12 Greatest Classic Rock Singers Of All Time

Any rock singer who has ever taken their music seriously owes a debt of gratitude to Freddie Mercury. Along with being the ultimate showman, Mercury proved to be one of the few vocalists in the rock world whose voice could go toe-to-toe with the greatest singers in the world.

When Queen first arrived on the scene, people were absolutely floored at just how versatile the material was by rock standards. Not wanting to be tied down, the band dipped their toes into everything from opera to prog to pop to rockabilly, but what connected them all together was the strength of Mercury's voice.

Whereas most rock singers would just reach into their soul and deliver the pain through their voice, Mercury's way with melody made you realize that you were hearing a true musical phenomenon every time he opened his mouth.

Even up until his final days, Queen's later hits like "The Show Must Go On" and "I Want It All" showed that Mercury was not going to let a mere mortal disease like AIDS prevent him from delivering his vocal magic. Though we lost him back in 1990, Freddie Mercury was a musical freak of nature whose brilliance we may never see again. Many great singers have come after Queen, but judging their power is only measured by their inability to equal Freddie Mercury.