Using Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers of All-Time as a Predictor for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Rolling Stone magazine unleashed their latest "greatest" list today, this one focusing on the best singers of all-time (not necessarily rock, by the way).The list was compiled after Rolling Stone polled a bunch of artists, journalists and music industry folks to name their top 20 singers.

A hefty 72 of the artists listed are Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. That leaves just 28 artists who are not yet in. Quite a few of these are primarily known as country singers (George Jones, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Patsy Clline), and generally wouldn't be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame anyway, although there have been exceptions (like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash). There are seven artists who aren't eligible yet, but a few of them are likely future inductees, like Nirvana, Radiohead and Guns N’ Roses.

Of the notable snubs on the list, Nina Simone ranks the highest, but many rock fans will likely point to Steve Perry's inclusion on this list as another reason for Journey's induction.

The full list:

  1. Aretha Franklin
  2. Ray Charles
  3. Elvis Presley
  4. Sam Cooke
  5. John Lennon
  6. Marvin Gaye
  7. Bob Dylan
  8. Otis Redding
  9. Stevie Wonder
  10. James Brown
  11. Paul McCartney
  12. Little Richard
  13. Roy Orbison
  14. Al Green
  15. Robert Plant
  16. Mick Jagger
  17. Tina Turner
  18. Freddie Mercury
  19. Bob Marley
  20. Smokey Robinson
  21. Johnny Cash
  22. Etta James
  23. David Bowie
  24. Van Morrison
  25. Michael Jackson
  26. Jackie Wilson
  27. Hank Williams
  28. Janis Joplin
  29. Nina Simone *
  30. Prince
  31. Howlin' Wolf
  32. Bono
  33. Steve Winwood
  34. Whitney Houston *
  35. Dusty Springfield
  36. Bruce Springsteen
  37. Neil Young
  38. Elton John
  39. Jeff Buckley
  40. Curtis Mayfield
  41. Chuck Berry
  42. Joni Mitchell
  43. George Jones *
  44. Bobby "Blue" Bland
  45. Kurt Cobain * [inducted in 2014]
  46. Patsy Cline *
  47. Jim Morisson
  48. Buddy Holly
  49. Donny Hathaway *
  50. Bonnie Raitt
  51. Gladys Knight
  52. Brian Wilson
  53. Muddy Waters
  54. Luther Vandross *
  55. Paul Rodgers *
  56. Mavis Staples
  57. Eric Burdon **
  58. Christina Aguilera *
  59. Rod Stewart
  60. Björk *
  61. Roger Daltrey
  62. Lou Reed
  63. Dion
  64. Axl Rose * [inducted in 2012]
  65. David Ruffin
  66. Thom Yorke *
  67. Jerry Lee Lewis
  68. Wilson Pickett
  69. Ronnie Spector
  70. Greg Allman
  71. Toots Hibbert *
  72. John Fogerty
  73. Dolly Parton *
  74. James Taylor
  75. Iggy Pop ** [inducted in 2010]
  76. Steve Perry *
  77. Merle Haggard *
  78. Sly Stone
  79. Mariah Carey *
  80. Frankie Valli
  81. John Lee Hooker
  82. Tom Waits *[inducted in 2011]
  83. Patti Smith
  84. Darlene Love * [inducted in 2011]
  85. Sam Moore
  86. Art Garfunkel
  87. Don Henley
  88. Willie Nelson *
  89. Solomon Burke
  90. The Everly Brothers
  91. Levon Helm
  92. Morrissey *
  93. Annie Lennox *
  94. Karen Carpenter *
  95. Patti LaBelle *
  96. B.B. King
  97. Joe Cocker *
  98. Stevie Nicks
  99. Steven Tyler
  100. Mary J. Blige *

* = not yet in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
** = nominated in 2009

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