At least, that’s the word from concerthotels.com’s list, “The Vocal Range of the World’s Greatest Singers.” Obviously, “world’s greatest singers” is a pretty subjective category, and I’m not quite sure how extensive their research is on each singer, but the data is nonetheless compelling. The ranges measured are obviously from each artist’s catalog (not like they could trap them in a room and make them do scales, especially since quite a few of them are dead), and you can see everything in an easy-to-read graphic, as stretches of notes across a keyboard.
It actually makes a lot of sense if you think about it. Anyone who’s ever heard “Candy” know’s Iggy’s quite a crooner, and Houston was most famous for her belting—a vocal technique that one can only achieve in a narrow range. I was surprised at Axl Rose’s top ranking, but even more so by Sam Cooke’s spot almost at the bottom—I suppose sometimes brilliance is just doing more with less, eh?
Below is a slice of how the graphic is arranged, but you really need to see the whole thing to get the full effect.