Not everyone listens to music to admire the voice and the vocal range of the leading singer. For many listeners, the most important thing is the music or beat. Some are willing to ignore the singer’s range and the lyrics for the sake of the music. However the most successful bands/singers are usually the ones who manage to combine quality music, meaningful lyrics and a great vocal range.
Vocal Range is basically “the measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can” vocalize (Wikipedia definition). Basically, it is how low and how high a note a voice can produce while singing. Sometimes it is about “talent” and sometimes can be an obligation or a choice, as singers of different genres may use aids for singing (microphones, talk-boxes and such) and they may choose to sing in different ranges.
Vocal ranges are used to determine voice types. For women, the main three types are soprano, mezzo-soprano, and contralto. For men, there are four types: countertenor, tenor, baritone, and bass.
Since letters and numbers are used for classifying vocal ranges according to voice type, I should list those notations and what they represent before bragging about some of rock’s diverse vocals.
For men: it is C3- C5 for tenor, F2- F4 for baritone and for bass, it is E2- E4. For Women: it is C4- C6 for Soprano, A3 — A5 for Mezzo-soprano and F3 – F5 for Contralto.
Some singers can go beyond these limits.
The Rock Vocalists
 | Freddie Mercury was the singer/songwriter/piano player of the highly popular and critically acclaimed rock band Queen from the time the band was formed in 1971 until his death in 1991. Freddie’s speaking voice was in the baritone range but he preferred singing in the tenor range. His range included F2 — E6, to F6 and F5. Freddie’s vocals were over a four-octave range. |
 | Roger Meddows- Taylor is the Queen drummer and he provided back-up vocals as well. He frequently contributed to the band’s songwriting process and he even sang lead vocals for the songs he created himself. While Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant was great at singing high notes (for instance E4), he couldn’t sing very low. Both Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor could sing as high as Plant but they could also go much lower (A1 for Roger Taylor and E1 for Freddie Mercury. Even though Freddie has a higher range, he has been inspired and influenced by Plant’s singing style. |
 | Elvis Presley is both a tenor and a baritone. In one music critic’s words, Elvis is “a high baritone, calculating his range as two octaves and a third, from the baritone low G to the tenor high B, with an upward extension in falsetto to at least a D-flat.” |
 | Linda Ronstadt is an American rock singer born in 1946. She is mostly famous for singing cover songs and her high vocal range. Her voice can go from contralto and soprano. And just like Freddie Mercury, she is known to use her range in one song. |
 | Matthew Bellamy is the singer/songwriter/piano and guitar player of the alternative/progressive rock band Muse. He has been known to hit A2, A4 and A5. |
 | Axl Rose is the singer of the hard rock band Guns N’ Roses, founded in 1985. The band lost its original line-up in 1996 (lead guitarist Slash and several other members left) but Axl continues to front the band. Axl can sing in the tenor range, bass and baritone. Moreover he can also sing a high soprano. |
I am surprised that Roy Orbison was not included in this list (I would include him in the category of “Rock Singers”). Although I don’t know what his vocal range was, it is frequently stated to be 3.5 octaves – and some sources say higher. Regardless of it’s range, it was truly a force of nature.
Actually, when it comes to Roy Orbison there is a strong belief that he may have had anywhere between three to five octaves. This is a massive, and very rare, vocal range.
Good call. Heard immediately what you meant.
Rob Halford of Judas Priest? He has a six octave range.
anyone cant have 6 octaves [removed]..freddie is the best singer in the world,if you dont belive go and [removed] look his song..type show must go on and how can i go on with montserrat caballe..do you want anymore??type Freddie Mercury Ensueno,,anyone can sing it,just Freddie..In the world cant be anyone like him.that can sing rock,hard rock,blues,low notes and Operah like Lucianno Pavarotti.
Halford is 4 octaves also. And to call Assol Pose a singer is hilarious.
Ronnie James Dio surely had a better range than Axl. As did Roy Orbison, as mentioned above.
Actually Ronnie James Dio was never known for range, but rather for his power. His strength lied mainly between C4(middle c) and A4. Axl rose did have a tremendous range, singing notes low enough that only a true bass could hit them, while singing up above the treble clef in full voice.
