In my humble opinion, even though it's not more important than music, a bad vocalist can easily ruin a band, and a VERY good vocalist can sometimes make a band particularly interesting if the instrumentals are okay or above average. The vocalist is in the forefront of the band (literally, as in live shows, and figuratively, a sin the production, vocals are basically always the loudest, of course) so of course he/she's the one who is noticed first by the listener. As for those, whose voice I fell in love with at the first listen, well!

5. Corey Taylor

I don't think I have to introduce the guy. The front man and basically the face of the band that got me into metal, Corey is known for his outspoken style, 5.5 octave vocal range (second highest in all of popular music) and diverse style, he will always have a special place in my heart, even if I feel like I've grown out of Slipknot (I'm currently just getting into STONE SOUR though, love 'em). All I can say about the Great Big Mouth is; listen to "Disasterpiece", then "Through Glass". Favourite performances: "Diluted", "Circle", "Gehenna", "The Shape."

4. Kristoffer Rygg

Now for a not so obvious one. Front man only constant member of Norwegian musical collective ULVER, Garm is completely in a league of his own. A quite versatile one, his top-tier performances include the raw Black Metal screams on some of "Bergtatt" (along with some of the finest vocal melodies you'll ever hear) and the whole of "Nattens Madrigal", his soulful, full-of-ambience singing on "Messe I.X-VI.X" and the charismatic-as-hell but still emotional performance on his latest LP, "The Assassination Of Julius Caesar". Mezmerizing. Favourite performances: "I Troldskog Faren Vild", "Nemoralia", "Echo Chamber (Room of Tears)."

3. Greg Puciato

As if THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN weren't already a spectacular band full of talented and skilled musicians, guess what? They have the front man who could be argued for best of the last 20 years. Whether it's his falsettos on "One of Us Is The Killer", his oddball performance of "Highway Robbery" his all-powerful screams on "Prancer" or his own rendition of "43% Burnt", the guy never fails to deliver an amazing performance full of power, skill and weirdness. This generation's Mike Patton, everybody. Favourite performances: "Panasonic Youth", "Black Bubblegum", "Prancer", "When I Lost My Bet", "Paranoia Shields."

2. Austin Carlile

Honestly, I'm in love with the guy's vox, but I couldn't tell why. Maybe it's because of how hard he pushed himself on every song, even though his Marfan Syndrome barely lets him stay alive. Maybe it's because of his tone, or his live energy, or his chemistry with the other members of OF MICE & MEN. His technique is also not particularly impressive, so I can't quite wrap my head around it, but he's still among the only 3 vocalists who can give me goosebumps. Still, the most plausible theory I have for this question can be summed up perfectly in one word. Intense. Favourite performances: "Pain", "Ben Threw", "The Depths", "Bones Exposed", "The Storm."

The undisputable number 1, none other than JDevil of KORN. He's the perfect example that you don't need a lot of technical skill to be an amazing vocalist, you need to be! human. Have a soul, have your emotions flow through your voice like a river, be true and authentic, be creative with your singing and develop your own unique style, find yourself. For me, that easily makes for a perfect vocalist, and it also makes for Jon. Coincidence? I think not. The definition of versatility, he can do soft singing, be creepy as fuck, emotional, do them crazy scats, D E A T H G R O W L S, and some times, the guy's just completely fucking insane ("Let The Guilt Go"). Power, range, emotion, atmosphere, fun, diversity, he really has it all. Not to mention he's still as good as ever (in stuido and live) at 47 years. I salute you, sir.

Favourite performances: "Let The Guilt Go", "Fuel The Comedy", "Tearjerker", "Good God", "Twist" (Yes, I'm not joking), "Kill You", "Let's Get This Party Started", "When Will This End", "Rotting In Vain", "The Hating."

So that concludes my favourite vocalists list. Have you listened to these guys? Love 'em, hate 'em, why? Who are your personal favourites?