5 Of The Best/Most Influential Musical Frontmen/women

Stig

The guy from Kraftwerk was pretty damn good!

Macronate

stonemuse said:

Tough subject so will stick to the first five that come to mind:

David Bowie
John Lydon
Ian Brown
Roger Daltrey
Lou Reed

all these.

and Marriott, Gary Numan (influential), Paul Weller and Dave Gahan.

Algarveaddick

Going for a frontman, rather than a solo artist, and in the "best" rather than "influential" category, Tim Booth of James impressed me greatly.

Greenie

Francis Rossi from The Mighty Status Quo

A-R-T-H-U-R

Mike Batt and Tony Hatch.

Wombles Crossroads

Algarveaddick

A-R-T-H-U-R said:

Wombles Crossroads

One of the most underrated supergroups, IMHO.

Riviera

i_b_b_o_r_g said:

Our Liam (Prick, but can't argue that he weren't influential)

I think you are mixing up "influential" with "influenced".

PopIcon

Ian Brown.

charltonbob

Granpa said:

Chris Barber no contest.

Jazz musician or Covered End late 60s ?

addickson

1. Ian Dury

Jim Morrison
Bono
Freddie Mercury
Mick Jagger

1 had talent, despise the rest but can't deny their influence

McBobbin

Little Richard. Certainly influenced many more famous singers (not that he was without fame). Lemmy for example!

seth plum

Having seen him live in his pomp Ian Anderson of Jethroe Tull was/is an absolute master of communication with a crowd. makes Freddie Mercury (also good at working the crowd) seem half asleep.
BTW there are not my favourites, but I'm talking frontman/woman, not best singer.
Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood mac fame could deliver, and of course Tina Turner and Mick Jagger.
In terms of being absolutely compelling but not trying then I would suggest the very much missed Jeff Buckley, check out Lover You Should have Come Over from Chicago 1995 Mystery White Boy tour.
There is of course the incomparable James Brown, but also Jerry Lee Lewis, and believe it or not another amazing front man was/is Arthur Brown of 'Fire' fame, complete with theatrics and an astonishing vocal range.

smudge7946

Not a frontman, but Rick Allen from Def Leppard deserves a mention for influence/inspiration for overcoming adversity.

sillav nitram

Charlton Charlie said:

Influential, in the way that they inspired others/a loyal following:

Bob Marley
Robert Smith (sorry, personal favourite so has to be in every top 5/10 etc)
Lennon/McCartney
Debbie Harry
Kurt Cobain

The best....hmmm...different IMHO

Robert Smith (see above)
Freddie Mercury
Thom Yorke
Mick Jagger
But then could have Damon Albarn, Ian Brown, Shaun Ryder etc etc as all very good at what they do....

no idea how or why ian brown gets in there?

sillav nitram

seth plum said:

Having seen him live in his pomp Ian Anderson of Jethroe Tull was/is an absolute master of communication with a crowd. makes Freddie Mercury (also good at working the crowd) seem half asleep.
BTW there are not my favourites, but I'm talking frontman/woman, not best singer.
Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood mac fame could deliver, and of course Tina Turner and Mick Jagger.
In terms of being absolutely compelling but not trying then I would suggest the very much missed Jeff Buckley, check out Lover You Should have Come Over from Chicago 1995 Mystery White Boy tour.
There is of course the incomparable James Brown, but also Jerry Lee Lewis, and believe it or not another amazing front man was/is Arthur Brown of 'Fire' fame, complete with theatrics and an astonishing vocal range.

I recently re bought " the crazy world of arthur brown" and was amazed at how good his voice was.

cafctom

Don't understand how someone like Freddie Mercury can be 'despised'? Is that a thing!?

addickson

Hmmm, perhaps despise was an inappropriate word. Not aimed at the individuals (well except for Bono), but I loathe their music, far too happy for an old misanthrope :-)

WrightCharlie

Harry MacGregor Woods who in 1926 wrote that much loved song "When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along"

U.S. - Hank Williams, Dylan, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, Hendrix.

