The greatest female vocalists in history, according to Courtney Love
Coutney Love has a great eye for vocalists, and I can prove it.
It’s a fact she showed off to the world recently, when in attendance at an early show of the band Picture Parlour. She was wowed by the lead vocalist, Katherine Parlour; after Love shared her adoration online, the band enjoyed a huge surge in popularity. They’ve since proved Love right, releasing fierce hits like ‘Used To Be Your Girlfriend’ and championing grassroots venues along the way.
During one particularly tough roll call, Rolling Stone asked some of the greatest singers of all time to list a whole bunch of their favourite performers. A ballot was sent out, and the demand to list 20 singers and rank them was levied at Ozzy Osbourne, Keith Richards and more. Love was one such ballot receiver.
Looking at Love’s ballot, it’s evident she felt the same as I did about the choice. She crosses out a few names – including who takes that all-important top spot between her and her husband, Kurt Cobain – and even forces two names in a box only meant for one. It’s unclear whether Love was so indecisive to save from pissing people off, or if she really struggled to choose only 20. Probably a bit of both.
Her top ten included a host of female powerhouse vocalists, such as Patti Smith, who ranked in at number six, and PJ Harvey, who ranked in at number seven. Other shoutouts came in for Dusty Springfield and Mavis Staples. But there was one other singer who, in Love’s eyes, took the cake.
Fleetwood Mac’s very own Stevie Nicks has always been in her very own league. Being a double Rock and Roll Hall of Famer should be enough to convince you, but dive into her 1997 live performance of ‘Silver Springs’ and try to argue with us. She passionately sings the lyrics to her former lover, Lindsey Buckingham, and lets the passion, fury, betrayal, heartache and sheer talent wash over you.
Whether Nicks is singing brutal lines, such as “Women, they will come and they will go / when the rain washes you clean you’ll know,” in the global hit ‘Dreams’, or snippets of aching poetry, such as “And to those that I love like a ghost through a fog, like a charmed hour and a haunted song, and the angel of my dreams,” from ‘Angel (Tusk)’, her voice reigns supreme.
Love has dished out the praise for Nicks on plenty of separate occasions. She famously called her a “fairy princess godmother,” an epithet I’m going to lift and take for myself. But let’s not forget how good Love’s pipes were, too. After all, she did put herself first.
Love considered Nicks the greatest female vocalist in history, behind only herself, her husband, Bob Dylan, and Michael Stipe. Now, I might raise her Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Wednesday’s Karly Hartzman, and even ex-Chairlift vocalist Caroline Polachek. But her list has a timeless quality to it. Stevie Nicks would surely show up on the top twenty ballot of many artists if they were to scribble their first thoughts down today.
