Concert Hotels has published a chart comparing the vocals ranges of many artists, males and females. The interactive chart allows you to check who can reach the highest and lowest notes during a specific recording, and of course Mariah Carey has the record for the highest note (G7 during ‘Emotions’) followed by Christina Aguilera (C#7, ‘The Christmas Son’), while Prince and Axl Rose are the best male tenors. I am surprised that new sensation Adele or even Beyoncé are so far behind, while Tom Waits’ highest is almost similar to Swift’s.
If you sort the voices by lowest notes, Axl Rose beats Barry White, is it for real? Then you have David Bowie, Tom Waits, while Nina Simone is the first female in the list, no surprise there.
And if you sort the artists by vocal range, Axl Rose (again) is a winner! I would have never thought, better than Mariah Carey range-wise, and way better than Prince! Who is the worst? Luke Bryan and Taylor Swift! These country heads are really ordinary, but Justin Bieber is not far above. Otherwise Bono is very average, just like Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson. Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus have a very similar range just like Bob Dylan and Kurt Cobain, or Aretha Franklin and Annie Lennox, or Lou Reed and Eminem or even Bjork and Dolly Parton, talk about odd coupling! They should record a duet together.
Not everybody is included of course, may be Chris Cornell or Eddie Vedder would beat that Axl Rose’s first place. In any case, I have no idea if this is accurate and if a large vocal range necessary makes you a better singer, personally, I can’t stand Mariah Carey’s singing! Now bring me these Guns ‘n’ Roses old CDs.
