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The world of music has given us many great female singers over the years. No matter whether you are a fan of rock, jazz, soul, country, or modern pop, it is easy to find a female singer whose voice can move you and produce emotions you may not even realize are there.
With so many great voices to choose from, and given people have different preferences, it is hard to make a definitive ranking of the best female singers of all time. That, however, doesn't mean we wouldn't try.
We decided to choose the best female singers of all time and ranked them from 1 to 40 based on various factors and a bit of personal touch. Take a look at the list below and let us know if you agree and whether you think we left someone out.
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40. Doris Day
Doris Day was a woman of many talents, having success as both a singer and an actress.
She started her music career with Les Brown & His Band of Renown, before embarking on a solo career that saw her record more than 650 songs and release more than 30 albums.
Day famously said that she was inspired by the singing of Jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald, which obviously did the trick as the iconic American singer Andy Williams once called Day's voice "so fresh you could smell it."
39. Joan Baez
Known for her contemporary and poetic folk music, Joan Baez also included messages of social critic and political protest in her songs. Critics generally say that she is a folk singer, but her music can also be categorized in other genres such as rock, country, jazz, and gospel.
Baez used to collaborate with artists such as Leonard Cohen, Paul Simon, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, and many others. She was also one of the first people who recorded Bob Dylan's songs during the 60s.
Some of her most known songs are "Diamonds & Rust," "Farewell, Angelina," "Forever Young," and "Sweet Sir Galahad."
38. Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann Harry is a songwriter, model, and lead singer of new wave band Blondie.
Before breaking into the music industry, she had a variety of jobs -- waitress, secretary, and Playboy bunny to name a few.
Harry formed Blondie in 1974 and two years later, their debut album was released. The band emerged on the scene with hit song "Heart of Glass." After several more successful albums, the group disbanded, and Harry went solo while also pursuing an acting career.
Blondie reformed in 1997, and since then, they have toured the world are were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
37. Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper became popular during the '80s with hits like "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," "Time After Time," "All Through the Night," and more. She is recognizable for her colorful style, open-minded spirit, and a four-octave range. During her career, Lauper released 11 albums, selling 50 million records and 20 million singles.
Lauper is well known for her humanitarian work and support for the LGBT community in the United States. "You always have to remember - no matter what you're told - that God loves all the flowers, even the wild ones that grow on the side of the highway," Lauper said in the book Totally Awesome 80s: A Lexicon of the Music, Videos, Movies, TV Shows, Stars, and Trends of that Decadent Decade.
36. Sarah Vaughan
Known as "The Divine One" and "Sassy," Sarah Vaughan was a jazz singer who won four Grammy Awards with a Lifetime Achievement Award included.
She got into music at an early age by listening to her father playing guitar and piano and her mother, who was a singer in a choir. During her teenage years, she used to sneak into night clubs and sing and play the piano.
Vaughan recorded more than 50 studio albums, most famous being At Mister Kelly's, Crazy & Mixed Up, and In The Land Of Hi-Fi. Some critics referred to her as "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."
35. Sia Furler
Better known as Sia, Furler developed her career in many fields besides singing, including video directing, voice acting, and songwriting.
Early in her music career she used to be an acid jazz singer in a band named Crisp in her native Australia before moving to London and then New York to try and make it on her own. After years of struggles, she released the albums Some People Have Real Problems and We Are Born which gained her exposure and helped her become one of the most recognizable singers of her generation.
Sia is also known for hit songs she wrote for other music acts, including "Titanium" for David Guetta, "Diamonds" for Rihanna, and "Wild ones" for Flo Rida.
34. Norah Jones
Norah Jones' music is characterized by a unique and touching sound achieved by mixing jazz, folk, pop, and blues. This brought her the label of one of the most influential artists of the 2000s.
As a child, Jones was introduced to different music styles and influences thanks to her father, who was a music producer. She also learned to play many instruments such as guitar, piano, and saxophone.
Her 2002 debut album Come Away With Me sold more than 27 million copies and got her five Grammy Awards. It still stands as one of the most acclaimed debut albums of all time. Her subsequent albums were also well received by critics and audiences.
33. Carole King
Carole King is known for her powerful voice as well as her songwriting skills. 118 of her songs has made it to the Billboard Hot 100 chart while she wrote more than 60 tracks that were on top of the UK charts as well. Many of these songs became pop standards for further generations.
