No. 5: Steve Perry - Journey
What can be said about this smooth rock and roll crooner? He enjoyed an incredible career, even if you just included his successes with Journey in the 1980s, as well as his solo hits.
They first charted in 1978 with “Lights” (68) and “Wheel in the Sky” (57). Their last hit was “When You Love a Woman” (12) in 1996. Journey had six top-10 hits, 13 top-20 songs, and 25 songs to hit the Billboard Hot 100. Steve Perry’s silky but powerful vocals were a big reason.
Perry added a top-10 hit as a solo artist in “Oh, Sherri” (3) in 1984, and 7 total charted songs.
There wasn’t much Perry couldn’t sing, but he’s renowned for his power ballads like “Open Arms” and “Faithfully.” He could just as easily rock it out songs like “Anyway You Want It” and “Stone in Love.” Even today, he is one of the most recognized and respected singers in rock history.
No. 4: Chris Cornell - Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog, solo
Of all the alternative rock bands that emerged in the early 90s, Soundgarden stood out because of the haunting vocals of the lead singer, Chris Cornell.
With songs like “Rusty Cage,” “Spoonman,” and “Black Hole Sun,” Cornell established himself as an incredibly soulful hard rock vocalist. His 2013 live cover album, Songbook, was a fantastic compilation of covers that showcased the depth, richness, and versatility of his one-of-a-kind voice. He could naturally sing in the lower register of his voice and also soar in the higher registers, offering an excellent and flexible range.
He showed off his writing chops with Audioslave, penning their lyrics. Combining writing skills and vocals made Cornell an incredibly successful rock singer and musician. Unfortunately, like many of his peers from the early alternative rock years, he battled addictions for most of his adult life.
Cornell hanged himself in May 2027. His death shocked the rock world and had a rippling effect. Two Months later, on what would have been his birthday, his close friend Chester Bennington also hanged himself. Rock and roll lost two unbelievable vocalists way too soon.
No. 3 - Brad Delp - Boston
There is a simple reason you seldom hear anyone cover a Boston song - no one can do it. Delp’s vocals were clear and resonating, which he made seem too easy. His head range was so high and clear that it often sounded like a falsetto.
Boston’s self-titled debut album peaked at number three, while Don’t Look Back and Third Stage reached the top. The band had four top ten singles, including “Amanda,” which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Delp left the band after the third album, but to illustrate how incredible he was as a vocalist, the band didn’t tour after their next record reached number seven because they couldn't perform their classic hits without him. Why? No one can sing like him. Trying to emulate his vocals with another singer would have been a disaster.
Like so many people in this industry, and on this list, Delp’s life came to a tragic end with a suicide in 2007. His legacy remains untainted as one of the most talented and unique rock and roll voices.
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