Who is the greatest artist (singer) in the world?

The world's greatest singer, There isn't just one, and that's precisely what makes the question so fascinating.

It all depends on criteria : voice, influence, sales, or legacy. According to the magazine Rolling Stone reference, Aretha Franklin stands out among singers, while in terms of artists and influence, it's the The Beatles, Bob Dylan then Elvis Presley.

Here it is the 10 artists and you'll surely have your own opinion to defend in the comments.

Who are the 10 greatest singers in music history?

Music comes in dozens of forms types, and each has its own legends. Here are 10 artists who have left their mark on the history of music, in no particular order, each with their own playground:

• Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, one of the most awarded and influential artists in history; ;
• Elvis Presley, “The King”, founding figure of rock'n'roll; ;
• John Lennon, a founding member of The Beatles alongside Paul McCartney; ;
• David Bowie, chameleon artist, pioneer of glam rock and pop art; ;
• Celine Dion, one of the most powerful voices in pop music, selling over 200 million records; ;
• Stevie Wonder, American soul and pop genius with 25 Grammy Awards to his credit; ;
• James Brown, the godfather of soul and inventor of funk; ;
• Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, Rolling Stone's #1 Greatest Singer; ;
• Ray Charles, the “Genius”, one of the founders of modern soul; ;
• Freddie Mercury, Queen's frontman, regularly voted the greatest rock singer by the public.

And what about the other great voices often quoted?

Beyond this top 10, other great voices appear in almost every ranking of the greatest singers of all time.

Whitney Houston is one of them. Born in 1963 in Newark, New Jersey, she remains one of the most awarded singers of her generation.

His powerful voice and unique timbre have marked several generations and helped him sell over 170 million records worldwide.

His interpretation of I Will Always Love You remains one of the biggest hits in history, with over 20 million singles sold.

Frank Sinatra also belongs to these timeless classics. His version of Fly Me to the Moon, taken aboard Apollo 11 by the astronauts, and his signature track My Way have inspired generations of performers since him.

Why is Elvis Presley the “King”?

Elvis Presley began his career in the mid-50s with Sun Records, mixing country with rhythm and blues, which later became known as rockabilly.

• His popularity soared with Heartbreak Hotel in 1956, which became his first number one, followed by cult hits : Hound Dog, Jailhouse Rock, Love Me Tender.
• His career is not limited to music. In the same year as Heartbreak Hotel, he turns his first film, Love Me Tender, and went on to make some thirty films in the 60s.
• He wins three Grammy Awards in his career, all for gospel albums, a genre he loved deeply, including his first in 1968 for How Great Thou Art.
• In the late 60s, he returns to the top with his Comeback Special of 1968, then followed with a series of concerts in Las Vegas.
• In 1973, He was the first artist to give a concert broadcast worldwide by satellite, Aloha from Hawaii, which was promoted at the time as reaching up to a billion households.
• He died in 1977 at the age of 42. But his voice, charisma and influence on popular music mean that, almost 50 years after his death, he remains one of the artists most regularly cited as the greatest in history.

So who really is the greatest?

As you can see, there are no no universal answer. Elvis dominates on the rock pioneer side, Michael Jackson on the pop influence side, Aretha Franklin and Freddie Mercury on the vocal side, and many of you will think first of Bob Marley.

À not to be confused, with the most listened-to singer in the world today We're talking about heritage and influence here, not Spotify streams.

Which artist do you think is missing from this top 10? Tell us in the comments.

Also worth discovering:

• Who has the most beautiful voice in the world
• Who sold a billion records