Top 5 Rock Frontmen

[IrishCanadian25]

I ran this thread a year ago as NWS mod. I had a lot of fun with it, and with so many great new posters here, it's time to run it again.

Very unique to rock music is the existance of a front-man. This is the lead singer, and the individual responsible for the band's connection to the crowd. And here is a list of whom I feel are the 5 greatest...ever.

#1 - Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury is a legend. Greatest ever. A vocal range that was just amazing, an unending supply of energy, a connection with and a genuine love for the fans, and understanding of the music. In wrestler terms, Freddie Mercury is the greatest story teller in rock history.

#2 - David Lee Roth

David Lee Roth, though not the better of the 3 VH singers, was the best front man. Just the energy he exudes on the song "Jump" will show you that. Diamond Dave was a tremendous combo of awesome vocals and a presence on stage only matched by Mr. Mercury.

#3 - Mick Jagger

The music of the Rolling Stones was packed with personality - fortunately, so was their front man. There's a reason that Mick Jagger has been able to do his job effectively for nearly 50 years. He still sells out enormous stadiums, and will into his 70's.

Steven Tyler

Talk about energy. I have seen this Aerosmith legend 7 times, and he's still got one of the best stage presences ever. He hits notes on stage like he does on album, even now, and has no issue going out into the crowd to party with the fans.

Bon Jovi

Better than Vince Neal, Sebastian Bach, John Fogarty, etc. Bon Jovi has been at it almost 3 decades with an amazing 2 and a half hour stage show and home of the more powerful songs out there. The man gets a fan pop like Austin in the late 90's, especially in New Jersey.

 

[Shadowmancer]

I've been meaning to post in this all day but I either haven't had time or the internet wasn't working properly for me.

1) Bruce Dickinson

This picture alone helps in summing up why Brucey is one of the best Frontmen of all time. If you haven't seen Iron Maiden live than you don't realize how fucking awesome he is. When I saw Maiden in February Bruce had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand the entire night it was brilliant. Dons the red coat for "The Trooper" dons a weird aztec type mask for "Powerslave", dresses up in a raggedy robe for 'Ryme of the Ancient Mariner". Combined with his voice and his meer stage presence before you throw in the costumes and all that.

2) Ian Astbury

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That video is one of the main reasons I will say that Ian Astbury is one of the best Frontmen in the world alive today, he filled in for Jim Morrison semi-successfully in the last few years. but His work with the Cult as frontman is awesome.

3) W. Axl Rose

Axl needs to be brought up just because of the sheer energy he brought to the stage and performed with back in the late 80s early 90s, Watch the Use Your Illusion concerts, they are insane with what Axl does on stage.

IC has covered the others that I would say. There are others but They don't get close to being in the same category as these guys

 

[Richard]

I'm suprised more people haven't replied to this thread seeing as how there are so many rock fans on here. Anyway...

Marilyn Manson. Not the band, the man. Marilyn Manson is the man behind the band of the same name and without him, it would literally, be nothing because he brings such a mistique and darkness to his albums, music videos and live performances that draws you in and you can't help but stay watching because you think he'll do something weird, but you want to see anyway. He always has a great, wide variety of live costumes as well. A great story teller in his lyrics and is still able to perform after being around a long time and is showing no signs of slowing down. His new song, We're From America is amazing.

Bon Jovi. The man's been doing what he's been doing for a long time and is still able to go for a few hours without having a break. My sister went to his concert here in Sydney and recorded some of it on her video camera. Watching him perform Livin on a Prayer after so many years it was awesome and he's still able to belt it out and go for it.

Gerard Way. Now, this is not because he's from my faveourite band nor because of his singing abilities. Mainly because he's a showman and puts on a show when he performs. Not saying he's my faveourite front man, I'd think Marilyn Manson would have to be but I'm saying Gerard because of the whole show he puts on. He's good live though, but from the videos and concert DVDs I have, he's a showman.

Brian Johnson. Lead singer of ACDC. After being with ACDC for 29 years I think it is and still being able to perform live the man needs some credit. He's got a unique voice that makes all ACDC songs immediately recogniseable.

Glenn Danzig. Former lead singer of New Jersey band, The Misfits who are argueable the most important punk group to come from New Jersey since they were the inspiration for so many punk bands who started there. Glenn's voice is the voice behind quite a few classic Misfits songs like Astro Zombies and Teenagers from Mars. A very important man in punk history as he created some of the most influential things and had a great voice for The Misfits.

 

[The Dewbliners]

Well let's start with my favorite frontman:

Eddie Vedder- You couldn't go anywhere in the early to mid-90's without hearing about Ed. His voice is deep and soulful, he's got the devil face, and quite honestly, Grunge wouldn't be the same without him to counteract Kurts shrill voice.