Regarding her solo career, she found success in the 1970s, releasing albums that only contained piano and her voice. King released 25 albums, with the most successful one being Tapestry, which held the record for most weeks at first place on the U.S. charts by a female artist for more than 20 years.
32. Sarah McLachlan
Sarah McLachlan was born and raised in Canada and started to explore music during her childhood enrolling in guitar, classical piano, and voice classes. She is known for her touching love songs and the trademark mezzo-soprano vocal range.
One of McLachlan's most notable music projects was the Lilith Fair music festival, which promoted female artists from all around the world and raised awareness for women rights. The festival earned tens of millions of dollars, and the money was donated to charity purposes.
McLachlan released nine studio albums, with best known out of the bunch being Surfacing, and has won three Grammy awards.
31. Gladys Knight
The "Empress of Soul" is an American businesswoman, singer, actress, and author. She is best known for hit songs recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips, which was a band she started with family members and friends. Throughout her career, she managed to win seven Grammy Awards, four by herself, and three with the band she was in.
"I've spent all of my life trying to get people to feel a passion for what I do," she once said.
Some of Knight's well-known songs include "Midnight Train to Georgia" and "That's What Friends Are For."
Knight is also a restaurant owner, running "Gladys Knight & Ron Winans' Chicken & Waffles" in Atlanta.
30. Cher
Commonly referred to as "Goddess of Pop," Cher is one of the most popular female singers in the world who also had success in acting. She is often described as a powerful female figure in a male-dominated industry. Cher has a very unique voice categorized as contralto singing.
Cher initially gained popularity for her work on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, a television show she hosted her ex-husband. Afterward, she tried acting and participated in movies like Silkwood, Mask, The Witches of Eastwick, and Moonstruck, receiving an Academy Award for Best Actress for the latter.
Cher's music career is marked by the willingness to experiment and reinvent herself while adopting different music styles. According to her, she wants to "remain relevant and do work that strikes a chord." Her most known songs include hits "Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves," "If I Could Turn Back Time," and "Believe."
29. Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande started her career in 2008 on Broadway before rising to fame as part of Nickelodeon's show Victorious. She released her first album in 2014, basing her sound on an R&B style with segments of EDM electronic music. Some of the hits that made her one of the most recognizable voices in modern music include "Problem," "Love Me Harder," "thank u, next," and "Bang Bang."
Grande is famous for her four-octave soprano voice that can be included in the whistle register as well. Because of her vocal skills, she is often compared to Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. Critics called her one of "pop's most intriguing and gifted singers."
28. Diana Ross
Diana Ross is mostly known for being a member of the vocal group the Supremes, with whom she gained international fame for hit songs "Love Child," "You Keep Me Hangin' On," "Where Did Our Love Go," and many more.
Ross also enjoyed a successful solo career and even produced most of her songs, including fan favorites, "Upside Down," and "I'm Coming Out." She received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. She also held the title of "female entertainer of the century," given to her by Billboard in 1976.
Some of the biggest pop stars in the world, such as Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, and Madonna cited Ross as their significant influence.
27. Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson got the opportunity to record her first album after winning the first season of reality singing competition American Idol. Her debut album was a success, with the song "A Moment Like This," becoming the best-selling single in the US in 2002.
Her 2004's follow up Breakaway gained her an even bigger exposure, winning two Grammy Awards and containing her most recognizable hits "Because of You" and “Since You’ve Been Gone."
Clarkson's soprano voice is characterized by a whistle register, which means she can reach one of the highest tones that a human voice can make. Some critics and fellow musicians even said that she has the "best voice in the history of pop music."
26. Ann Wilson
The lead vocalist of Heart, Ann Wilson established herself as one of the best-known rock/metal female singers thanks to her dramatic soprano skills.
Born in California, Wilson started the band Heart with her younger sister Nancy in 1970. The group recorded 16 albums to date, selling more than 35 million copies, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Besides her work with Heart, Wilson had numerous side projects as well as a successful career as a solo artist.
"Artists make art. Singers sing. Players play. Gypsies travel. Music lights fires everywhere. It's like oxygen!" she once said.
25. Dolly Parton
Country icon Dolly Parton made her first mark in the music world by writing songs for other artists. She then decided to use her songwriting talents for herself as well, which ended up making her one of the most recognizable female singers in music history.
