If Aretha is # 1, when it's over is Mary a close second ???

[34real]

Diana Ross ?come on now,she wasn't even the best singer in her own group and didn't even look that pretty.Barry liked her and thought she could crossover with shit did but the talent wasn't there so it was a sinking ship before it even docked.

Patti Labelle can sing forreal but she lacks the hits and material I was dl patti's albums and was listening to them and it just wasn't there for her....why? I don't know why

 

[rock1218]

HELL NO !!!!!

 

[respiration]

shidddd... PATTI fuckin LABELLE...IS NO.2..BRAH

Patti is the TRUTH. As far as who I prefer I'd say:

1. Aretha
2. Gladys
3. Chaka / Patti
4. Phyllis

...and that's just pop/soul/r&b.

Gospel music got a bunch of straight out killers.

 

[SmoothD]

Stephanie Mills and Teena Marie voices are majestic.
I'd put Gladys Knight right behind Stephanie and Teena.

 

[xxironxx]

Nope. Mary ain't ever sang a song that gave me the chills

 

[gw1933]

Absolutely not.

I would put Phyllis Hyman before Mary. After all, she was the pre-cursor to her in some ways. Especially towards the end of her life when she started making alot of dark songs (i.e. Living in Confusion).

Mary is still an icon though. She fused Hip Hop and R&B together, and took that dark Phyllis Hyman wave to the forefront (i.e. My Life). Before the surgence of Mary, Whitney Houston was in the forefront and although she is a legend as well, people grew tired of the Bubblegum music she made in the 80s....This was one of the reasons she was booed at the Soul Train awards (1988), thus showing a change in what the fans wanted.........Shortly after, Mary came up and became the change of the guard.

Eventually Mary created a sub-genre as well. She gave birth to the Keisha Coles, K.Michelles, etc. That like to sing bitter songs about how they got dogged out by men.

 

[stizz3000]

I can't LIFT Aretha's left titty!

Swear to God...I was thinking it.



R.I.P. Queen

 

[dadamaja]

she had some good songs but MJB CANNOT SING

 

[alexw]

man i think some of yall are having the wrong debate
the question was who moved audiences more not who is the greatest singer of all time
thats how mary is very relevant in this discussion and why beyonce is the modern day queen(and will be for decades to come)

 

[DWBass]

Sorry, Mary ain't in the same league as the top tier female vocalists.

 

[Tom Slick]

I logged in just to turn my phone sideways and one star this shit.

 

[DWBass]

Let's throw Ledesi in the mix. Mary can't fuck with her. Old school Jocelyn Brown (Somebody Else's Guy). I give it to Mary for the emotion she brings but she's got little range and a less than stellar voice. You just can't put her in the same class as Aretha. Gotta have the voice and crossover appeal.

 

[PsiBorg]

Chaka Khan is number 1... I don't care who's next.

 

[lowlite]

Stephanie Mills and Teena Marie voices are majestic.
I'd put Gladys Knight right behind Stephanie and Teena.

Yall killing me with this Teena Marie shit. To me, she's just "ok for a white girl". I just never understood that, and yes I have heard all her shit.