Dead-One of the originators of corpse paint, Dead fronted the greatest of black metal bands, Mayhem. Even though it was for a few years, he's the one everyone remembers (well, those of who listen to black metal, or as I call it, REAL metal).

Johnny Rzesnik- I could't walk down the halls in High School without listening to my two exes (whom I stayed friends with) rave about Johnny and his sex appeal, and isn't that a sign of a great frontman? On top of that, he's amazingly talented, and gets the crowd into all their shows.

Art from Everclear-I'm basing his position on my list based on the longevity of the band. If they had a different frontman, they'd be forgotten by everyone by now.

Jakob Dylan- He just sounds too much like his dad to not be listed. Jakob went from college rock, to blues, almost seamlessly.

 

[CKO]

Freddy Mercury--this guy was the total package. He loved his music and his fans. his voice was something you never heard..and never will again. he could do anything from opera to glam rock, hard rock to ballads. he loved what he did and it showed in every performance..especially when queen played whimbley.

Ozzy Osbourne--when he was with black sabbath. ozzy's voice is enough to get you into it. when the beginning riff of iron man started playing..you knew you were about to f'n rock. then when he went out on his own, he was still the prince of darkness.

Ronnie Van Zant it was a sad day when Lynyrd Skynyrd lost 3 of it's members. Van Zant had a way with the crowd and got them into the music. free bird will always be a classic.

Alice Cooper--the original prince of shock. he took the crowd thru a fright fest each and every time he went out on stage. his props alone would send people running for the door.

Kurt Cobain--some argue about his ability to sing and write, but what kurt did was open the door to something real, something hard that was hidden underneath all the hair bands. kurt brought out the rawness of teen agnst and blew the door right open for everyone else

 

[D-Man]

Oh, how could I resist...

As IC25 (or Irish-Man... or anything having to do with being Irish) knows, I have two jobs. I am a business manager by day and the frontman of a New Jersey cover band by night. So, I'm salivating at the thought of being able to speak my mind about this subject. I'm going to list my choices and suggest songs that prove why I made those choices. But first, I think I need to define what it means to be a frontman...

A "frontman" is NOT the same thing as a "singer." If we are talking about the greatest singers of all time, we can easily speak of men like Andrea Bocelli... Stevie Wonder... Josh Groban... Steve Perry... etc. However, a frontman is someone on a completely different level. First of all, a frontman is someone that fans envy and want to be like. Secondly, a frontman is someone that has a voice that perfectly suits the songs that they have written or sang. But, it is a huge plus if the frontman is someone who possesses a phenomenal vocal range and prowess. Most importantly, a frontman is someone that can command a stage and hold an audience in the palm of their hands throughout their performance. If an artist can somehow harness most or all of these qualities, then they would make my list.

That being said, here goes:

#5 - Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses)
Even though he doesn’t have longevity and people look at him as being a joke in our present time, back in the late 80's and early 90's, there were few that could out-perform this powerhouse. First of all, anyone that listens to his voice KNOWS they're listening to Guns N' Roses. And not only was his voice unique, it was INCREDIBLE. His screeching, high-pitch style had (what seemed to be) and endless range. That is a quality that not many singers have in our present time. He was unique in every way. In his heyday, no one dressed like him, no one got more ass than him, and many feared him.

May I suggest: “Sweet Child O' Mine”, “You Could Be Mine”

#4 - Robert Plant (Led Zepplin)
I honestly can't believe that no one chose this man yet. He absolutely reeked of sex appeal in the 1970's and fronted the greatest rock band EVER. (Yes, they were better than the Beatles.) More musicians have been influences by his band than any other band in existence. A huge reason for this was Robert Plant. He just had a way of commanding a stage without having to jump and move all around the stage. I can't remember many frontmen that were able to hold audiences of over 50,000 people in the palm of their hands by just standing in one spot, letting the music just flow through them, and singing in that incredibly rangy, raspy voice. But, his lack of movement around the stage is the only reason why I have him at #4 on this list.

May I suggest: “Baby, I'm Gonna Leave You”

#3 – Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones)
For the record, I HATE the Rolling Stones. And no matter how much I can’t stand the man, I can’t help but respect this gifted artist. He has stood the test of time by still selling out arenas after 40+ years. And fronting one of the most successful rock bands ever takes a shit load of work. Well, if you’ve ever seen Mick perform, you’d know that he works for his success. Is he a great singer? No. But does his voice suit the songs that he has written or sang? Abso-fuckin-lutely. And here is one of the things that I respect about him the most; We’ve already established that the Stones are one of the greatest rock bands ever. What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the name “Rolling Stones”? Mick Jagger, you say? End of story.

May I suggest: “Paint it Black”

#2 - Steven Tyler (Aerosmith)
What can I say about this man that hasn’t already been said? He is TIMELESS. The man seems to never age. Not to mention the fact that his voice is incredible. He has every quality of a frontman that I had mentioned above.