Parton had ups and downs in her career, finding successes during the '70s and '80s but experiencing a low point in '90s when her albums didn't sell well. In recent years, she managed to resurrect her career and find continuous success.
A lesser known fact about Parton is that she is the author of the song "I Will Always Love You" sang by Whitney Huston.
24. Judy Garland
Judy Garland may be better known to a wider audience as actress thanks to her iconic portrayal of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, but Garland was also an accomplished music artist and dancer.
She possessed a vocal range of a contralto, with her voice being described as "brassy" and "powerful." Garland was also known for her joyful performances and ability to sing soul, blues, and jazz. The most impressive thing is that she learned all the tricks of the trade by herself.
"Nobody ever taught me what to do onstage," Garland said in one interview.
Over the course of her music career, Garland released seven studio albums and 67 singles.
23. Shania Twain
Born and raised in Canada, Shania Twain is known in music circles and among fans as "Queen of Country Pop." She rose to fame with her album "The Woman in Me," which gained her worldwide fame and earned her a Grammy Award. Her 1997's album Come Over became the best-selling country album of all time with hits like "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!," "From This Moment On," and "You're Still the One."
"Country music is still your grandpa's music, but it's also your daughter's music. It's getting bigger and better all the time, and I'm glad to be a part of it," Twain explained her devotion to country music.
Twain took a prolonged hiatus from music after 2002 but returned in 2017 with a new album. She is currently touring the world and has a Las Vegas residency.
22. Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin was arguably the most famous female rock artist of her time. She rose to fame by playing at the Monterey Pop Festival, where she was the singer of a psychedelic rock band called Big Brother and the Holding Company. After two albums with them, she decided to start a solo career, which got traction after her performance at the iconic Woodstock festival.
She released three albums, with a fourth being released shortly after her death in 1970. Some of Joplin's biggest hits include "Cry Baby," "Ball and Chain," "Summertime," and "Down on Me."
"Janis put herself out there completely, and her voice was not only strong and soulful, it was painfully and beautifully real," Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks said about Joplin.
21. Nina Simone
You could say that Nina Simone started her music career out of necessity. Although she aspired to be a concert pianist, she was forced to play a piano and sing in night clubs to earn for a living. This, however, helped her get a contract deal and become one of the most appreciated female music acts of all time.
Simone recorded more than 30 studio and live albums, while establishing herself as one of the most influential artists in the 20th century. She had the ability to "belt barroom blues, croon cabaret and explore jazz — sometimes all on a single record," while also being regarded as "improvisational genius."
"I wasn't a jazz player, but a classical musician, and I improvised arrangements of popular songs using classical motifs," she once said.
20. Lady Gaga
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, better known as Lady Gaga, is one of the most famous contemporary pop artists. Gaga's music career is marked by provocative and unconventional work and unique visual appearance and performance.
Gaga started her career by singing and playing guitar in small clubs in New York before achieving worldwide fame with hits like "Just Dance" and "Poker Face." She is also known for her collaboration with many famous artists like Beyoncé and Tony Bennett.
Gaga is constantly reinventing herself and her music style, which divides the critics. Some music critics called her songs "depthless" while others argue that her works are "moving and grooving at an almost effortless pace."
19. Etta James
Etta James is a legend of soul, jazz, and blues music. Her fame peaked during the '50s when she released hits like "The Wallflower," "Tell Mama," "Something's Got a Hold on Me," "I'd Rather Go Blind," and "At Last."
James was initially an R&B and doo-wop singer early in her career but later shifted to contemporary pop before establishing herself as a soul and jazz icon in later years. She is also often credited for "bridging the gap between" rhythm and blues and rock and roll.
Due to her personal problems, James' career was on hold for many years. She made a comeback during the late '80s with the album Seven Year Itch. She won six Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
18. Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse made a deep mark on contemporary music thanks to her fusion of soul, jazz, and blues with modern music styles. She was known for her trademark deep and expressive contralto voice.
She earned praise from numerous fellow musicians, with legendary singer Bob Dylan calling her "the last real individualist around."
During her lifetime, she managed to release two albums, Frank and Back to Black, which made her the first British woman who managed to win five Grammy Awards. Some of her biggest hits include "Stronger Than Me," "Love is Losing Game," "Rehab," and "Back to Black."
17. Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline was recognized as one of the first artists who made a successful genre cross. At the beginning of her career, Cline used to sing country music before making a transition to pop.