Roger’s the one who hits the high notes in In the Lap of the Gods, ’39, My Fairy King, the finale of the opera section in Bohrap, among more. really clear head voice, and surprisingly rough and bluesy normal singing voice (Loser in the End, Tenement Funster)
Geddy Lee sure can hit some high notes… but he has about a 3 octave range.
Bruce Dickinson has a for octave voice and should be on that list
Actually, Elvis’ vocal range is D2 to C#5. That’s half a note short of 3 octaves.
While I understand that his voice isn’t exactly polished and therefore doesn’t really have a place in this list, bass vocalist Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top has a 5-octave range.
5 octaves? I seriously doubt that.
It’s a sin that Queensryche’s Geoff Tate is not on this list. The worst singer I ever heard in the 80′s/early 90′s was Axel Rose….he can’t shine Tate’s shoes.
Even when I don’t like Axl’s voice that much, you can´t deny that his voice not only had an impressive vocal range but he also had a lot of Stamina, he had one of the best sustained notes ever, a lot of power and attitude, and he had a lot of soul he always gave everything in every show, now maybe what you dislike is that he have a better dirty 80s raw voice, and he loves to shout and run around starting fights, but you can´t deny he was one of the best in terms of talent
Very impressive and informative…I was wondering, though, what is Chris Cornell’s VR? Sebastian Bach? Thanks!!
@Mesonsdad I believe it’s 4 octaves. He has extreme command of full voice, and his falsetto is unbelievable. I have heard many say that Cornell is a Tenor, but based on songs like the demo version of “Beyond the Wheel” and “Right Turn”, I definitely think he’s a baritone. He doesn’t overexert himself to sing the darker, lower and deeper notes of these songs, and after all a tenor would never sound as deep.
I’m surprised that Ian Gillan from Deep Purple isn’t on the list. Back in the day he probably reached at least 4-4.5 octaves in range. I think “Child in Time” really showcases his range very well.
My vocal range is D3 to F5
sebastian bach and brad delp have some of the biggest vocal ranges.
Axl is ver whiney and nasally… The best rock singer would be Steve Perry hands down. His timbre was consistent and steady and chesty regardless what note he sang… Don’t forget Michael mejevw (sp) from steel heart
Don’t forget Mickey Thomas from starship…. Mickey Thomas, Steve perry, Sebastian Bach , , Geoff Tate, dude from steel heart, James La Brie….mall these singer had better timbre, chesty tone and technique that those listed on the initial post… Whoever posted the initial post clearly doesn’t know anything about the topic…and contrary to some other sites, you can extend your vocal range
Hey, if you think that Freddie doesn’t have technique, I would suggest you to listen to this:
Freddie Mercury – Let’s Turn It On (A capella Version)
Look for it on youtube, it’s not a real capella song, it’s the original voice track from the studio version.
All the voices on that song are sang by Freddie, he overlayed many voices to create different tones and colors, and he used very different techniques on his performing of each of those voices… Well… just listen, it may let you know something you didn’t know about this legend.
Cheers!
Amazing, right? Freddie IS truly the greatest singer ever, not only in rock! His voice goes from sweet and soft in My Fairy King, to powerful and epic in Keep Yourself Alive, which are both from Queen’s first album. A lot of bands start out with OK music, and gradually become better. These guys were wonderful from the start, and that never changed. Queen never ceases to amaze me.
I really appreciate and agree with the picks. Of-course there are more out there who are great. Many of you have posted many of them.
Freddie mercury – with his diversity and ability to sound sharp, falsetto, crisp, gravel, and then smooth – WOW – He is the real deal. You can see that he loved all genres of music and he and Queen were like mad genius’ You can so see where ELVIS & Aretha were a heavy influence on him. I thought it refreshing that they went all over the place with their vocal styles and often used Gospel and operatic harmonizing. I started finding all I could about him and Queen and now am hooked.