May I suggest: “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing”, “Angel”

#1 - Freddie Mercury (Queen)
The only thing that separates him from Steven Tyler is a better voice… and only by a small margin. I applaud Irish-Man for using the picture of Freddie displayed above. Hail to the king. There has never been, nor will there ever be, anyone like this man. When I think of him, I can only think of phrases that describe his utter perfection as the frontman of one of the greatest rock bands to ever take the stage:

A diamond in the rough.
A gem.
A flamboyant juggernaut.
The PERFECT frontman.

He exemplified every quality that makes a frontman great. He was a PHENOMENAL singer. He stayed true to himself with every breath that he took. And for all of the bigots out there, he was GAY! Not only was he gay, but he was a FLAMING homosexual. And he made it work to his advantage. If Freddie Mercury wasn’t gay, he wouldn’t have been half of the man that we all know him to be (and his band would've had a different name). It showed in every lyric that he wrote, word that he sang, and performance that he had. He is a legend and is truly missed.

May I suggest: “The Show Must Go On”

 

[Goberz2K8]

Some people may be surprised or, even shocked that I havent put the likes of Freddie Mercury or Robesrt Plant 1st, and to be honest, although I consider them great Singers, they arent my favourite.

5. Klaus Mein - A fantastic Vocalist (not really bothered by the singer/frontman thing)....Anyway, Scorpions formed in 1965, and released their first album in 1972, anyway, being an awesome singer/vocalist, with a great range, and with a legendery band, I think Klaus should be on anyones list.
May I suggest for Scorpions: Rock You Like a Hurricane, Send Me An Angel or Blackout.

4. Alice Cooper - Legendary Frontmand/Singer of the Alice Cooper Band, and then went on to singles stuff, he is the Father of Shock Rock/Theatrical Rock, and the likes of Blackie Lawless, Twisted Sister, and yes even Ozzy took notes when it came to shock tactics. Anyway, probably one of the most respected and influencial musicians in the music world.
May I suggest: Welcome to my Nightmare, Billion Dollar Babies or Vnegeance is Mine

3. Ronnie James Dio - Now, Firstly I must add/Stress that I do much prefer Alice's music, as if it werent for him, I wouldnt be listening to Rock/Metal and so on.....But in terms fo their voice, even Klaus may be further up, but Im going by the vocals nd so on....Dio has been around for about 50 years, and although Shot to Fame with Rainbow in 1975, then joined Black Sabbath in 1980-82, 1992 and 2007-2010(although under banner of Heaven and Hell), and has been in his own Band from 1983-2007/07, has had some legendery songs, he has a huge rVocal Range, and is definately one of the better vocalists.
May i suggest: Man on the Silver Mountain, Temple of the King (Rainbow), Heaven and Hell and Children of the Sea (Black Sabbath), Holy Diver, Rainbow in the Dark, Dream Evil, We Rock, I Speed at Night and Dont Talk to Strangers (Dio)

2.Blackie Lawless - Probably Underrated as a Vocalist/Frontman, and the quality of work that has come from W.A.S.P. since their creation in about 1982 who, are heavily influenced in their stage performance by Alice Cooper, although have taken it further, by trowing out Raw Meat and so on, this Vocalist is real great, and has some real underrated, but, fantastic Writing Skills.....
May i suggest: Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue), Wild Child, Thunderhead, Wishing Well, The Idol, 9.5. - N.A.S.T.Y.

1. David Coverdale - I have seen this guy on some of the top 10 lists before, but I havent seen him heared on here once. This guy has just the best vocals ever, and has done some awesome stuff. He joined Deep Purple in 1973 so, about 36, where he got his Big break with Stormbringer album. Iloved the stufff he did in Deep Purple, including Burn, but when he went on to create Whitesnake (my favourite Band), he has changed/adapted his style from Blues Rock, Hair Metal (which included the 1987 album), and Hard Roc a lot, this band although successful in some of their albums, and touring, should be held in higher regard. But whatever they have done, DC is certainly the best vocalist for me.
May I suggest: Burn, Stornbringer, Soldier of Fortune, Mistreated (Deep Purple), Trouble, Gambler, Lovehunter, Walking in the Shadow of the Blues, Slide it In, Still of the Night, Here I Go Again (1982/87), Crying in the Rain...and many more

Anyway here are my favourite Vocalists/frontmen and, im not bothered whether they can be counted as such. I bet some of these wont be mentioned much if, at all, although I have noticed Alice has. Just wanted to show mine. What do you lot think? Anyway thanks.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

I love this thread for two reasons. 1) it brings some awesome new posters I haven't gotten to know elsewhere (i.e. Goberz 2K8) to the forefront with a terrific post. 2) it ellicits such a multitude of opinions.

