Céline Dion has arguably influenced most of the biggest female pop stars of the past 20 years, yet Rolling Stone chose not to include her on its new list of the 200 Best Singers of All Time — and fans are furious.
Rolling Stone’s list was chosen by its staff and contributors, and includes most genres, except for opera. The magazine points out that the list is “Greatest Singers,” not “Greatest Voices,” adding, “Talent is impressive; genius is transcendent….what mattered most to us was originality, influence, the depth of an artist’s catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy.”
This, presumably, explains why artists like Bob Dylan and Ozzy Osbourne made the list, while Celine and other notable vocalists like Pink, Dionne Warwick, Jennifer Hudson and Annie Lennox did not.
The first comment on Rolling Stone’s Instagram post of the list reads, “I need someone to explain how Celine Dion does not feature on this list?” That’s followed by multiple readers agreeing with the first commenter, with one writing, “I’m not even a fan of Celine but come on.”
“Billie Eilish on the list but not CELINE DION??!!! Rihanna ranking higher than Kelly Clarkson??!! This makes no sens[e] at all i’m calling the police!” another commenter wrote.
One commenter’s extremely lengthy defense of Celine pointed out, “She was praised by the greatest music names in history,” and then cited Prince, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin and Elton John and more, all of whom are on the list. The fan added, “The fact that you didn’t include her just speak[s] of how your publication always hated her.”
From the list, here are Rolling Stone’s top 20 Best Singers of All Time:
20. Marvin Gaye
19. Frank Sinatra
18. Celia Cruz
17. Elvis Presley
16. Prince
15. Bob Dylan
14. Freddie Mercury
13. Patsy Cline
12. John Lennon
11. Little Richard
10. Al Green
9. Otis Redding
8. Beyoncé
7. Stevie Wonder
6. Ray Charles
5. Mariah Carey
4. Billie Holiday
3. Sam Cooke
2. Whitney Houston
1. Aretha Franklin
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