Top 10: Rock 'N' Roll Front Men

[CBI_2]

Found this list on another site. Thought the music fans here would find it interesting.

They preface the list with:
You can have the chops, you can have the songs and you can have the savvy, but if you don’t have an engaging front man, you’ll never be one of the biggest bands in the world. AM’s top 10 rock ‘n’ roll front men salutes the 10 most charismatic, spotlight-drawing lead singers in history. If time, age and rock genre were no object, these are the 10 rock ‘n’ roll front men that would be leading us into the future.

No.10 - Steven Tyler

Steven Tyler’s current appearance -- akin to that of a 90-year-old woman -- seems to have caused people to forget that he’s one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll front men of his generation... er, generations. Perhaps the most impressive thing is Tyler’s endurance, considering the ups and downs he’s been through. His career started in the early ‘70s, and along with his Toxic Twin Joe Perry, he became a huge star singing such anthems as “Walk This Way,” “Dream On” and “Sweet Emotion.” Aerosmith as a whole took a break in the early ‘80s to attend drug rehab, but the band’s comeback took place in 1986 when they appeared on Run D.M.C.’s remake of “Walk This Way”; the song is also credited as the song that brought hip-hop into the mainstream. After a massively successful run in the late-‘80s and early-‘90s, with such hits as “Dude (Looks Like a Lady),” “Angel,” “Love in an Elevator,” “Janie’s Got a Gun,” “What it Takes,” and “Cryin,’” Steven Tyler and the boys finally hit No. 1 on the singles charts in 1998 with “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.”

Tyler is best known as a rock ‘n’ roll front man for his monumental wail, a screech that is instantly recognizable on any classic rock station. That trademark vocal styling has no doubt done damage to his vocal chords, as recent recordings show almost no similarities to the vocals he recorded in the early ‘70s.

No.9 - Axl Rose

Again, let’s not judge these rock gods by appearance. These days, Axl Rose is a surgically reconstructed ogre with hideous red dreadlocks, but in his day he was the ultimate among rock ‘n’ roll front men. While other singers of his era were busy doing their makeup and squeezing into leather pants, Rose was working on the 1987 masterpiece Appetite for Destruction, arguably the most important rock album made in the ‘80s. Axl Rose is now a famous perfectionist, as seen by the 15-year wait for Chinese Democracy, but that attention to detail contributed to three of the best rock albums released between ’87 and ’91: Appetite, and Use Your Illusion I and II. His iconic hip-shakin’ dance with the mic stand and his full-stage sprint are probably the second things that most people think of when they think of Guns ‘n’ Roses, the first being Axl’s tendency to jump into the crowd and punch out his own fans. Now that’s rock ‘n’ roll.

No.8 - David Lee Roth

David Lee Roth made a career out of being a ridiculous, loveable dork. Only after Sammy Hagar turned Van Halen into a bunch of sourpusses did we realize how much we loved Diamond Dave. Powered by Roth’s outsized personality, Van Halen became one of the biggest bands of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, and Roth himself became known as a must-see performer thanks to his wild antics, howling voice and spinning rock-star karate kicks.

Roth left Van Halen in 1985 (either forcibly or of his own accord), inciting the single most classic rock ‘n’ roll argument of all time -- Roth or Hagar? Where you stand on that issue pretty defines what you are as a rock fan, though cultural memory seems to recall Roth much more fondly than the man who replaced him.

No.7 - Trent Reznor

Trent Reznor is often credited as the man who brought industrial music to the masses and paved the way for future stars like Marilyn Manson. It’s safe to say that Reznor approaches things a little differently than someone like David Lee Roth; Reznor presents himself as the troubled, sensitive type, known for putting on a great show and taking care of his fans. His last album was given away for free to his fans who thanked him by showing up in droves for his recent tour. Like any good rock star, Reznor has paid meticulous attention to the images attached to his name, and has released some great music videos in the process.

No.6 - Ozzy Osbourne

Just close your eyes and remember Ozzy Osbourne for what he used to be, not what he is. Sadly, an entire generation will remember Ozzy as a bumbling reality-TV star, but many more will always know him as the Prince of Darkness. Any dispute about Ozzy’s greatness as a rock star can be summarily dismissed with the fact that he bit off a bat’s head while on stage in 1982 (though he didn’t know it was real), and this wasn’t the first time that a winged creature faced its doom at the hands of Ozzy: he chomped the head off a dove too. And if feasting on feathered animals isn’t rock ‘n’ roll enough, the man has also taken enough drugs to cripple him with many of the symptoms that one would see in a Parkinson’s patient, making him both a cautionary tale and one of the greatest rock stars that ever lived -- or pissed on the Alamo.

No.5 - Thom Yorke

Thom Yorke may seem like an odd addition to this list, but he belongs alongside the greats. Yorke and his mates in Radiohead have been consistently regarded as one of the world’s greatest bands for years, both in their live performances and their studio albums, and they always know exactly which buttons to push. When they decided not to promote Kid A, it still went to No. 1. When they gave In Rainbows away for free, it still topped many critics’ year-end wrap-up lists. Yorke’s preening, high-pitched voice is as scathing as it is soothing, and accompanies some of the most out-there rock ‘n’ roll of his time, earning many comparisons to Pink Floyd while producing nothing the likes of which we’ve ever heard.

