What I am struggling with was the ranking of people. How could Joan Baez, Bonnie Raitt be ranked lower than Alicia Keys? Donny Hathaway ranked low? A voice that is timeless and often imitated. Same with Marvin Gaye. No Angie Bofill, Phyllis Hyman, Karen Clark Sheard, Barbara Streisand, Mel Torme, Louis Armstrong, Judy Garland, Sarah Vaughn or Dinah Washington. Little Jimmy Scott, Daryl Coley, Dianne Reeves?
One of my overlooked favorites El Debarge is on the list. Wish he did more work that could be heard.
Beyonce ranked at 8 and not lower? Martha Reeves on the list at all? Gotta be kidding! These listings seemed to be based who is popular as opposed to technical abilities.
At least this list had "you betta haves" for me: Luther, Martha Wash, Donny, Steve Perry, Mahalia, Stevie, Patsy, Smokey, Frank yet it missed others.
Let's not get started with opera.
Perhaps Rolling Stone should have called this list the greatest 200 popular, Rock n Roll and World Music artists of all time. Like the Grammys, opera, jazz and gospel are left out or shifted to the non televised awards.
Not surprised at all.