 – present |
The omissions of singers Dionne Warwick, Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Justin Bieber, Bill Withers, and Nat King Cole as well as the placement of American singer Michael Jackson, who placed 86th, were criticized. Singer Chaka Khan, who was ranked 29th on the list, called Rolling Stone editors "children of Helen Keller" and publicly expressed her outrage about being placed lower than Mary J. Blige and Mariah Carey. She later apologized for her comments. Musician Van Morrison, who placed 37th, also criticized the list, claiming that singers Joan Baez, Solomon Burke and Bobby Bland should have all ranked in the top twenty.
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The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time
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200 Greatest Singers of All Time (2023 edition) by Rolling Stone
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