Axl Rose Not As Great A Singer As The Internet Thinks

26 May 2014 | 2:53 pm | Staff Writer

Revised list of vocalist ranges reveals some surprising shake-ups

In case you missed it last week, there is an interactive chart floating around online that graphically ranks what it purports to be the world's finest singers, and it yields a somewhat surprising result, spread far and wide in ensuing days by web-based media and Guns 'N' Roses fans - that Axl Rose is categorically the world's greatest singer. Or, at least, has the greatest range.

However, New York-based vinyl news outlet Vintage Vinyl News has reconsidered the original chart's criteria - a rather narrow pool that drew solely from Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers list, the nominees for this year's Billboard Music Awards, and singers analysed by vocalist forum The Range Place.

As a result of the refocus, which takes into account singers that didn't fall into the Rolling Stone/BMA criteria, Axl only achieves the fourth-largest demonstrated range at five octaves, two-and-a-half notes, while Faith No More/Fantomas/Mondo Cane/Mr Bungle/Tomahawk member-cum-genre unto himself Mike Patton dethrones him resoundly with an astounding six-octave, half-note range (Eb1 to E7).

American avant-garde composer Diamanda Galás takes out the revised list's second spot with her five-octave, four-and-a-half note range, while Van Halen's David Lee Roth slides a half-note in above Axl to steal third place.

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Veteran German rocker Nina Hagen rounds out the top five, canvassing G#1 to Bb6 (five octaves, one note); Finnish multinstrumentalist Ville Valo's five octaves and half-a-note net him sixth; seventh is shared between Pink Floyd's Roger Waters (B1 to Bb6) and Mariah Carey (G#2 to G7) at four octaves, six-and-a-half notes; Strapping Young Lad's Devin Townsend rocks into ninth; and Paul McCartney and Phil Ansemo tie for tenth, just shutting out - surprisingly - Prince.

Interestingly, other vocalists that share ranges include Deftones' Chino Moreno and Jon Bon Jovi (four octaves, two-and-a-half notes), metal icon King Diamond and Lovin' You scribe/performer Minnie Ripperton, Elvis Presley and Steven Tyler, Freddie Mercury and Captain Beefheart, and Nick Cave and Bruce Springsteen.

Somewhat astoundingly, Damon Albarn, Beyoncé, Kate Bush, Chris Cornell, Layne Staley, Geddy Lee, Michael Jackson, Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Cyndi Lauper all share a range of three octaves, four notes.

You can check out the comprehensive list in its entirety here. It's fascinating stuff.