Katy Perry
Katy Perry has had many chart topping hits including songs like “I Kissed a Girl,” “Teenage Dream,” “California Gurls,” “Firework,” “Roar,” and more. Though she undeniably puts of an entertaining performance, many people feel that her live singing voice leaves a lot to be desired.
Katy Perry
Ozzy Osbourne
While Ozzy Osbourne is without a doubt a rock music legend, some people argue that his vocal abilities don’t compare to other rock singers. However, he undeniably has left his mark in the entertainment industry, between his time with Black Sabbath, his solo career, and his stint in the early days of reality television.
Ozzy Osbourne
Camila Cabello
Camila Cabello first made a name for herself with the group Fifth Harmony. She eventually went solo and made waves with the hit song “Havana.” She is an excellent performer, but many feel that her vocal abilities don’t match her dancing and overall stage presence.
Global Citizen Live, New York
Axl Rose
Axl Rose’s singing abilities help launch Guns N’ Roses to the top of the charts, along with the rest of the band’s musical abilities. However, a lot of fans have complained that lately, Rose’s singing abilities are not where they used to be, and that live performances as not as good anymore.
Axl Rose
Britney Spears
There is no denying that Britney Spears is an icon of the entertainment industry. She is one of the best performers of all time with amazing dancing abilities. However, many can agree that of all pop stars, she does not have the top vocal abilities that other singers possess.
Britney Spears
Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews has led his eponymous band since they formed in 1991. They have a dedicated fan base, who tend to follow them around, much like the Dead Heads of the 1960’s. Matthews is certainly a talented songwriter and artist, but his vocals are definitely not the strongest ever.
Dave Matthews
Rihanna
Rihanna has had one of the most impressive careers in the industry, selling over 250 million records worldwide and counting, as well as 14 songs reaching number one, and 31 reaching the top ten of music charts. While some say her live singing voice is not great, that certainly hasn’t hurt her success.
Rihanna
Lou Reed
Lou Reed was best known for leading the Velvet Underground as well as his solo career. While he was a legend in the rock world, of course his singing abilities are not what made him famous, rather his powerful songwriting and his almost spoken word-like performances.
Lou Reed
Avril Lavigne
When Avril Lavigne first came onto the scene in 2002, she helped a generation of young girls express themselves through pop punk with anthems like “Complicated” and “Sk8er Boi.” While her songs are undeniably catchy and her popularity has stood the test of time, her live singing is not so incredible.
Avril Lavigne
Liam Gallagher
Liam Gallagher is a bona fide rock star, as he’s got the attitude along with the musical abilities. However, many people’s gripe with him is that he is not very original with his singing and is rather just doing an impression of John Lennon, and coupled with the fact that his brother wrote most of their hits while together in the band Oasis, many are less than impressed with Liam.
Liam Gallagher
Selena Gomez
Although Selena Gomez is one of the stars that has been able to parlay a successful stint on the Disney Channel into a career in pop music, many reckon that her success has more to do with catchy songwriting and choruses as opposed to her singing voice. Many have accused her of using an excessive amount of autotune.
Selena Gomez
Adam Levine
While Adam Levine is certainly not a bad singer, he is also not one of the best voices of our generation. Many have complained that his voice is so monotonous that it takes away from Maroon 5’s music. Still, none of this has hurt his career as a musician or as a judge on The Voice.
Adam Levine
Janet Jackson
When it comes to Janet Jackson, saying that her vocal abilities aren’t as impressive as the rest of her performing abilities isn’t really an insult. She does have a good voice, but the rest of her abilities are so much more impressive that they outshine her actual singing.
Janet Jackson
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi was totally unstoppable during the 1980’s and 90’s, but then he began smoking cigarettes, and things took a turn, directly impacting his vocal abilities. Along with his years of powerful singing, the smoking made his vocal abilities decline.
Jon Bon Jovi
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus is another product of the Disney Channel who has been able to outgrow that era into a successful singing and acting career. There is no denying she is a serious performer, but many have said that her singing ability is just not that impressive.
Miley Cyrus
Bono
Of course, there was a time when U2 was on top of the world and seemed completely untouchable. Those days have passed, and Bono’s more recent singing abilities have seemed to decline. He can no longer hit the high notes of older hit songs while singing live, but he is still a legend.
Bono
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift is one of the biggest stars of our time. She is an amazing performer and songwriter. She is a good singer, but you can’t deny that she is not known for her vocals alone. There are plenty of other singers who have stronger voices, but Swift is beloved for her ability to connect to an audience during her performances.
Taylor Swift
Johnny Rotten
While the Sex Pistols are one of the more recognizable bands that came out of the punk rock movement of the 1970’s, it was certainly not thanks to Johnny Rotten’s vocals. However, powerful singing voices are not a requirement for punk rock bands, who are more focused on their messaging than polished musical abilities.
Johnny Rotten
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain is another example of a lead singer who is legendary but not for his vocal abilities. While he was a decent singer, he was more known for his attitude, the message he conveyed, and for his performing as opposed to powerful vocals.
Kurt Cobain
Chris Martin
One could argue that Chris Martin is the younger version of Bono. He’s the lead singer of a band that was once untouchable but has seen somewhat of a decline in popularity as of late. His vocal abilities are alright, but he is definitely not going to be considered one of the best singers of all time.
