10 Famous Tenor Singers of All Time

The tenor voice, with its powerful and soul-stirring abilities, has significantly impacted the music industry through its flawless execution. Thanks to some of the greatest tenor singers, they have left a lasting impression on the world of music, making us laugh and cry and incorporating their voices into our lives’ soundtracks.

Let’s delve into the lives and legacies of the ten most famous tenor singers of all time, who have not only defined musical greatness but also shaped the course of history.

List of Famous Tenor Singers

1: Freddie Mercury

Date of Birth: September 5, 1946, Zanzibar, Tanzania

Date of Death: November 24, 1991, England, United Kingdom

Best Songs:

• Bohemian Rhapsody
• Don’t Stop Me Now
• Killer Queen
• Barcelona
• We are the Champions

Accolades:

• Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music in 1992 (after his death)
• NME Award for Bastard of the Year in 1977

Freddie Mercury, also known as Farrokh Bulsara, was a British rock singer and songwriter renowned for his dynamic stage presence and agile vocals. Although he had a natural baritone voice, he typically sang in the tenor range.

He worked with Tim Staffell, who was in the band Smile, and later changed the name to Queen, which included Brian May and Roger Taylor. Their debut album, “Queen,” was released in 1973. In 1985, he released his first solo album, “Mr. Bad Guy,” which reached number six in the UK Albums Chart and remained on the chart for 23 weeks, becoming their most successful solo project.

Mercury died in 1991 after being diagnosed with AIDS. Despite his illness, he continued to work with Queen and appeared on their final album, Made in Heaven (1995).

2: Michael Jackson

Date of Birth: August 29, 1958, Gary, Indiana, USA

Date of Death: June 25, 2009, Los Angeles, California, USA

Best Songs:

• I Wanna Be Where You Are
• Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
• Off the Wall
• Can You Feel It
• Billie Jean

Accolades:

• 15 Grammy Awards
• Golden Globe Award
• 6 Brit Awards
• 24 American Music Awards
• 5 Billboard Music Awards
• 39 Guinness World Records

Michael Jackson, an American singer, songwriter, and dancer, was a popular entertainer in the early and mid-1980s. Born into a musical family, he is known for his pioneering pop music and distinct voice, which includes falsetto, vocal growls, and vocal hiccups.

Jackson’s debut album for the epic record, “Off the Wall”, sold over 20 million copies in 1979. However, it was his subsequent album, Thriller, that truly made history, selling 40 million copies. The album, “Billie Jean”, which featured a moonwalk dance, earned him his first Emmy Award nomination. The album “Beat It” broke down barriers between black and white artists on radio and television, establishing him as the King of Pop.

Jackson is one of the best selling artists of all time known for his versatile artist and exceptional abilities in singing, dancing, writing, and business. Making his mark among the famous tenor singers, he has given some memorable performances.

3: Steve Perry

Date of Birth: January 22, 1949, Hanford, California, USA

Best Songs:

• No More Cryin
• She’s Mine
• Missing You
• Captured by the Moment
• Against the Wall

Accolades:

• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Ranked No. 76 on Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Singers of All Time”

Stephen Ray Perry (Steve Perry) is an American singer and songwriter who led the successful rock band Journey and co-wrote several hit songs. He is best known for his countertenor vocal range.

Perry made his public debut in 1977 with Journey in San Francisco. The band moved into mainstream rock, releasing their first album, “Infinity”. However, it was Journey’s ‘Evolution’ album (lead vocal – Perry), which featured their first top 20 hits and sold over 7 million copies in 1979, that truly solidified their success.

Perry’s first solo album, “Street Talk” became his biggest hit in 1984. In 1985, he made a significant contribution to the music industry by appearing on the charity single “We Are the World” by USA for Africa. This single, which featured several renowned artists, aimed to raise funds for famine relief in Africa. Perry’s involvement in this project further solidified his status as a respected and influential musician. He co-produced “A Brand New Start” with David Pack in 2005 and has confirmed that he will provide backing vocals on Dolly Parton’s Rockstar album in 2023.

Perry’s vocal prowess in countertenor vocal range has made him dubbed “The Voice”, a moniker that was originally coined by Jon Bon Jovi.