I recently bought their Special “Platinum Collection” 3cd’s I had no idea they wrote all of their songs! lyrics and compostion. To top that off they co-produced everything. I love to hear Elvis and look at him but I have to say Freddie in my opinion and in many others based on fact, popularity and sales is the Best Male Vocalist overall. Like I said his range and diversity and the Quality seal the deal. Some may not like his music or him but that doesn’t change facts and truth. Check out “Freddie Mercury the Untold Story” short film and Biographies 2011 (all new) Queen “Days Of Our Lives”
Elvis – So appreciative of why you explained why he is an amazing vocalist! I’m 38 and fully understand that he was gifted and sang from his heart and soul. Today there are so many tribute artists and impersonataors that alot of the younger generations are not able to truly appreciate the Quality of “The Real ELVIS” He was so good looking, and he could move too. He’s a pop culture Icon more than a music Icon (this means he’s both)There is no other Entertainer with more fans, tribute artists, look alikes, and impersonators. Even if I didn’t like him or his music there is no denying how much love and power he still holds worldwide. Geeezz The Asians alone spell it all out. Long Live The King
Rodger Taylor – I was surprised but thought you were right on. He did have that whistle pitvh thing going but had that comforting gravely voice that is so soothing and awesome for story telling which is what music is. He has that “it” similar to Rod Stewert & Ray Charles.
I like Axle Rose but never really thought of his sound as singing really. I do get & understand his range.I appreciate his music and respect him for his unique sound.
Well, thanks for listening to me go on and on LOL So many out there we could list but Freddie Mercury & Elvis are it! Because; of their larger than life legacy, vocals, ability to move millions of people all over the world to this day wether we like it or not. kings of the stage and because; their love & need for music was so profound.
where is geoff tate of queensryche and bruce dlckinson of iron maiden.
Am shocked michael jackson is not included.
Michael, rock? :_
I just can’t imagine placing *anyone* above Freddie Mercury in terms of range (is anyone else thinking of his obvious lows as well as highs? Listen to the song “Brighton Rock”!!). Aside from the amazing range, he had power, staying power, could sing any sort of music, including opera… I could go on and on about Freddie. Then there is how AMAZING he was live; you never caught that man off-key or unable to sing a certain song. He wasn’t a only a “studio singer” like so many (TOO many) singers. Live, he sang perfectly while all but doing gymnastics physically… simply astonishing.
I’ve been smitten with Freddie since I discovered my father’s copies of their first 8 vinyl record albums as a VERY young child. It’s never gone away. That man was a vocal and music-in-general prodigy. Being a RARE singer that DIDN’T lose his voice as the years progressed (it always seemed he actually got *better*!), even as he sickened and wasted away, is another testament to his unbelievable ability, as is the fact that he had always had a problem with *very raw vocal chord nodules*, which actually causes hoarseness and a *reduction* in vocal range, as well as other major strains on the voice. Imagine that…
I agree that Bruce Dickinson had a great voice, and great staying power. It’s too bad that he’s lost much over the years… something expected of singers; not Freddie Mercury, though! ;D
God rest Freddie’s soul. It seems a piece of myself has been missing since he died when I was an 11 year old girl.
I think that Warrel Dane of Nevermore and Sanctuary has one of the most impressive vocal ranges I ever heard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcrPujL1tn0, A video demonstrating his vocal range.
Sebastian Bach, George Michael, Freddie Mercury and Michael Kiske would be my four picks. They all have incredible range, stamina, power and feel to their voice, some more subtle than others, and people who only know their “hits” probably wouldn’t be familiar with their talent. As far as range goes, I doubt anyone could outsing Michael Kiske.
Quite surprised that none of you mentioned a singer that has an 4 octave (seen a video of him where he says “on a good night 4 octaves”) range and uses it as a great instrument. As a musical instrument and as an instrument to inspire people. I am talking about Bobbie McFerrin, yes the “dont worry be happy” guy … Look him up and be amazed at what he does. Even if he in not mainstream i do believe he at least earned a mention in this list.
I idolise Bobby. I have the hugest professional crush on that man. But this is a “rock” list, and I doubt Bobby would take kindly to being so limited by that label…
He is all about the sound/music – I don’t think he’d even really think in terms of his range – he just *does* it. 
Seriously how can everyone forget Metijevic? (Singer from steelheart) and Mark S\aughter?
Having the voice is one thing, utilizing it like Freddie is the difference.
Therefore:
Axl Rose (Guns n Roses)
Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
Steve “The Voice” Perry (Journey)
Joey Tempest (Europe)
Geoff Tate (Queensryche)
Miljenko Matijevic (Steelheart)
Dave Coverdale (Whitesnake)
Sammy Hagar (Van Halen)
Some of the singers with great vocal range not mentioned here are:
Steve Perry (Journey), James Labrie (Dream Theater), Steve Walsh (Kansas), Thom Yorke (Radiohead), Todd Rundgren (Utopia), Darryl Hall, Jon Anderson (Yes)… As a matter of fact, let’s write the article over again starting from the top….
