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best 80s singer

Who is the best 80 singer

  • Michael Jackson

    Votes: 21 24.4%
  • Madonna

    Votes: 2 2.3%
  • George Michael

    Votes: 2 2.3%
  • David Bowie

    Votes: 2 2.3%
  • Elton John

    Votes: 2 2.3%
  • Kate Bush

    Votes: 2 2.3%
  • Freddie Mercury

    Votes: 37 43.0%
  • Phil Collins

    Votes: 2 2.3%
  • Tina Turner

    Votes: 1 1.2%
  • Prince

    Votes: 3 3.5%
  • Luciano Pavarotti

    Votes: 2 2.3%
  • Sinéad O'Connor

    Votes: 3 3.5%
  • Paul McCartney

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Lionel Richie

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Stevie Wonder

    Votes: 2 2.3%
  • Ozzy Osbourne

    Votes: 5 5.8%
  • Kylie

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    86

poodaddy

Member
I prefer Ozzy's catalogue above anyone else there, but in terms of vocal ability and if we're excluding the quality of their catalogue of music, it's Pavarotti followed by Prince then Mercury. These vocalists are in different oceans of ability from the other choices, to the extent that comparing them seems odd.

Also, if you threw Ozzy in there to just get some metal representation, why not go for Rob Halford instead, who is an incredibly talented vocalist who would easily stand against anyone in that list, but of course can't compare to Pavarotti. Ozzy is such a strange choice here. The poll seems like you couldn't decide between pop charts success or vocal range and control as the factors for consideration.
 
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Axl Rose GIF by Guns N' Roses
 

Alex11

Member
Not to take away the merits of other musicians, but for me this one is without any doubt.



He was dead before I was able to appreciate and understand music, my parents showed me a VHS tape (I know, lol) of him and I was mesmerized on the spot.

Don't know, I usually don't like that much live perfromances, but it's almost the other way around with Queen/Freddy, that quality of his voice is the same in any live that I have watched.
 

Laptop1991

Member
On that list, i'm choosing Ozzy because i'm a Hard Rock and Heavy Metal fan, as for the the best singer, if i'm being honest it is Freddie Mercury.
 
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simpatico

Member
If Pavarotti is on the list, Pavarotti wins. I don't even see how it's close. It's the best voice humanity has an audio recording of. We can only assume history has singers on his level. We certainly haven't had one since.
 
If Pavarotti is on the list, Pavarotti wins. I don't even see how it's close. It's the best voice humanity has an audio recording of. We can only assume history has singers on his level. We certainly haven't had one since.


Freddie Mercury had a voice that pretty much topped anybody.
 
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Pavarotti?! You have Pavarotti in the same poll as fucking pop singers?!

One of the greatest operatic tenors of all time, competing against George Michael and Madonna? Really?

oh, and calling him an 80s singer as well? *smh*

I'm so triggered that I need to take some time out.
Sure Madonna wasn't very good but George Michael was actually an extremely skilled singer.
 
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Neff

Member
If this is a list of pop vocalists who were prominent during the '80s (which it mostly seems to be, regardless of debut), then I'm going for

1. Michael Jackson
2. Freddie Mercury
3. Debbie Harry
4. George Michael
5. David Bowie

Prince just narrowly missed out
 

Brigandier

Member
Ronny James Dio
Rob Halford
Bruce Dickinson

These guys are in another league but if I was to pick someone from the list I'd say Freddy Mercury but George Michael and Prince were amazing too.
 

DeafTourette

Perpetually Offended
Do you mean vocal range or popularity or just songs?

As far as pure vocalists:

Whitney Houston (how was she not on the list?)
Rf8sXaL.jpg


Luther Vandross
L0pZS6u.jpg


Between these two, almost no one compares in the 80s. Their vocal ranges were unmatched back then. It wasn't until the 90s they had actual contenders. MAYBE Freddies Jackson and Mercury could be contenders with Luther but none came close to Whitney.

Everything else is subjective.

I feel like I'm in a thread with a bunch of kids born in 2010.
 

Brigandier

Member
Do you mean vocal range or popularity or just songs?

As far as pure vocalists:

Whitney Houston (how was she not on the list?)
Rf8sXaL.jpg


Luther Vandross
L0pZS6u.jpg


Between these two, almost no one compares in the 80s. Their vocal ranges were unmatched back then. It wasn't until the 90s they had actual contenders. MAYBE Freddies Jackson and Mercury could be contenders with Luther but none came close to Whitney.

Everything else is subjective.

I feel like I'm in a thread with a bunch of kids born in 2010.

Very good singers, I'd throw Alison Moyet in there too she had serious power in that voice!!.

I think the list is more of a popularity contest though because as entertaining as MJ was he couldn't hold a candle to George Michael as a pure singer I'll get laughed at but it's just the truth and he had nothing on Luther.

Prince with 2 votes is absolutely fucking criminal.
 

DeafTourette

Perpetually Offended
Very good singers, I'd throw Alison Moyet in there too she had serious power in that voice!!.

I think the list is more of a popularity contest though because as entertaining as MJ was he couldn't hold a candle to George Michael as a pure singer I'll get laughed at but it's just the truth and he had nothing on Luther.

Prince with 2 votes is absolutely fucking criminal.

I agree with you on 80s MJ but 60s kid MJ had some SERIOUS pipes! His vocal range, while high, was still impressive!

I'm going to look up Alison Moyet!
 
And if you have to wonder why George Michael is on the list, then listen to him do a Queen song (somebody to love) in rehearsal and concert (for the Freddy Mercury tribute concert). He was frankly the only one who could hold a candle to Freddy vocally.

Rehearsal (David Bowie oddly enough can be seen having a smoke on the sidelines at 4:10):

Live:
 
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