Chris Martin
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is without a doubt a legend in the field. His songwriting has launched movements and he is absolutely one of the most gifted poets of our generation. However, his singing ability is not on par with his songwriting. It is a means to an end in order to get his songs out there, but his gravely voice is certainly not one of the best out there.
Bob Dylan
Beyonce
Alright, we’ll admit that this one is a hot take and we might get some pushback, but hear us out. Beyonce is one of the most, if not the most, talented performers of our time. However, her music, as well as her vocals, is good, but not anything out of this world. It is her performance ability that makes her a legend in the field.
Beyonce
Ed Sheeran
While Ed Sheeran is certainly adorable and a talented songwriter, it is pretty crazy that he is able to fill up giant stadiums. His singing ability is alright, and while he is a good guitarist, he is a bit overrated.
Ed Sheeran
Justin Bieber
While Justin Bieber is a good singer and became famous when he was young for his puppy-love hit songs, his more recent music doesn’t really depend on serious vocal abilities. Perhaps he is simply taking some time for himself after an especially grueling life constantly on the road during his teenage years.
T Mobile Presents NYE Live With Justin Bieber
Jennifer Lopez
While there is no doubt that Jennifer Lopez is a triple threat singer, dancer, and actress, with many successful ventures in all three, there is no denying that she is not one of the best singers of all time. She is a good singer, and that has helped her achieve chart topping hits, but these songs are best known for being catchy.
Jennifer Lopez
Bret Michaels
Bret Michaels is best known for being the frontman of the band Poison, but more recently he is probably better known for his reality TV stint. While he was a good enough singer to lead the band, he is not known for his vocal abilities in particular.
Bret Michaels
Shania Twain
Shania Twain is an incredible performer, known for her often over the top outfits as well as many hit songs. However, while her songs are great, she is yet another singer who is known for her performance abilities more than just singing alone.
Shania Twain
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth certainly gave us a lot of amazing performances and tracks with his band Van Halen, however, he was definitely outshined by Eddie Van Halen’s guitar abilities. Still Roth is a good singer, it’s just not what Van Halen is known for.
David Lee Roth
Cher
While Cher is definitely a good singer with countless hit songs, what truly made her stand out of the crowd were her attention grabbing outfits (see below) as well as her outspoken, spunky personality. Who can help but adore her?
Cher
Eddie Vedder
Much like the late Kurt Cobain, Eddie Vedder is known for his incredible songwriting abilities more than his actual singing abilities. His signature style of mumbling through the song is perfect for the grunge music he creates, but doesn’t exactly scream “amazing singer.”
Eddie Vedder
Billie Eilish
Even though Billie Eilish is extremely popular, it’s her whole persona that truly captured everyone’s attention, not just her singing voice. She just isn’t a powerhouse singer like many others are, but of course, that doesn’t take away from her being a great performer and interesting artist to follow.
Billie Eilish
James Hetfield
James Hetfield is the lead singer of Metallica and without a doubt a legend in the rock world. Metallica are truly solid in the halls of the greatest bands of all time, but as of late, perhaps because of so many years of rocking out, Hetfield’s voice is not what it used to be, and sounds quite different from recordings from the 80s.
James Hetfield
Bruce Springsteen
While there is no denying that Springsteen is “The Boss,” it’s thanks to his excellent songwriting about the everyday American that spoke to generations of people in the country. He is a fantastic performer, but when it comes to just plain singing ability, he is definitely in the category of “good” and not “great.”
Bruce Springsteen
Billy Joel
Once again, we have a classic iconic artist who is a talented songwriter, storyteller, and pianist. While he is a good singer, it’s really the whole package that makes Billy Joel the legendary star that he is.
Billy Joel
Lemmy Kilmister
Lemmy Kilmister is a legendary metal star, gaining fame for being the lead singer of Motorhead. He became known for his crazy rock star lifestyle and endless touring schedule. While he is certainly a non-stop rocker, it’s not thanks to just his vocals alone.
Lemmy Kilmister
Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl is an incredible musician, having made it big first with Nirvana as their drummer and later as lead singer and guitarist for the Foo Fighters. He is an unstoppable force of nature and while his voice suits the genre of intense hard rock, his voice is not the main reason he has become the legend that he is.
Dave Grohl
Drake
Drake got his start on the TV show Degrassi when he was a teenager and then made his transition to music. He is not considered to be one of the best rappers of all time, but he is certainly one of the most successful ones of all time.
Drake
Kid Rock
Kid Rock is a singer, songwriter, and rapper who successfully made the transition from rapper to rocker, often combining the two genres in his music. While he is certainly a success, most people wouldn’t consider him to be the best vocalist in the world.
Kid Rock
Harry Styles
Harry Styles start off as a member of boy band One Direction before breaking off and launching his own solo career. He is certainly the most successful member of One Direction and is a very good performer, but he’s definitely not one of the best singers of all time.
Harry Styles
Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Rodrigo is one of the newest members of the Disney Channel to pop star pipeline crew. She has a lot of energy and is a very entertaining performer, but her vocals are not the strongest. Still, she is very likeable.
Olivia Rodrigo