Nothing riles up the internet like a “best of all time” list. Rolling Stone kicked off 2023 with a list that they are calling “The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time” and boy, did it get people talking.
The list was compiled by staff of and key contributors to Rolling Stone, according to the website. This was a major change from when they did a similar list in 2018 which used an elaborate voting process that included input from well-known musicians. They noted that because of that input, the list skewed toward classic rock and singers from the ’60s and ’70s.
The 2023 version seems to swing in the opposite direction featuring singers from a number of generations. With one major exception.
Love Hip-Hop Wired? Get more! Join the Hip-Hop Wired Newsletter
Pop superstar, Celine Dion, a five-time Grammy Award-winning singer gifted the world with “My Heart Will Go On,” the theme song from Titanic which won the Academy Award in 1998 for Best Original Song. Social media users call her exclusion from the list, “a Titanic mistake.” Grammy-winning songwriter, Diane Warren, wrote, “One more reason these stupid ass lists don’t mean shit. Really??? A list of greatest singers @RollingStone and #CelineDion isn’t on it??” And celebrities aren’t the only ones who were flabbergasted and frustrated by not only who did make the list, but the order and ranking. Others noted that the list, which came out just weeks after Celine Dion announced a debilitating disease that may silence her voice, should be a prompt for a tribute at the Grammy Awards next month.
Others noted, that while it is not a relevant fact, Dion is also known in industry circles for her kindness and generosity.
Fans were also quick to remind social media how Celine is also an honorary Jamaican.
https://twitter.com/jahknowsue/status/1609756642354302978?s=20&t=4oNROmFhsKYqY5uZ_iERJQFor their part, Rolling Stone seemed to anticipate some backlash writing in their introduction, “Before you start scrolling (and commenting), keep in mind that this is the Greatest Singers list, not the Greatest Voices List. Talent is impressive; genius is transcendent. Sure, many of the people here were born with massive pipes, perfect pitch, and boundless range. Others have rougher, stranger, or more delicate instruments.”Ok, Rolling Stone…we will let producer and promoter, Jamie Lambert have the last word.