4: Stevie Wonder

Date of Birth: May 13, 1950, Saginaw, Michigan, USA

Best Songs:

• Boogie on Reggae Woman
• Overjoyed
• I Just Called to Say I Love You
• I Wish
• Sir Duke

Accolades:

• 25 Grammy Awards
• Academy Award (1984)
• Billboard Music Century Award (2004)
• Billboard Icon Award (2012)
• Wolf Prize in Arts-Music Award (2021)

Stevie Wonder, an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, was born with retinopathy of prematurity, which caused blindness. Despite challenges, he became a pioneer and innovator in the music industry. His singing style is characterized by precise pitch, which frequently incorporates complex melodic runs and phrasing.

He is one of the famous tenor singers who released his first album, “The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie”, at the age of twelve. He also dedicated an album to Ray Charles, Tribute to Uncle Ray. Stevie Wonder’s hit single, “Fingertips”, peaked at number one on the Billboard Pop Charts in 1963. Furthermore, Wonder made his film debut in 1964 with Muscle Beach Party and Bikini Beach.

The Library of Congress selected Stevie Wonder’s 1976 album “Songs in the Key of Life” for the National Recording Registry due to its cultural and historical significance in 2005. He has touched millions of people with his music and philanthropic generosity.

5: Marvin Gaye

Date of Birth: April 2, 1939, Washington, D.C., U.S.

Date of Death: April 1, 1984, Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Best Songs:

• How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)
• A Funky Space Reincarnation
• Trouble Man
• Got to Give It Up
• Let’s Get It On

Accolades:

• Grammy Awards
• American Music Award
• NAACP Image Awards
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. (Marvin Gaye) was an influential American soul singer, songwriter, and producer who significantly contributed to the emergence of artist-controlled popular music in the 1970s, inspiring many famous tenor singers.

In the 1960s, he played both in-house and solo sessions, influencing Motown’s sound and earning the nicknames, “Prince of Motown” and “Prince of Soul.”

Marvin Gaye played drums and piano, moved away from the Motown label’s emphasis on teen hits, and aspired to become a crooner like Nat King Cole or Frank Sinatra. His break came with “Stubborn Kinda Fellow” in 1962, followed by Motown hits by Smokey Robinson and Norman Whitfield and successful duets with Tammi Terrell.

Gaye’s vocal styles, which included a piercing falsetto, a smooth mid-range tenor, and a deep gospel growl, have left a lasting impression on American pop, making him one of the most famous tenor singers.

6: Bruno Mars

Date of Birth: October 8, 1985, Hawaii, U.S.

Best Songs:

• The Lazy Song
• Treasure
• Marry You
• Grenade
• 24K Magic

Accolades:

• 4 Brit Awards
• 15 Grammy Awards
• 11 American Music Awards
• 13 Soul Train Awards
• 3 Guinness World Records

Peter Gene Hernandez was known for his catchy pop music with R&B and funk styles, retro quality, and energetic live performances. After high school, he relocated to Los Angeles, California, where he pursued a career as a musician.

His journey began in 2004 when he joined Motown and teamed up with Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine to produce songs for artists like Brandy and Flo Rida. Their collaborative efforts bore fruit with the release of “Unorthodox Jukebox” in 2012, which clinched the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album. His partnership with British producer Mark Ronson on the 2014 single “Uptown Funk,” a fusion of 1980s funk and R&B, further solidified his place in the music industry, winning the Grammy for Record of the Year.

The sales figure of Bruno Mars has reached 90 million, which makes him one of the best-selling and famous tenor singers of all time. In 2021, he was also ranked 3rd on the BillBoard’s list of Top Artists of the 2010s.

7: Elton John

Date of Birth: March 25, 1947, Middlesex, England

Best Songs:

• Sad Songs (Say So Much)
• Daniel
• Bennie and the Jets
• Are You Ready for Love
• Candle in the Wind

Accolades:

• Emmy Award (2023)
• 5 Grammy Awards
• 2 Academy Awards
• Tony Award (2000)
• 5 Brit Awards

Elton John, a well-known late-20th-century British singer, composer, and pianist, combined various genres and showmanship, selling millions of records and demonstrating his success in pop and rock style. His distinct singing style incorporates falsetto technique, powerful tenor voice, and various melodic approaches to the songs.

John’s collaboration with Bernie Taupin made him a major international star. He worked with British lyricist Tim Rice to write songs for the 1994 animated film, The Lion King, establishing himself as a versatile and influential artist among famous tenor singers.

