10 songs with terrible vocal performances by great singers
A good voice isn’t as objective as people think it is. When people think of good singers, their minds quickly head over to the likes of Freddie Mercury, Joni Mitchell and Bruce Springsteen; however, it’s not as simple as that. A voice doesn’t just have to be in tune; it has to fit the tone of the track and accurately reflect what the song is trying to achieve.
In 1913, Luigi Russolo published a manifesto called The Art of Noises, which discussed the future of music in light of the Industrial Revolution. “Music originally sought purity, limpidity and sweetness of sound,” he wrote, “Musical evolution is paralleled by the multiplication of machines… the machine today has created such a variety and rivalry of noises that pure sound, in its exiguity and monotony, no longer arouses any feeling.”
Russolo’s prediction seems to have affected vocals before music as a whole, as when we listen to someone singing, we don’t necessarily look out for sweetness of sound. For instance, a lot of punk music is met with horrible-sounding vocals; the same goes for some more experimental rock music and heavy metal. Subsequently, the definition of a “terrible vocal performance” is thrown into contention slightly.
In this instance, a terrible vocal performance means that somebody hasn’t achieved what they set out to, whether that’s because their performance falls flat, they’re a bit too ambitious in their goals, or they’re not a natural singer. You’d be surprised how many musical legends have released music that sounds leagues away from what their fans grew accustomed to, and this list will look at ten of the most horrific instances.
10 awful performances by great singers:
Ozzy Osbourne – ‘No More Tears’
Ozzy Osbourne is one of the most prolific and powerful singers in music. His emotive vocals paved the way for the genre of heavy metal, and the grit he could put behind songs about the devil, depression, and drug use gave listeners something they had never encountered before.
That being said, the ‘Prince of Darkness’ isn’t perfect, which is clear in his song ‘No More Tears’. While the instrumentation is full-bodied and heavy, as any fan of Osbourne would expect, his vocals are incredibly pitchy and make for a tough listen. Considering how much of a high standard Osbourne usually has for his music, it’s a surprise this record ever made it out of the door.
Kiss – ‘Psycho Circus’
‘Psycho Circus’ seems to be a divisive track among Kiss fans; while some love it, others claim it’s some of the band’s worst work. It’s a riff-heavy track that builds up into the introduction well; however, Paul Stanley’s vocals let it down.
As soon as his voice kicks in with the initial “Yeahhhh!” that he screams, it’s clear that you’re not in for a good Stanley performance. The song is a tough one to sing, with many drawn-out notes and a screeching chorus, and unfortunately, the Kiss lead singer doesn’t pull this one off.
U2 – ‘Numb’
U2 has always been a relatively controversial band, and many rock fans would denounce the majority of their music rather than just one song. However, whether you love them or hate them, there is no escaping the fact that Bono has an exciting voice that deserves some credit. The song where the band deviated from the one thing people can universally praise them for is ‘Numb’, which has The Edge taking to the mic.
He doesn’t sing much on the track; instead, he delivers a drawn-out mumble with occasional inclinations. It’s hard to see what the band was thinking with this track, as it doesn’t come out well, and the vocal performance is incredibly jarring to listen to.
David Bowie – ‘Blackstar’
This could be a controversial pick. There is no denying that Blackstar, both the song and album, are masterpieces. It’s arguably the closest that any David Bowie fans could ever get to who was a relatively elusive figure throughout his career. We listen, and we hear him face his own death, steadily staring down his mortality. It’s one of the most moving pieces of music ever made and remains a must-listen. That being said, it’s not a good vocal performance from Bowie.
Call it wear and tear, call it age, or call it an artistic choice, but the hesitant vibrato that follows his voice like a shadow throughout the song doesn’t make for a particularly pleasant listen. It’s hard to get on board with the way his vocals are portrayed, and in general, it’s one of Bowie’s weaker vocal performances, even if the song itself could be one of his very best.
George Harrison – ‘Dark Horse’
Time wasn’t on George Harrison’s side when he started to record this track. He had overcommitted himself to work as his life was beginning to fall apart as a result of his divorce, and in doing so, he contracted laryngitis before he was due to head to the studio to record. As a result, his vocals sound crooked and broken.
Some people argue that the croak in his voice on this track gives it a bit of character, which could be the case if he had done it intentionally, but given where he was at personally, it sounds sad over anything else. As someone instrumental in holding The Beatles harmonies together, this track doesn’t resonate as one of Harrison’s greatest.
Guns N’ Roses – ‘Absurd’
There was a period on Guns N’ Roses’ recent world tour when fans were invigorated after the first few tracks of their set, but a collective groan was heard amongst the audience as the band went into one of their new songs, ‘Absurd’. The track remains a mystery, as the heavy rock riffs that the band is renowned for are met with the incomprehensible ramblings of Axl Rose.
It’s clear that his voice is leaving him slightly, which isn’t a criticism; it just happens to many artists after decades of screaming down a microphone. Rock musicians need to adapt in the face of this challenge, but rather than going down a direction like Robert Plant, who just started to sing lower, Rose opts for whatever this is.
Slash & Brian Johnson – ‘Killing Floor’
When people saw the name of Slash’s new album, Orgy of the Damned, they rolled their eyes and cringed. However, the stellar list of features appearing on the record quickly dismissed any deterrent induced by the title. Iggy Pop, Chris Stapleton and Beth Hart all make appearances. But above all them, one of the artists people were most excited to hear was AC/DC’s Brian Johnson on the Howlin Wolf cover ‘Killing Floor’.
After AC/DC and Guns N Roses’ slight overlap when Axl Rose took over vocal duties for AC/DC, many people would think that these two were a musical match made in heaven; however, the song didn’t come out too well. Unfortunately, Johnson’s vocals don’t have the same strength they used to, and he isn’t suited to this track. It’s a valiant effort, and it is great to see such icons of rock collab on something, but the song falls flat.
Oasis – ‘Won’t Let You Down’
Liam Gallagher has a divisive voice at the best of times. Even when he initially joined the band and said he would be the singer, some of his friends and family questioned the move, saying, “Well, you can’t sing?” But the success of Oasis speaks for itself; his nasal tone is now synonymous with UK rock and roll; love it or hate it, it’s not going anywhere.
That being said, more or less everyone can come to the agreement that his voice isn’t where it should be on ‘Won’t Let You Down’. It’s easily one of his worst vocal performances with the band and is another example of a track that shouldn’t have made it out of the studio.
The Beatles – ‘Revolution 9’
This experimental number hardly has any vocals and represents wasted potential. When The Beatles were more or less given free rein on The White Album, Lennon dismissed four of the best vocalists and harmonisers on the planet and instead chose this haphazard heap of old recordings and spoken word.
It doesn’t fit with the album and is the only Beatles song that doesn’t keep melody at its core. It’s a hard one to listen to and feels more like Lennon’s attempt to push back against some of the band’s ideas as opposed to being an attempt at making a good song.
Jack White – ‘Ice Station Zebra’
Whenever someone has a highly expressive voice, it will divide audiences, and Jack White is a good example of this. His emphasis on words has had people debating whether he is a good singer for years, but his success is self-explanatory, and a lot of people find the way he sings exciting.
These exciting vocals are on full display on his 2018 album Boarding House Reach. However, they sound terrible on the track ‘Ice Station Zebra’ when White attempts rapping. It’s not the first time he has sung fast, but the vocal tone he implements insinuates he is attempting to rap, and it sounds bizarre.
