12 Greatest Classic Rock Singers Of All Time

Rock and roll may have started in America, but it didn't really kick into high gear until we got the first wave of British rockers. All of these bands had a certain element of fun to them, but once the Rolling Stones hit the scene, things got a little more menacing.

Though much of the Stones' early work consisted primarily of blues covers, the tone of Mick Jagger's voice was unusual for the time. Whereas bands like the Animals had more soaring vocals and the Kinks had a pop tinge, Jagger was a 20 something white kid from London who inherited the brash mannerisms of the blues legends of old. While his vocal prowess suited the Stones' early period extremely well, it wasn't until their classic period during the late 60's that his vocals were fully in place.

Across albums like Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main St, Jagger had built himself up to be the same old bluesman he idolized as a kid in the London clubs, with songs like "Stray Cat Blues" and "Gimme Shelter" striking the perfect balance of dread and lustful seduction. If Elvis taught you how to look like a rock and roller, Jagger taught a masterclass on how to live and breathe the lifestyle.