Mike Patton is hands down the best, most
Talented vocalist. No one exists that can do
what he can. Check his Mr.Bungle work.
Astounding.
Ville Valo has a four octave range, so I’m a bit surprised he isn’t included here.
Where is Steve Perry?????
A very interesting article but I am surprised not to see some of the truly amazing female vocalists, for instance Kate Bush, Anne Wilson and Dolores O’Riordan to name but a few in a very long list. Any views on this?
ELVIS ALL THE WAY! “THE KING” COULD SING IN ALL GENRES AND IS THE ONLY ONE LISTED WHO SIMULTANEOUSLY TOPPED ALL THE MAJOR SINGLES CHARTS. HE ALSO CHARTED OVER 70 NUMBER ONE HITS AROUND THE WORLD AND OVER 30 NUMBER ONE ALBUMS.
a lot of people are confusing power with range and control. Very different things. However all you need do is listen to Roy Orbison’s ‘Only the Lonely’ to understand what real range and control means. The final verse goes through four – arguably a five – octave range with complete control AND power. Everyone mentioned above are all phenoms in their own right, but Roy is it. The end all and be all for male singers. Period. And…if you asked most of those guys I’d bet dollars to donuts they’d all agree too.
im surprised no one mentioned ozzy
one of the truly remarkable voices of the -60 -70 and -80s as well as today
Agnetha Falskog from Abba!!!! Anne Wilson from heart
For Range how about Freddie Curci of Sherriff and Alias. Slso try Jackie Wilson
Just remembered Jay Black of Jay and the Americans, heard recently he can still hit the high notes of “Cara Mia” and he is in his 70″.
Anyone ever here of the great Harry Nilsson? Three and a half octaves.
Rob Halford of Judas Priest? He has a 6 octave range.
Ronnie James Dio (Black Sabbath, Rainbow) and Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) have much more range than Axl Rose and Elvis Presley.
Is it possible to have a 6 octave range and have no talent? Just asking.
Brent Smith from Shinedown. This lad has it all.
Queen for ever
no one could use there voice like freddie mercury
I BEG you to listen to some nilsson! Freddy was good .i think you’ll love harry also.
What about Paul McCartney? Has nobody ever heard Tomorrow or Wanderlust?
Roger could hit notes as low as G4, and he could go all the way up to A5 (sometimes even over it- father to son – queen II. That is really impressive considering he was ‘only’ (he was much more I know) the drummer of Queen.
Nilsson was quoted by both John Lennon and Paul McCartney as being THE best singer.pretty good authority I’d say!
Sebastian Bach…..Heard of HIM??? Come on people!!!!! This man can not only SING but can hold it with vibratto. His voice is not only for rock but for the stage as well…Axl cannot say that neither can MOST (and yes I can say that) of the other singers that anyone has mentioned here. Bach has a voice that just keeps going. I have NO idea his octave range and for one I dont care, as long as he ca sing like a GOD it doesnt matter.
Paul don’t count.He was not a singer.
errrmmmmm….
3 shouts for great vocalists based on range and technique:
jeff buckley (4 OCTAVES)
tim buckley (5 OCTAVES – no [joke]….he was superhuman)
matt bellamy (power in falsetto)
In my humble opinion, there are many singers I like and listen to with great pleasure. However, I have never heard anyone who comes close to Freddie Mercury! I mean, this guy can jump into genres like a bee on different flowers and rip the song apart… When he sings covers, he actually does them better than the originals! I know others were mentioned that supposedly have/had the ability to sing well in different genres, but if one should be objective, Freddie is in a league of his own. And this is only scratching the surface when it comes to what kind of talent and abilities he actually possessed as a singer. How about a scene presence? Ability to sing live just as good (according to many even better) as he does in a studio? Ability to actually write his songs (music and lyrics) and score hits in different genres? And there is much more in that package!!!
Also, having a great range does not automatically make you a great singer. There could be others who have as good range as Freddie, but that is only one tool that needs the ability to be utilized in a way that pleases. Plus, how many of the aforementioned singers actually made album after album in different genres with the success of Queen? When I think about it, nobody comes to mind…