These 16 Famous Singers Don’t Always Hit Every Note

The world can boast incredible singers with amazing voices, from Freddie Mercury’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” to Kelly Clarkson’s medley hits in the 2019 Billboard Music Awards. Not everyone can be Freddie Mercury and Kelly Clarkson. Here are famous singers that will make you think twice about their musical prowess.

1. Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez, or J.Lo, is a Latina pop soloist with popular songs, including “On The Floor” and “Let’s Get Loud.” She was regarded as responsible for the popularity of the Latin dance genre in the 2000s. She is regarded as a diva, a boss lady, and an incredibly hard worker. 

Above all those achievements, many believe she can’t sing. Songs like “Ain’t It Funny” and “Play” are credited to her, but she didn’t even sing the vocals. These made people doubt her singing skills. 

2. Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones is a well-known musical producer who worked with Michael Jackson, specifically on his album “Thriller.” He also had a hand in recording the iconic all-star “We Are the World.” While he may be an incredible producer, he’s not a great singer. 

Quincy Jones once said that what was most important for a successful pop singer is that their voice be recognizable. If you don’t know who’s singing within the first five seconds, it doesn’t matter how good their voice is.

3. Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan is a famous American singer-songwriter in the 60s and carried a 60-year career. His distinct nasal and croaky voice can be grating to the ears, especially if you’re having a bad day. While he writes splendid and relatable songs, his singing voice can be quite annoying and may require a bit of getting used to. 

4. Fergie

Fergie is the only female member of the group Black Eyed Peas. She was well-loved until she sang her saucy rendition of the national anthem, “Star Spangled Banner,” at an NBA game. 

While she and her team don’t believe there’s something wrong with her version, many people found her interpretation too sensual for the public. She was then dragged as someone who couldn’t even sing the national anthem properly, forcing her to apologize. 

5. Biz Markie

Biz Markie, or Marcel Theo Hall, is an American singer-rapper who became famous due to his song “Just A Friend.” His song became part of Billboard’s Hot Rap Singles Chart and the 2008 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time. 

The rap part of the song was incredible but because he also sang the chorus, people find his voice awful to listen to. The song was still a bang, though, despite his voice. 

6. Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez is a successful singer-actress and entrepreneur with a massive fanbase to take pride in. She started in PBS Barney & Friends and Disney’s Wizards of Waverly, where she started her music career. Her song “Lose You to Love Me,” inspired by her breakup with Justin Bieber, was a masterpiece. Many love her songs, but the unpopular opinion is that she’s only a product of the Disney machine without any singing talent. 

7. Lin-Manuel Miranda

Lin-Manuel Miranda is the foundation of modern Broadway musicals and is responsible for creating the music soundtrack of popular animated movies “Moana” and “Encanto.” “In The Heights” and “Hamilton” push Miranda to stardom. Despite all his achievements, some find his voice whiny and nasally. While no one can deny his prowess in music, his voice is an entirely different matter. 

8. Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is a master songwriter whose songs have captured the stories of many people. She’s often the topic of rumors because she’s fond of writing about her exes in her songs. Many of her albums are a masterpiece, from “Reputation” to “Folklore.” Some believe that the only thing that doesn’t meet the expectations is her voice. She has an underwhelming voice that doesn’t mean the hype of her songs.

9. Yoko Ono

Yoko Ono is regarded as the woman who broke The Beatles apart. You would think that being in a relationship with one of the most legendary singers would make you assume she might be one too. She doesn’t. Many describe her voice as screechy and say that it’s only because of John Lennon that she was able to get away with it. 

10. Vince Neil

Vince Neil is the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. His voice is inconsistent, and you will see him out of breath after a performance. While he has a great presence during performances, he doesn’t have a good singing voice. There are moments when you can’t even understand what he’s singing. 

11. Frederick William Schneider III

Frederick William Schneider III is the American rock band B-52’s lead singer. “Rock Lobster” and “Love Shock” are two of their most popular songs. While the band’s songs are smashing, Schneider’s voice is objectively good but it is also janky in some way and a bit unreliable. 

12. Les Claypool

Les Claypool is an American singer-songwriter who became popular as the vocalist of the band Primus. He is also a bassist and actively helps record and produce the band’s songs. He is an amazing musician, but his voice is objectively horrible, and would not do well if they crafted serious songs with actual singing involved. 

13. Katy Perry

Katy Perry is crowned by Vogue and Rolling Stone as the “Queen of Camp” because of her contribution to America’s modern pop music. She became famous for her song “I Kissed a Girl” and even became a television personality by being a judge on American Idol. Despite her achievements, many consider her singing as yelling and lacking substance. 

14. Anthony Kiedis

Anthony Kiedis is the lead vocalist of the American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. He preferred singing over rapping, so tried to work on it. However, he wasn’t able to improve his voice despite having many vocal coaches throughout the years. While he may have limited musical ability, his spirit and vibe when performing are magnificent. 

15. Tom Waits

Tom Waits is an American singer who became popular in the 1980s, specifically in the folk music scene. The interesting thing about his music is that you can listen to his songs all day long, even if his singing voice is unique though not great. His raspy and gravelly voice will remind you of your grandfather’s voice.

16. Enrique Iglesias

Enrique Iglesias became a successful pop singer in 1999, and until now, his performances have littered TikTok. He is an incredible performer though people today compare him to Milli Vanilli, saying he can’t sing but can dance well. This is not new since, even in the 2000s, he was made fun of for the same reason. 

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