Cline is considered one of the most influential artists of the 20th century and was cited as an inspiration by many musicians in diverse music styles. She was especially acclaimed for her "emotional expression and delivery of lyrics," while her voice was described as "haunting," "powerful," and "emotional."
Some of Cline's notable works include songs "Walkin' After Midnight," "She's Got You," "When I Get Through with You," and "Crazy." She posthumously received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
16. Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys is a classically-trained pianist who started to write her own music at the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records when she was only 15 years old. Her debut album Songs in A Minor, with the worldwide hit "Fallin," sold 16 million copies and earned her a Grammy Award.
Between 2003 and 2007, she released three more acclaimed albums containing hits like "You Don't Know My Name," "Diary," "If I Ain't Got You," and "No One."
Keys is one of the most acclaimed music acts of her generation, with various media outlets calling her "Queen of R&B." Her works are described as being "ushered in a marriage between classical and soul music," while she is also praised for expressive vocals and emotional delivery.
15. Donna Summer
Donna Summer, full name LaDonna Adrian Gaines, is considered by many as a representative of the disco music era. She was the first artist in history to have two consecutive double albums that reached No.1 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States. She also topped US Billboard Hot 100 on 42 occasions over the course of his career.
Although she passed in 2012, Summer still remains a force on dance floors all around the world. Some of her biggest hits include "Love to Love You Baby," "I Feel Love," "Hot Stuff," "On the Radio," and many more.
14. Joni Mitchell
Experimenting with different genres, Mitchell's music style represents a mixture of folk, jazz, pop, and rock music. She is recognized for her songwriting in which she reflects her emotions, love, social, and political critic towards society.
Mitchell has a powerful voice and a rare ability to switch from mezzo-soprano to wide-ranging contralto.
Some of her most famous hits are "Big Yellow Taxi," "Woodstock," and "Help Me."
Mitchell influenced many great female singers, including Madonna, who once said: "I would have to say of all the women I've heard, she had the most profound effect on me from a lyrical point of view."
13. Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday started her career by singing in music clubs in Harlem, where she caught the attention of producer John Hammond, who helped her record her first songs. Holiday rose to success in the '30s and '40s, but her later works were not so well received due to various personal issues she had to deal with.
Holiday recorded numerous hits during her career with "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" becoming recognized as a jazz standard.
What she lacked in musical education, she more than made up for it with her improvisational skills and amazing voice. She once said that she always wanted to make "her voice sound like an instrument."
12. Julie Andrews
If you want to see an embodiment of multiple talents, then look no further than Dame Julie Andrews. She is a successful singer, Academy Award-winning actress, and acclaimed author.
Andrews rose to fame with her works on Broadway musicals like My Fair Lady and Camelot, which gained her the title of "Britain's Youngest Prima Donna." Besides musicals, she also sang contemporary music while doing some voice acting as well.
She has a classically trained soprano, with her voice being described as "pure and clean." Despite her ability to sing opera, Andrews avoided it as she prefers to do "bright and sunny" music.
11. Tina Turner
Tina is "Queen of Rock and Roll." What else do you need to know?
Turner rose to fame as part of Ike & Tina Turner Revue, where she would perform with her ex-husband. After ending the relationship with him, she started her solo career and became even more successful. During her career, she managed to win 12 Grammy Awards including a Life Achievement Award. Some of her biggest hits include "Nutbush City Limits," "Let's Stay Together," "What's Love Got to Do with It," and "Private Dancer."
Turner is known for her energetic style of performing, powerful voice, and unique looks. She also wants everyone to remember her by this, which is why she is in semi-retirement in the recent decade.
"There comes a point where it is just undignified to be a rock 'n' roll star," Turner explained.
10. Karen Carpenter
Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Karen Carpenter was an American singer and drummer known for her work in The Carpenters, the duo she formed with her brother Richard. She also had a brief solo career, but her solo works remained unreleased until 1996.
Carpenter was acclaimed for her contralto style of singing and exquisite drumming skills, which gained her appreciation by many of her contemporaries.
Legendary musician Paul McCartney once said that she had "the best female voice in the world: melodic, tuneful and distinctive."
9. Christina Aguilera
New York-born and raised, Christina Aguilera became a television star at an early age before transitioning to music. During her teenage years, she released her debut album accompanied by a single, "Genie in a Bottle," which brought her international fame and topped charts all around the world.
