The singer Axl Rose thought was out of his league: “Just buries me”
The thing that makes music such a timeless art form is the subjectivity of it. So long as opinions can continue to vary, so too can music keep thriving.
Granted, these differences in opinion can often lead to arguments. How many times have you been at the pub with friends debating whether or not The Beatles were overrated? Arguing over who the best guitarist to ever pick up a six-string was? Coming to blows over the greatest frontperson to ever step foot into the spotlight? The truth is, music resonates differently for different people, and that’s a good thing. So long as these arguments continue, and there is no universally agreed “best” within music, we can continue to enjoy the huge variety available within such an exciting art form.
Of course, while opinions are very much valued in the world of music, there are some people who have looked to try and assign objectivity to something so subjective. Scientists have carried out studies in the past which were supposed to work out the true “bests” within music. This meant the best songs, guitar players, genres, and singers.
We can’t pick the best singer of all time, as the quality of a singer depends on what they’re trying to convey. Look at Nina Simone, arguably one of the most dynamic and emotive singers to ever pick up a mic. A true embrace of the idea of romanticism, as when she sang about something sad, she embodied that sadness and expelled it onto those listening. The same went for anger, longing, and despair. However, does she have the right voice to ever make it as a pop singer? Would she thrive in a heavy metal band? The answer is no and no.
That being said, while we can’t assign the “greatest” label to anyone in particular, when scientists carried out tests to determine what we mean by a good singer and which vocalist inhabits those qualities the most effectively, they came to the conclusion that the Guns N’ Roses frontman, Axl Rose, had the best voice in music. This conclusion was reached based on the fact that Rose seems to have one of the greatest vocal ranges in all of music, which you can certainly hear throughout his discography.
Rose will happily hit those low notes on songs like ‘It’s So Easy’, but in doing so, he still manages to conjure up some form of key and harmony. Chances are, we can all speak and sing with a relatively low voice, but to make that sound somewhat musical is the real challenge. Then compare those low notes to the high-pitched wails on songs like ‘Paradise City’ and ‘Don’t Cry’, and you get a real appreciation for the talent that is Axl Rose.
Guns N’ Roses are a band who seem to divide opinion, but regardless of whether or not you like their music, there is no denying they provided some much-needed venom in a rock scene that was beginning to dwindle. Glam and hair metal were topping the charts, and it was up to Guns N’ Roses to add more chutzpah to the genre people knew and loved once again. Rose was a huge part of this musical revolution, as without his vocals, Guns N’ Roses wouldn’t have been able to explore the range they ended up manoeuvring around.
Despite Rose’s range, the subjective nature of music continues to prove itself, as there is another rock singer who can’t hit the same notes which Rose can, and yet the Guns N’ Roses vocalist calls him out of his league. When discussing his favourite vocalists of all time, Rose credited Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell, praising his raspy ability as a singer. Whose the best is up for debate, but the fact that debate exists is what makes music so great.
“I enjoy Soundgarden,” said Rose, “The singer just buries me. The guy sings so great.”