From 2003 to 2009, he performed in Elton John and the Red Piano, a retrospective show at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. From 2011 to 2018, he performed in Las Vegas’ Million Dollar Piano show.

With sales of 300 million records, he has garnered many awards and cemented his position as one of the best-selling artists.

8: Roy Orbison

Date of Birth: April 23, 1936, Vernon, Texas, USA

Date of Death: December 6, 1988, Hendersonville, Tennessee, USA

Best Songs:

• In Dreams
• Oh, Pretty Woman
• Only the Lonely
• Crying
• Running Scared

Accolades:

• 5 Grammy Awards
• Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1998)

Roy Kelton Orbison (Roy Orbison), nicknamed “The Big O,” is an American singer-songwriter known for his operatic voice and intricately crafted ballads about loneliness and heartache. His musical journey began at a remarkably young age of 13 when he formed his first group, Teen-Kings, and recorded the iconic “Ooby Dooby” in 1955. This song, when re-recorded for Sam Phillips at Sun Records, marked the beginning of his illustrious career.

At Monument Records, Orbison showcased his versatility by expanding his musical range to include not just rock and roll but also ballads and orchestrated romances. His 1961 song “Running Scared” is a perfect example of his artistry, with tension and romantic paranoia building to a relief ending with the singer’s decision.

He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and he was praised for his haunting ballads, such as “Crying” and “In Dreams,” which are known for their emotional depth and Orbison’s unique vocal delivery.

9: Robert Plant

Date of Birth: August 20, 1948, West Bromwich, England

Best Songs:

• Big Log
• Ship of Fools
• Hurting Kind (I’ve Got My Eyes on You)
• 29 Palms
• In the Mood

Accolades:

• Silver Clef Award (1990)
• Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2005)
• AMA Lifetime Achievement Award (2018)
• Country Music Association Awards (2008)
• Kennedy Center Honors (2012)

Robert Robert Plant, the British singer-songwriter, and former lead singer of Led Zeppelin, is a musical force known for his unique vocal range, powerful tenor voice, and flamboyant stage presence. Post the band’s dissolution, Plant embarked on a solo career that was nothing short of adventurous, delving into bluegrass music and early rock and roll.

It was the encouragement of Phil Collins that steered Plant towards his solo career, leading to the creation of albums like “Pictures at Eleven” and “The Principle of Moments”. In 1984, he revisited his early rock and roll roots with “The Honeydrippers” One, a project that featured songs from Phil Phillips and Roy Brown. They also performed at the concerts commemorating Led Zeppelin’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame acceptance in 1995.

In 2007, Plant collaborated with Alison Krauss and T Bone Burnett on Raising Sand, a critically acclaimed album blending country, blues, and folk. In 2021, they released Raise the Roof, featuring “High and Lonesome” and a mix of Merle Haggard and Bobby Moore songs.

Often hailed as one of the most talented singers in rock music, Plant has garnered many accolades, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and cemented his position as a famous tenor singer.

10: Paul McCartney

Date of Birth: June 18, 1942, Liverpool, England

Best Songs:

• Early Days
• I Don’t Know
• Letting Go
• Waterfalls
• My Brave Face

Accolades:

• 8 BRIT Awards
• 18 Grammy Awards
• 2 American Music Awards
• 1 MTV Video Music Awards
• 1 Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards

Paul McCartney, a multi-talented British musician, is known for his melodic tenor voice and work with the Beatles in the 1960s, transforming popular music into a commercial art form. He is one of the most popular solo performers globally in recording sales and concert attendance. He has also worked with famous tenor singers, including Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson.

After the Beatles’ live performances ended in 1966, McCartney embarked on a successful solo career. He recorded two solo albums, ‘McCartney’ (1970) and ‘Ram’ (1971), both of which received critical acclaim and commercial success. These albums showcased McCartney’s versatility as a musician and his ability to create music that resonated with a wide audience. Following this, he formed Wings with his wife, Linda.

Wings became the best-selling pop band of the 1970s, with 27 U.S. Top 40 hits and five consecutive number-one albums, including ‘Band on the Run’ (1973) and ‘Wings at the Speed of Sound’ (1976).

McCartney is not only a commercially successful performer and composer with 60 gold records and over 100 million singles but also a passionate advocate for vegetarianism, animal rights, and campaigns in developing countries. His commitment to these causes has made him a British icon, inspiring others to use their platform for social change.