In 2002, Aguilera made waves by releasing the album Stripped, which was controversial due to its intimate topics and stepping away from her "good girl" image. The album is highlighted by the empowering song "Beautiful," which later became an anthem for the LGBT community.
Later in her career, Aguilera took more experiments, adopting jazz and blues music and releasing songs like "Ain’t No Other Man," "Candy Man," and "Hurt."
Although Aguilera was always compared to Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, due to similar voice capabilities, she found her biggest influence in Etta James.
"Etta is my all-time favorite singer. I've said it for the last seven years – since I had my first debut record out – in every interview," explained Aguilera.
8. Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand was born in Brooklyn, where she was raised by her mother who was a soprano singer in her youth. With her help, Streisand made her first musical steps and set the foundations of her great career.
She released 36 studio albums during her career, winning ten Grammy Awards with a Lifetime Achievement included, and becoming one of the best-selling female music artists of all time. Streisand predominantly sang pop music, but due to its strength and quality, her voice was often labeled as "semi-operatic."
Streisand also found success as an actress and filmmaker. What many people don’t know is that she starred in the third version of the movie A Star is Born, for which she composed music as well.
7. Ella Fitzgerald
Also knows as Lady Ella, Fitzgerald was noted for her pureness in singing jazz, diction, intonation, and outstanding improvisational capability. Basically, she was the queen of jazz performance.
She often collaborated with musicians like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, which resulted in the acclaimed studio and live performance partnerships on songs like "Cheek to Cheek," "Dream a Little Dream of Me," and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)."
During her career, Fitzgerald earned 14 Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
6. Adele
Born in London, Adele started to sing and play guitar during her teenage years when she performed in city parks with her friends. She released her debut album 19 in 2008, achieving both commercial and critical success.
The follow-up, titled 21, came three years later and established Adele as one of the biggest stars in the world of music. The album broke numerous records while bringing her six Grammy awards, among other accolades. It contains some of her most recognizable hits like "Someone Like You," "Rolling In The Deep," and "Set Fire To The Rain."
Adele's music is often described as a mixture of pop and soul, but also contains influences from folk and country music. She has a mezzo-soprano and was initially more acclaimed by the critics for her voice than her songwriting skills.
"I taught myself how to sing by listening to Ella Fitzgerald for acrobatics and scales, Etta James for passion and Roberta Flack for control," Adele discovered the secret to her voice.
Lauryn Hill
We know you can't wait to see who made it to the number one spot, but before we move on with our list, there are a few singers we just had to mention. They didn't make it to the top 40, but they are very close to the top.
First up is Lauryn Hill who's a singer, a songwriter, and a rapper. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time as well as one of the most influential singers of her generation. She gained prominence with The Fugees in the 90s and her solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill received widespread critical acclaim.
Dusty Springfield
Most known for her singles "I Only Want to Be With You" and "Son of a Preacher Man," Dusty Springfield
influenced generations of amazing singers such as Duffy, Amy Winehouse, and Joss Stone.
Springfield is an inductee of both the U.S. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the UK Music Hall of Fame and in 2008, Dusty appeared at No. 35 on the Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Singers of All Time."
P!nk
She might not be most known for her vocals, but if you pay close attention to her songs, you'll notice P!nk has quite a range and a beautiful, raspy voice.
Her debut studio album Can't Take Me Home was certified double-platinum in the U.S. and she gained further recognition with the collaborative single "Lady Marmalade" from the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack.
Bonnie Raitt
Just thinking of Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" gives us the chills. And while we are obsessed with her voice, Raitt herself admitted that "for many years, I couldn't stand listening to my own voice. Not enough gravitas or experience to convey the depth of emotion I wanted to express."
She's definitely one of the top singers of all time but she doesn't really know what it is exactly that makes her great. "I've never been one to think about how to sing," says Raitt. "Once I start, I'm just living it."
Toni Braxton
Singer, songwriter, pianist, actress, and television personality, Toni Braxton has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female R&B artists in history.
When asked what makes her a great singer, she replied, "I think [my family's] upbringing, coming from the church, gave us an 'up' on music. It gave us a finer-tuned ear. It made us more conscientious because we got the practice right there."
Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick is one of the most-charted vocalists of all time, with 56 of her singles making the Hot 100 between 1962 and 1998! Among those songs are "I’ll Never Love This Way Again," "Heartbreaker," and of course, "I Say a Little Prayer for You."
