12 classic rock bands that featured more than two lead singers

THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT

The Alan Parsons Project is unique on this list. All of the other bands have various members who share the lead singer role in some manner. But the Alan Parsons Project didn’t have a lead singer. That’s because it wasn’t so much a band as …well, a project.

Engineer/producer Parsons and keyboardist Eric Woolfson assembled assorted musicians to perform their original compositions. Though Woolfson could and did sing, they often engaged other vocalists depending on the requirements of a particular song.

That was a wise move because Woolfson only has an average voice. You can hear it on songs like “Time” and “Eye in the Sky.” It is a pretty voice for pretty songs, but it lacks the power or the nuance that other singers could bring to other APP tracks. Lenny Zakatek was the best and most prolific singer for APP. Chris Rainbow contributed some first-rate tracks on Turn of a Friendly Card. David Paton, who played bass on most of APP’s albums, also sang his share of songs. And those are only the regulars.

Parsons and Woolfson drew on a wide range of singers for their projects. On their second album – I Robot (1977) – they employed different vocalists on almost every track, including Hollies co-founder Allan Clarke, who sang “Breakdown.”

BEST TRACK BY VOCALIST:

Lenny Zakatek: “Wouldn’t Want to Be Like You
Chris Rainbow: “Snake Eyes”
Eric Woolfson: “Eye in the Sky”
David Paton: “What Goes Up”