Best Male Singers of the 20th Century

Tubegroover,

Good point. Janis sings with as much intensity as anyone I have heard. Aesthetically, I would not put her in the same category with Holiday and Jones, but that is an entirely different conversation. Your point is well taken. Janis was a great one.

Best Regards.

Pbb..yep Chet Baker is truly great but you were right about the trumpet. They probably had to let him play it in order for him to agree to sing.

It's tough to add value to 161 responses, but Mel Torme should receive another vote. "Best" is a tough one, but he clearly stays on the list of the top five. His early "scat" phrasing (and later), his styling, and his actual song-writing were just excellent. In my own collection in this category, two singers dominate; Torme and Sinatra.

Mr. Sinatra, Mr. Hartman, Ray Charles, Joe Turner and Louie Armstrong.
if your list would not include Satchmo you need to listen to either an original Audio Fidelity pressing of his "St. James Infirmary" (from the 50's) or the Classic Records 45 rpm remastered version. it is an amazing recording of an incredible vocal performance (and of each instrument) and every analog listener owes it to his or her self to get this before dinner tonight! go without dinner if necessary, sell your car, whatever it takes... this is the real deal!

Hmmmm....How about some votes for uniqueness of voice with regard to this topic:

Tom Waits
Peter Gabriel
Richard Butler (Psychedelic Furs)

CD