10 Greatest Vocal Performances In Rock Music History

Quadrophenia tends to occupy a bit of a weird space in the Who's catalog. As much as Tommy gets heralded as the band's real masterpiece in terms of sonic scope, their second true rock opera might be the better record, telling a coherent story from back to front and every band member at the top of their game musically. Pete Townshend may have given a voice to the characters in the lyrics, but it took Roger Daltrey to bring some heart into Love Reign O'er Me.

Coming at the very end of the opera, this is where Jimmy is left alone on a rock, looking up to the heavens to find some answer to all of the troubles that he's gone through in life. Compared to the sounds of My Generation just a few years before, Roger almost seems more like an actor here, getting more and more desperate for answers as the song plays along and putting more power into every single line in the chorus. Whereas most musicians might like to sing in their natural register, you can feel the strain Roger's putting on his voice here, getting that desperate effect just through pure muscle.

And while Won't Get Fooled Again might have one of the most iconic screams in the history of rock and roll, the scream that he does on the final chorus might actually be better, sounding perfect in the context of the story and bringing a lot more melodrama to the end of the tune. Rock has always been about the power of the song, and Roger really does sound like he's singing every note as if it's the last note he'll ever sing.