No.4 - Bono

Bono is a pompous ass, and he’s earned every bit of that reputation. Pretty much everything the Dubliner has touched has turned platinum -- deservedly or not (Pop) -- while he has effortlessly steered his career in whatever direction he feels like at the time. He’s been a sincere rock hero (the ‘80s), a preening knob (the ‘90s) and a revolutionary middleman (the ‘00s), and his fans have lapped up every bit of it. His interaction with the audience is what has truly made him an icon, as he never seems to be able to get quite close enough to the crowd. He’s also been involved in iconic moments during Live Aid and the Super Bowl, two of the biggest events on Earth.

No.3 - Mick Jagger

Mick Jagger is one of the rare rockers to have an incredibly long career while keeping his dignity pretty much intact. Of course, perhaps his standards for dignity aren’t the same as everyone else’s. Regardless of his off-stage shenanigans, Jagger is a performance icon and one of rock's greatest front men. His contortionist dance moves and endless supply of energy have made him one of the absolute must-see performers of his, or any, time. His name is associated with such ubiquitous songs as “Sympathy for the Devil” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” and what’s best -- he shows absolutely no signs of slowing down.

No.2 - Freddie Mercury

Nobody could put the crowd in the palm of his hand like Freddie Mercury. Even a crowd of 80,000 people at the famous Queen concert in Wembley Stadium was no match for Mercury’s gigantic personality, not to mention the precision of his operatic vocals. While he was performing, it never seemed that Mercury’s mind was elsewhere -- he was always 100% present for the crowd and they always got their money’s worth. Queen’s music was a mishmash of different influences, but the band never stretched beyond its means so long as Mercury was front and center.

No.1 - Robert Plant

Talk about living every boy’s dream. Not only is Robert Plant a rock star, but he spends his days and nights talking about wizards, dragons and the devil. No rock star in history can match the legend that is Robert Plant -- whether or not most of the stories about him are true. Robert Plant is one of the most controversial stories in rock history. Hell, the guy is accused of stealing the ideas for half of his Led Zeppelin songs, and he’s still considered one of the best of all time. Robert Plant’s off-stage antics -- a little too touchy to go into detail here -- only increase his iconic status.

[heavyd]

Interesting list, and a pretty good one. I have never seen most of these guys live so my opinion is not very informed. The top three are spot on though based on what I have gathered from being a fan of 70s rock.

[MedicCook]

It is missing one of the greatest of all time.

Where is Jim Morrison?

[heavyd]

Originally Posted by MedicCook

It is missing one of the greatest of all time.

Where is Jim Morrison?

The Doors were great, no doubt about it . He was definitely a charismatic figure in the world of 70s rock and I would replace Yorke with him in my list. Also, Reznor needs to go bye bye, IMO.

The best thing about any "who's the greatest" list is always the discussion that follows.

I listened to "Soft Parade" today and I am amazed. Great band.

[MedicCook]

To me a frontman = on stage character. I have never seen Trent in concert and he does not come to mind when I think of the great frontmen.

[MajorCaptSilly]

Roger Daltrey
Mike Ness
Rob Halford
Iggy Pop


MCS

[bobarian]

Peter Wolf
Paul Rodgers
Phil Lynott
The Boss

[CBI_2]

A couple of others to consider.
Steve Perry
Lou Gramm
David Coverdale

[GWN]

Peter Gabriel during his Genesis days?

[Kreth]

James Hetfield
Bruce Dickinson
Rob Halford
Phil Anselmo

[icehog3]

Bon Scott
Scott Weiland
Jimi Hendrix
Lemmy

[TripleF]

David Lee Roth should be #1!!

[Don Fernando]

I miss Dave Grohl. And where is Kurt Cobain on this list?

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by TripleF

David Lee Roth should be #1!!

He don't ask for permission!!

Originally Posted by Don Fernando

I miss Dave Grohl. And where is Kurt Cobain on this list?

Love Dave Grohl, maybe the best of the current stock. Can't believe I forgot to add him. Saw Foo Fighters last year and the guys works the crowd like you wouldn't believe.

[K Baz]

Mike Ness
Joe Strummer
Shane McGowan

[Clampdown]

Radiohead=Overrated

If I was picking a front man I would go with Robert Plant. Top to bottom the band was a super group.

Some of my favorites not on the original list:
Jack White
Joe Strummer
Paul McCartney/John Lennon
Fat Mike

[ActionAndy]

Originally Posted by MajorCaptSilly

Roger Daltrey
Mike Ness
Rob Halford
Iggy Pop

Anyone who has EVER seen SD in concert will know Mike Ness should definitely be in that list!

K-Baz -

You've seen him as well I presume??

[tunes]

Originally Posted by bobarian

Peter Wolf
Paul Rodgers
Phil Lynott
The Boss

Wow! Peter Wolf - wasn't he in the J. Geils Band?

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by ActionAndy

Cosmo Kramer?