So bumpage to the thread, I'm gonna comment.

As IC25 (or Irish-Man... or anything having to do with being Irish) knows, I have two jobs. I am a business manager by day and the frontman of a New Jersey cover band by night. So, I'm salivating at the thought of being able to speak my mind about this subject. I'm going to list my choices and suggest songs that prove why I made those choices. But first, I think I need to define what it means to be a frontman...

Make no mistake about it, folks, D-Man isn't just a NJ Frontman, he is a DAMN good one. So is his brother. In fact, I met him going to his brother's shows, and soon thereafter learned how good both were. So I trust his views on this.

The fact that he gave you all exemplary songs to hear the range of the frontmen - pure awesomeness. And the choice of "The Show Must Go On" for Freddie Mercury is perfect. You could also check the DVD of his 1986 concerts at Wembley Stadium - complete with 150,000+ crazed fans in attendance - a try.

Goberz got green rep for his post. Def. hair metal influence, but gotta love the choices. Klaus Mein from Scorpions has fronted a very longevitous metal band with a range of ballads and hard rock anthems. Before Metallica did S&M, Scorpions did "Moment of Glory" with the Berliner Symphony Orchestra. One of their recent albums - "Unbreakable" - is still one of my all time favorites from them. And "Love at First Sting" remains one of the most balanced metal albums of all time.

Coverdale is a legend. He still belts it out even though he'll be 60 sometime soon. His range on such deep and complex songs as "Still of the Night" is just amazing. He, along with another unsung hard rock frontman in Sebastian Bach, deserves a place in anyone's top 10 list.

 

[Blade]

I'm gonna go for some slightly more obscure frontmen...

5- Jack White
This guy is the definition of intensity. His live performances are truly amazing, both vocally and because of his guitar work. Every action on stage gets a reaction from the crowd and his presence is always known.

4- Thom Yorke
This guy gives the most intriguing interviews in the world. And on stage he's so energetic that you get tired just looking at him. While he may not be the epitome of cool, he's still a great frontman and his influence throughout the music world is huge.

3- Trent Reznor
The sex icon of the 90's. This guy is like the Robert Plant of industrial music, drenching his music in what can only be described as... animalism. And he backed it up as well. His presence is almost god-like on stage, and he never fails to put on a performance.

2- Billy Corgan
The man who took over from Kurt Cobain. His vocals were amazingly unique and he could put sheer force and anger through them when he needed to. And he never failed to do that live, either. He is also one of the most uniquely talented guitarists in the world too, he can make noises with a guitar that many people thought weren't possible. Away from the stage, he's a great frontman too. He plays the whole "troubled frontman" role and always fights back despite seemingly having the whole world against him.

1- Matt Bellamy
The greatest rockstar to come out of the 21st century. There's nothing I can say that can do him justice. Just go read one of his interviews or watch one of his live performances. He's just... a genius.

 

[Goberz2K8]

I love this thread for two reasons. 1) it brings some awesome new posters I haven't gotten to know elsewhere (i.e. Goberz 2K8) to the forefront with a terrific post. 2) it ellicits such a multitude of opinions.

So bumpage to the thread, I'm gonna comment.



Make no mistake about it, folks, D-Man isn't just a NJ Frontman, he is a DAMN good one. So is his brother. In fact, I met him going to his brother's shows, and soon thereafter learned how good both were. So I trust his views on this.

The fact that he gave you all exemplary songs to hear the range of the frontmen - pure awesomeness. And the choice of "The Show Must Go On" for Freddie Mercury is perfect. You could also check the DVD of his 1986 concerts at Wembley Stadium - complete with 150,000+ crazed fans in attendance - a try.

Goberz got green rep for his post. Def. hair metal influence, but gotta love the choices. Klaus Mein from Scorpions has fronted a very longevitous metal band with a range of ballads and hard rock anthems. Before Metallica did S&M, Scorpions did "Moment of Glory" with the Berliner Symphony Orchestra. One of their recent albums - "Unbreakable" - is still one of my all time favorites from them. And "Love at First Sting" remains one of the most balanced metal albums of all time.

Coverdale is a legend. He still belts it out even though he'll be 60 sometime soon. His range on such deep and complex songs as "Still of the Night" is just amazing. He, along with another unsung hard rock frontman in Sebastian Bach, deserves a place in anyone's top 10 list.

Well thanks for that, I wouldnt have thought Im a great poster, but feel very strongly about my favourite Vocalist and musicians. Some peole might feel it blasphomus to say that Led Zep are overrated, and Robert Plant isnt the Best Singer, but althouhg Led Zep are great and have respect, but I will always say that although Page and Plant are really good at what they do, they are not the best.

But anyway, thanks for tht, and what is the Green Rep thing anyway.