How did she become a singer? "If I quote my mother, she says I came out singing. I come from a gospel-singing family, and you know the old saying, 'The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree?' Well, that proved true for me and everybody else in my family."
Willow Smith
The daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow is one the greatest singers to emerge in recent years, becoming a huge viral hit in late 2021 with her song "The Anxiety." The song was a huge hit on TikTok, mainly due to the fact people were impressed tremendously by her singing abilities.
In 2021, Time magazine named her, alongside her mother, as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. We can't wait to see what the future holds for her.
Jennifer Hudson
Winning an Oscar award for best supporting actress for basically performing one song—" And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"—means you have quite a talent and Hudson sure is an amazing singer.
She was first introduced to the public in season 3 of American Idol and was immediately praised by the judges and gained popularity with the crowd. In 2021 she portrayed Aretha Franklin in Respect, whom we have yet to see on this list.
Demi Lovato
While becoming very famous for their personal life drama—which included drug addiction and turbulent love life, Demi Lovato is first and foremost an outstanding singer.
Lovato rose to prominence for playing Mitchie Torres in the musical TV film Camp Rock. In 2008, their debut album, Don't Forget, debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. Lovato has sold over 24 million records in the U.S. and received an MTV Video Music Award, 14 Teen Choice Awards, five People's Choice Awards, and two Latin American Music Awards.
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack won our hearts with her chilling performance of "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Killing Me Softly with His Song" alongside her many duets with Donny Hathaway. Her R&B singles won many accolades, and she was the first artist to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in two consecutive years!
Flack is a member of the Artist Empowerment Coalition, which advocates the right of artists to control their creative properties. Her inspiration transcends the R&B genre and can be seen in contemporary indie and pop.
Sade Adu
This Nigerian-born British singer-songwriter is one of the most successful British female artists in history. In the 1980s, she formed the band Sade and released Diamond Life, which became one of the best-selling albums of the era, and the best-selling debut by a British female vocalist.
Her mesmerizing voice is so unique, it's immediately recognizable. The New Yorker described Sade's voice as a "grainy contralto full of air that betrays a slight ache but no agony, and values even imperfect dignity over a show of pain."
Miley Cyrus
We know that many of you don't immediately think of Miley Cyrus when talking about great vocalists but just listen to her 2012 version of "Jolene" and you'll see what we mean. The young singer, who became famous for starring in Disney Channel's Hannah Montana became one of the top-selling artists in the U.S. in recent years.
She has received awards and nominations in major music awards, including the Grammys, the Golden Globe Awards, the American Music Awards, and many, many more.
Carly Simon
Carly Simon rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records, including "Anticipation," "Mockingbird," "Nobody Does It Better" and of course "You're So Vain."
One of the most popular singers ever, Simon has released 24 Billboard Hot 100 charting singles. Among her various accolades, she has won two Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for "You're So Vain" in 2004.
Lana Del Rey
One of the most controversial personalities in the music industry today, no one can deny the immense talent of Lana Del Ray. Over the years, she had won two Brit Awards, two MTV Europe Music Awards, and has been nominated for six Grammy Awards.
Stevie Nicks
Stevie Nicks, the lead singer of Fleetwood Mac, is known for her distinctive voice, mystical stage persona, and poetic lyrics. She was named one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time and one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone.
Her Fleetwood Mac songs "Landslide" and "Dreams" and her solo hit "Edge of Seventeen" have been included in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. And, she is the first woman to have been inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of Fleetwood Mac in 1998 and as a solo artist in 2019.
Lizzo
Lizzo took a DNA test, turns out she's 100% one of the greatest singers ever! Lizzo attained mainstream success with her third studio album, Cuz I Love You, in 2019 which included the hit singles "Juice" and "Tempo". She went on to receive eight nominations at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, the most for any artist that year.
In addition to singing and rapping, Lizzo also played the flute, a talent which gained her a lot of following and respect from the audience.
Ronnie Spector
Referred to as the original "bad girl of rock and roll", Ronnie Spector was the lead singer of the girl group the Ronettes. She became very famous due to her infamous marriage to producer Phil Spector, from which she fled barefoot and without any belongings.
However, she was an amazing singer, whose talent surpassed her personal drama. The Ronettes released several hits in the 1960s, including "Be My Baby," "Baby, I Love You," "(The Best Part of) Breakin' Up," and "Walking in the Rain." She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Ronettes in 2007.
