Somebody must think MTV WAS KIDDING WHEN THEY DID THIS!!!
In 2005, MTV compiled a list of the 22 greatest voices in music. Here is THEIR list:
1. Mariah Carey
2. Freddie Mercury
3. Whitney Houston
4. Bono
5. Christina Aguilera
6. Alanis Morissette
7. Kurt Cobain
8. Bjork
9. Celine Dion
10. Tupac Shakur
11. Michael Jackson
12. Chris Cornell
13. Eminem
14. David Bowie
15. Alicia Keys
16. Steven Taylor
17. Jewel
18. Thom Yorke
19. Mary J. Blige
20. Michael Stipe
21. Sade
22. Bruce Springteen
If there was ever a time in life where I could request a laugh track, it would definitely be right now. First of all, this list compiled over 5 years ago wouldn’t have made sense even 10 years ago! So for those of you who fairly agree with even a tenth of this list, get your head examined! After hearing the many opinions of my co-workers here at WBLK, I have come to the conclusion that; A) this list was created for April’s Fools Day (2005), or B) this list was created by an array of people. All with different levels of education, opinion in pop culture, music history/knowledge, and possibly common sense. For the respect of the individual artists, I will refrain from bashing anyone in particular. I will kindly leave that up to you the reader.
Needless to say, I am far from surprised that MTV chose to discontinue this “list of greatest voices” until they further understood what that actually means. 25% of the people on this list I haven’t even heard of. To be even be nominated as a “great voice”, I think the first question MTV should have asked themselves was, “What is so special about his/her voice?”
MTV would have been astounded by how many of these people wouldn’t have even made the list! I’m not going to single out any artist in particular, but you know who you are. And shame on you for feeling proud of yourself!
To my sensible common sense readers out there, I have a task for you. In the comment box below, submit your Top 22 list of Greatest Voices and we’ll compare MTV’s (2005) list to yours. Hopefully crowning MTV’s list as the Joke of the Day!
I’ll take the initiative by going first. I've asked my Intern to list her top 22 list of Greatest:
1. Aretha Franklin
2. Marvin Gaye
3. Otis Redding
4. James Brown
5. Whitney Houston
6. Celione Dion
7. Nat King Cole
8. Billie Holiday
9. Sam Cooke
10. Beyonce
11. Gladys Knight
12. Mary J. Blige
13. Mariah Carey (old school)
14. Leona Lewis
15. Stevie Wonder
16. Michael Jackson
17. Prince
18. Frank Sinatra
19. Christina Aguilera
20. Amy Lee (Evanescence)
21. Elvis Presley
22. Steven Tyler
I DARE your best neighborhood singer to impersonate any of these 22 greats (successfully). What about you? What are you 22 greatest?
Azaria Inverary (WBLK Intern) contributed to this article.
