The ranking of the 100 greatest singers of all time according to Consequence: the male and female voices that made history

Another impossible challenge, another ranking that's a mission impossible from the outset: selecting the 100 greatest male and female vocalists of all time. Taking on the task is the online magazine Consequence, which explains its initiative as follows. "After our deep dives into instruments with 'Guitar Week', 'Drum Week' and 'Bass Week', we've finally arrived at the microphone. Consequence's 'Vocalist Week' kicks off with our list of the 100 greatest vocalists of all time, and we'll keep the energy high all week long with more rankings, artist-curated content and much more, celebrating the power of great vocalists... The best vocalists don't rest on their natural gifts, but use creativity and vision to push their instrument where no one else could take it," Consequence further notes in its introduction. "From the range of Freddie Mercury and the attitude of Aretha Franklin to the goblin-like tones of Kendrick Lamar and the wild experiments of Tom Waits, we celebrate vocalists the way we celebrated our favorite guitarists, bassists and drummers: putting personality first."

So here is the ranking of the 100 greatest singers of all time, according to Consequence (full feature here).

100. Brandy — solo artist

99. Joe Strummer — The Clash, The Mescaleros

98. Serj Tankian — System of a Down

97. Frances Quinlan — Hop Along

96. Shane MacGowan — The Pogues

95. Patti Smith — solo artist, Patti Smith Group

94. Notorious B.I.G. — solo artist

93. Mikael Åkerfeldt — Opeth, Bloodbath

92. Lzzy Hale — Halestorm

91. Bruce Springsteen — solo artist, E Street Band

90. Neil Young — solo artist, Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

89. Johnny Cash — solista, The Highwaymen

88. Little Richard — solo artist

87. Chaka Khan — solo artist, Rufus

86. Dolores O’Riordan — The Cranberries

85. Linda Ronstadt — solo artist

84. Diana Ross — The Supremes, solista

83. Ariana Grande — solo artist

82. Chris Stapleton — solo artist

81. Sinéad O'Connor — solo artist

80. Bono — U2

79. Judee Sill — solo artist

78. Amy Winehouse — solo artist

77. Morrissey — The Smiths, solista

76. Axl Rose — Guns N' Roses, solo artist

75. Elton John — solo artist

74. D'Angelo — solo artist

73. Bruce Dickinson — solo artist

72. Lauryn Hill — solista, The Fugees

71. Maynard James Keenan — Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer

70. Fiona Apple — solo artist

69. Ol' Dirty Bastard — Wu-Tang Clan, solo artist

68. Leonard Cohen — solo artist

67. Jazmine Sullivan — solo artist

66. John Lennon — The Beatles, solista

65. Solomon Burke — solo artist

64. Stevie Nicks — Fleetwood Mac, solo artist

63. Alison Krauss — Union Station, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

62. Teddy Pendergrass — Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, solista

61. David Bowie — solo artist

60. Prince — solista, The Revolution

59. Steve Perry — Journey

58. Roberta Flack — solo artist

57. Ronnie James Dio — Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio

56. Bob Dylan — solo artist

55. Layne Staley — Alice in Chains, Mad Season

54. Björk — solista, The Sugarcubes

53. Joni Mitchell — solo artist

52. Thom Yorke — Radiohead, The Smile, solista

51. Bill Withers — solo artist

50. Busta Rhymes — solista, Leaders of the New School

49. Celine Dion — solo artist

48. Mavis Staples — The Staple Singers, solista

47. Etta James — solo artist

46. Kate Bush — solo artist

45. Big Mama Thornton — solo artist

44. Karen Carpenter — The Carpenters

43. Curtis Mayfield — The Impressions, solista

42. Iggy Pop — The Stooges, solista

41. Janis Joplin — Big Brother and the Holding Company, solista

40. Elvis Presley — solo artist

39. Smokey Robinson — The Miracles, solista

38. Ozzy Osbourne — Black Sabbath, solo artist

37. Dolly Parton — solo artist

36. Tina Turner — Ike & Tina Turner, solo artist

35. Mahalia Jackson — solo artist

34. Frank Sinatra — solo artist

33. Luther Vandross — solo artist

32. DMX — solo artist

31. Al Green — solo artist

30. Ann Wilson — Heart

29. Sade — Sade

28. Tom Waits — solo artist

27. Patsy Cline — solo artist

26. Otis Redding — solo artist

25. Kurt Cobain — Nirvana

24. Billie Holiday — solo artist

23. Stevie Wonder — solo artist

22. Jeff Buckley — solo artist

21. Sam Cooke — solista, The Soul Stirrers

20. Kendrick Lamar — solo artist

19. Chris Cornell — Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog

18. Adele — solo artist

17. James Brown — solista, The Famous Flames

16. Hank Williams — solo artist

15. Mariah Carey — solo artist

14. Ray Charles — solo artist

13. Rob Halford — Judas Priest

12. Nina Simone — solo artist

11. Roy Orbison — solo artist

10. H.R. — Bad Brains

9. Michael Jackson — solista, The Jackson 5

8. Mike Patton — Faith No More, Mr. Bungle

7. Ella Fitzgerald — solo artist

6. Beyoncé — solo artist, Destiny's Child

5. Robert Plant — Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, solo artist

4. Marvin Gaye — solo artist

3. Whitney Houston — solo artist

2. Aretha Franklin — solo artist

1. Freddie Mercury — Queen

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