Bette Midler
The legendary Bette Midler came to prominence in 1970 when she began singing in a local queer bathhouse where she was able to build up a core following. But after gaining stardom in the queer community, the world soon followed and she ended up releasing 14 studio albums as a solo artist, selling over 30 million records worldwide.
Her most successful songs include "The Rose", "Wind Beneath My Wings", "Do You Want to Dance", "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", and "From a Distance".
Jessie J
Jessie J came to prominence following the release of her debut single "Do It Like a Dude". Her following single "Price Tag" topped the charts in no less than 19 countries. In addition, she's the first British female artist to have six top-10 singles from one studio album.
Jessie J is recognized for her unconventional musical style that combines soul, R&B, pop, electropop, and hip-hop.
Liza Minnelli
Our last but not least honorary mention—and before we had on to the top five female singers of all time—is none other than the legendary Liza Minnelli. While her mother, Judy Garland, made it to no. 24 on the list, Minnelli doesn't fall short.
She began her career in the early 1960s as a musical theatre actress and nightclub performer and in 1965 she won a Tony Award for starring in Flora the Red Menace. This was the start of a lifelong collaboration with John Kander and Fred Ebb, who wrote and produced many of the roles she was part of, and helped make her the Gay icon that she is today.
5. Beyoncé
We finally reach our top five and Beyoncé, more known as "Queen B," one of the most popular and influential R&B female artists of all time made the no. 5 spot. Born in Huston, Texas, she started to sing and dance when she was a kid. She rose to fame as part of the group Destiny’s Child.
After Destiny’s Child disbanded in 2006, Beyoncé embarked on an even more successful solo career, which established her as one of the most accomplished music acts in history. She has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and holds the record for most Grammy Award nominations in history with 23.
For her success and influence, music critic Jody Rosen called Beyoncé "the most important and compelling popular musician of the twenty-first century."
Apart from her music work, Beyoncé is also a successful entrepreneur and actress.
4. Celine Dion
Born in Quebeck, Canada, Celine Dion became a teen star in her native country thanks to several albums in the French language. She got internationally recognized when she won Yamaha's World Popular Song Festival and the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest, representing Switzerland.
Dion built on this success and during the '90s, released some of her most popular albums and hit songs like "The Power of Love," "My Heart Will Go On," "Because You Loved Me," and "Think Twice."
Even though Dion is mostly known for singing in French and English, she has also recorded and performed songs on Italian, Spanish, German, Chinese, Latin, and Japanese.
Her magical voice and major success got her the title "Queen of Adult Contemporary."
3. Aretha Franklin
We think everyone can agree Aretha Franklin is the "Queen of Soul."
Beginning her career as a gospel singer, Franklin probably didn’t even have a clue that she will be a big part of soul music history. Still, after signing with Columbia Records at the age of 18, she embarked on one of the most impressive careers in music history.
Franklin saw continued success through several decades, recording songs like "Think," "Respect," "Chain of Fools," and "You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman," which became all-time classics.
During her lifetime, Franklin released 38 studio albums and 131 singles. In 1987, she became the first female performer to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She received numerous awards for her music, including a Grammy Legend Award and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
2. Mariah Carey
New York-native Mariah Carey was born into a talented family; her mother was an opera singer. Carey is known for her five-octave vocal range and melismatic style of singing, which helped her rise to fame during the 90’ with chart-topping albums Music Box, Merry Christmas, and Daydream.
Carey is one of the most successful music acts in history, having sold more than 200 million records and won five Grammys. She is also credited for being one of the pioneers of contemporary pop, inspiring a whole generation of singers.
Carey is involved in many environment, animal rights, and child protection charity organizations. Most of the time, she proceeds money from her biggest hits to help people in need.
1. Whitney Houston
Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Whitney Houston is the first lady on this list for a simple reason. She didn't just have the voice of an angel, which brought her the nickname "The Voice," but also holds a Guinness World Record as the most awarded female artist of all time, totaling 415 career awards by 2010.
She started to sing at an early age, motivated by her brother and mother, who were gospel singers. Aretha Franklin, who was her honorary aunt, also played a big part in her early career as she was the first person to take her to the recording studio.
The interesting thing about her is that the studio didn't do her justice as many argued "her live shows often eclipsed" the recordings.
Houston's best-known songs include "I Wanna Dance with Somebody," "I Will Always Love You," and "So Emotional."
