This summer Rolling Stone asked a panel of 179 experts -- including recording artists, journalists, and industry insiders -- to name their favorite singers of the rock era. In an in-depth cover story, the current issue reveals the results and elaborates upon them. Such greats as Ray Charles, John Lennon, and Robert Plant got high rankings, but several selections are destined to raise eyebrows. More baffling, the ten singers below were overlooked.
Alice Cooper
When will this rock icon get the respect he deserves? Every singer who sports a serrated wail -- including Kurt Cobain, who made the Rolling Stone list -- owes a heavy debt to Cooper. The ferocious snarl unfurled on such songs as "School's Out" and "Elected" still thrills, while lesser-known tracks like "Desperado" and "Mary Ann" showed Cooper was a terrific balladeer as well. Best Moment: "School's Out"
Ian Gillan
In his early prime, Gillan possessed the widest vocal range of any singer in rock music. Songs such as "Space Truckin'" and "My Woman from Tokyo" saw the Deep Purple frontman soar into his upper register with a finesse that sounded super-human. The word "gymnastic" springs to mind. Best Moment: "Space Truckin'"
Paul Westerberg
"Angst" was the word most often associated with the indie rock era, and nobody embodied the term more than Paul Westerberg. The Replacements' frontman veered wildly between rage and romance, but you never doubted his sincerity in either guise. Michael Stipe got more attention, but Westerberg was the voice for his generation. Best Moment: "Bastards of Young"
Harry Nilsson
Nilsson's spine-tingling vocal on the 1971 hit, "Without You," demonstrated his extraordinary range, but his versatility went far beyond technique. During his under-appreciated career, the eccentric singer-songwriter applied his acrobatic voice to Beatles-inspired pop rock, Bakersfield-style country, and Tin Pan Alley standards. In 1968, both John Lennon and Paul McCartney cited Nilsson as their favorite artist. Best moment: "Spaceman"
Shelby Lynne
Dusty Springfield made the Rolling Stone list, but the voters failed to recognize Springfield's closest contemporary equivalent. A powerhouse singer in a pint-sized package, Shelby Lynne shook off attempts to mold her into a shiny country-pop commodity, and instead transformed herself into a fiercely independent R&B/country hybrid. Like Springfield, she projects vulnerability and strength in equal measure. Best moment: "Your Lies"
Bryan Ferry
Sometimes a singer's eclectic nature overshadows his talents. Such is the case with Bryan Ferry. Ferry's vocals both with Roxy Music and as a solo artist have ranged from campy melodrama to some of the most romantic pop moments every committed to tape. No singer in the rock era -- with the exception, perhaps, of David Bowie -- has embraced risk so willingly. Best Moment: "These Foolish Things"
Mary Margaret O'Hara
Artists from Michael Stipe to Thom Yorke to Rickie Lee Jones have cited Mary Margaret O'Hara as a primary influence. On her sole full-length album, Miss America, O'Hara combined a shaman-like intensity with a voice that sounded birthed in another dimension. No singer is more technically dazzling and viscerally heartrending. Best Moment: "Year In Song"
Marianne Faithfull
How the Rolling Stone panel could select Tom Waits, but not Marianne Faithfull, is a mystery. Like that of Waits, Faithfull's Kool-corroded rasp isn't conventionally pleasing to the ear, but its authenticity reaches deep and touches the soul. Many of Faithfull's peers have hailed her as the greatest interpretative singer of our times. Best Moment: "Times Square"
Emmylou Harris
Few contemporary singers have had the term "angelic" applied to their voice as often as Emmylou Harris. Owner of a spate of Grammys for "Best Female Country Vocal Performance," Harris exudes understated emotion and riveting splendor. In recent years, she's also proven to be a songwriter of exceptional depth and passion. Best Moment: "Michelangelo"
Ann Wilson
What Robert Plant is to male bluster, Ann Wilson is to the female side of the scale. On such songs as "Magic Man" and "Barracuda," the Heart singer unleashed a powerhouse style that exploded the myth that ballsy rock and roll was the exclusive province of men. In that regard, Wilson is part of the lineage that includes such greats as Bessie Smith and Janis Joplin. Best Moment: "Barracuda"