U.K. - Long John Baldry, Dusty Springfield, Syd Barrett, Robert Plant, Mark Knopfler

Great question @i_b_b_o_r_g thanks for being the catalyst for many good thoughts and memories.

@seth plum it was hard not to include Jeff Buckley as he's one of my favourites too, did you read he has a new (never been released) album coming out in March? Early cover stuff, can't wait

DA9

Elvis Presley
Morrissey


The following have gone on record to say they were influenced by Elvis

John Lennon
Paul McCartney
James Brown
Bruce Springsteen
Cliff Richard
Billy Fury
Vince Eager (sic)
Morrissey

Not a bad list :-)

letthegoodtimesroll

Didn't Rod Stewart put in a stint with a few bands...

falconwood_1

Morrissey
Bruce Springsteen
Madonna
Mick Jagger
Michael Jackson

Probably the best 5 front people I've seen, that have influenced many others.

Addickted2TheReds

Tony Hadley...

Friend Or Defoe

Influential?
Well it's Elvis isn't it.

Would also say Iggy Pop, Robert Plant, Mick Jagger & John Lennon were influential as well.

On the subject of best front man, Mike Patton and Freddy Mercury.

Alex Wright

As far as front men goes the best for me was David Lee Roth. Total performer. !980 at the Rainbow was awesome.
near misses:
Roger Daltrey
Steve Marriot
David Bowie (if you can count non 'band' artists)
Ray Davies

good to mention:
Stuart Adamson
Bono (There goes what little credibility I had)

Alex Wright

Front women:

Crissie Hynde
Janis Joplin
Dusty Springfield
Annie Lennox
Kate Bush

DaveMehmet

smudge7946 said:

Not a frontman, but Rick Allen from Def Leppard deserves a mention for influence/inspiration for overcoming adversity.

Coming from Sheffield?

Algarveaddick

Alex Wright said:

As far as front men goes the best for me was David Lee Roth. Total performer. !980 at the Rainbow was awesome.
near misses:
Roger Daltrey
Steve Marriot
David Bowie (if you can count non 'band' artists)
Ray Davies

good to mention:
Stuart Adamson
Bono (There goes what little credibility I had)

Not at all, there's a big difference between favourite recording artist and top front man. I strongly suspect many commenting on this thread have never seen the people they are championing, even though many of them may have been amazing when seen "in concert" on a video. I saw Gary Numan once, as my wife was a fan from childhood. He was extremely good, even though his music would not be my first choice, I would certainly go and see him as a performer again.

The_Organiser

Algarveaddick said:

Going for a frontman, rather than a solo artist, and in the "best" rather than "influential" category, Tim Booth of James impressed me greatly.

Agreed Perry - was massively impressed when I saw them in 09. Great frontman and great band.

i_b_b_o_r_g

The Organiser said:

Algarveaddick said:

Going for a frontman, rather than a solo artist, and in the "best" rather than "influential" category, Tim Booth of James impressed me greatly.

Agreed Perry - was massively impressed when I saw them in 09. Great frontman and great band.

Oh sit down

Alex Wright

Algarveaddick said:

Alex Wright said:

As far as front men goes the best for me was David Lee Roth. Total performer. !980 at the Rainbow was awesome.
near misses:
Roger Daltrey
Steve Marriot
David Bowie (if you can count non 'band' artists)
Ray Davies

good to mention:
Stuart Adamson
Bono (There goes what little credibility I had)

Not at all, there's a big difference between favourite recording artist and top front man. I strongly suspect many commenting on this thread have never seen the people they are championing, even though many of them may have been amazing when seen "in concert" on a video. I saw Gary Numan once, as my wife was a fan from childhood. He was extremely good, even though his music would not be my first choice, I would certainly go and see him as a performer again.

I take your point Algarve. I've seen them all live, perhaps Ray Davies might not be the spectacular 'frontman' but his songs are the stars during his gigs.