By Naledi Ushe, USA Today | Rolling Stone has ruffled feathers with its updated 200 Greatest Singers of All Time list. The publication started the New Year with an update to its rankings, which began in 2008, honoring the best vocalists in pop music. This time around, the list excludes powerhouses like Celine Dion, Pink, Justin Bieber, Jennifer Hudson, Janet Jackson, Tony Bennett, Madonna, Nat King Cole, Dionne Warwick and more.
“This new list was compiled our staff and key contributors, and it encompasses 100 years of pop music as an ongoing global conversation,” Rolling Stone writes, adding criteria was based on “originality, influence, the depth of an artist’s catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy.”
Many music fans argued on Twitter about the snubbed artists and the ranking order.
“They got THE @MichaelJackson way down at EIGHTY-SIX?! and no @CelineDion at ALL?!” actress Yvette Nicole Brown tweeted. “Shoot, the way MJ sang #WithAChildsHeart when he was a CHILD makes him top three at the least and if Celine Dion isn’t in the Top Ten at the LEAST what are we really doing?! Damn @RollingStone.”
One Twitter user wrote: “What do you mean celine dion is not on the rolling stone list???”
“I’m sorry, but Jennifer Hudson is a better singer than 95% of the people on that #RollingStone list,” another person said. “Her impact is immense. The EGOT winner’s contributions to film, theatre, music and television are undeniable.”
In addition to Hudson, fellow EGOT recipients John Legend and Rita Moreno did not make the cut.
Jazmine Sullivan, Christina Aguilera, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson and Michael Jackson made the list, but they didn’t break the Top 100.
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The Top 20 are listed below, with the full list of 200 available on Rolling Stone’s website.
20. Marvin Gaye
19. Frank Sinatra
18. Celia Cruz
17. Elvis Presley
16. Prince
15. Bob Dylan
14. Freddie Mercury
13. Patsy Cline
12. John Lennon
11. Little Richard
10. Al Green
9. Otis Redding
8. Beyoncé
7. Stevie Wonder
6. Ray Charles
5. Mariah Carey
4. Billie Holiday
3. Sam Cooke
2. Whitney Houston
1. Aretha Franklin
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Go to these two sites to read the full story. Be prepared to plug your ears:
http://www.rollingstone.com
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/rolling-stone-200-greatest-singers-152319446.html
[Editor’s Note – EXCUSE ME!!! This list looks more like someone got tired of how long it was taking to go by their own ratings criteria and just started pulling names out of a hat!!! One example (in my mind): Bob Dylan may have been a great songwriter but he was by no criteria a better singer than Freddie Mercury! And, quite frankly, Frank Sinatra was a GOOD singer but his vocal range seemed to be limited so “nostalgia” put him on this list! I would definitely switch Whitney and Aretha’s places! I could go on & on – Little Richard? And this is just the Top 20.]
Photo: Aretha
Rolling Stone 200 Greatest Singers List Snubs Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Justin Bieber, more
