The reason Bey is this high is because she combines it all - the gutteral force of Tina, the sheen of Diana, the flexibility of Donna, the control of Mariah, the pristine tone of Barbra, the gospel inflections of Whitney, the rhythmic force of Janet, and the ability to own and master a hip-hop beat that had only been seen in Mary J. She is the greatest student turned teacher, as I predict SHE will be the one young girls and gays cite as their biggest inspiration. If you've taken any stock over pop music these past few years, you see it's already happening.
Stevie Wonder's voice sounds like what pure joy feels like - it's essentially Xanax for the ears. The clarity and richness of his voice makes it unmistakable and unforgettable.
2. Stevie Wonder
Points Received: 459
Let's state it bluntly - from about 1965 to 1979, there was no better male singer on the planet than Stevie Wonder. Pure gold, and the true standard of a male pop/soul/rhythm and blues vocalist. His voice is only a quarter of his genius too, which is kind of unfair if you think about it.