For example in Rolling Stone’s “200 Greatest Singers of All Time”, they cited Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Sam Cooke, Billie Holiday, Mariah Carey, Ray Charles, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé, Otis Redding and Al Green. I assume their criteria included overall popularity via record sales. Not sure why Michael Jackson, Little Richard, Smokey Robinson or B.B. King weren’t prominent on that list, while including too many with debatable “talent”.

I would look at it using a different metric.

Of all of the record companies back in the day, only one had singers who were unique, could do more than just hit the notes, weren’t signed just for looks and powerful voices with natural vibrato was mandatory: Motown.

Given the important releases over their run, I would ask if singers deemed influential based on popularity and sales would have been signed by Motown?

ABSOLUTELY

Steve Perry, Tina Turner, Elton John, George Michael, Billy Ocean, Bobby Caldwell, Shirley Bassey, Lou Gramm, Etta James, Wilson Pickett, George Benson, Ann Wilson, and Roberta Flack

Singers with power, natural vibrato, a distinctive style and sound.

BTW – Wouldn’t it have been interesting had James Brown and Peter Wolf been able to team up?

DEBATABLE

Freddie Mercury, Dan Hartman, Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, Mick Hucknall, Roy Orbison, Annie Lennox, Patsy Cline, David Clayton-Thomas, Linda Ronstadt, Frank Sinatra, Billy Joel, Tom Jones, Toni Tennille, Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Brad Delp, Richard Marx and Bonnie Tyler

Some of these singers had a distinctive sound and could definitely hit the notes; some had forced vibrato but were they good enough to make it past Motown’s Artist and Repertoire Department just to give Berry Gordy a listen? Debatable.

MAYBE…

Tracy Chapman, Darius Rucker, Kenny Loggins, J.T. Taylor, Melissa Etheridge, Jim Seals and Dash Crofts, Olivia Newton-John, Robert Palmer, Alicia Keys, Bonnie Raitt, Cat Stevens, Steve Miller, Adele, Gregg Allman, Don Henley, Carole King, Christina Aguilera, Amy Winehouse, Bob Seger, Michael Bolton, Barbra Streisand, Rick Astley, Tammy Wynette, Hank Williams, Carrie Underwood, Joe Cocker, Peter Cetera, Jackson Browne, Lady Gaga, Eric Clapton, Bryan Adams, Van Morrison, Chris Isaak, and Huey Lewis

Distinctive sounds but would they be good enough if having to survive a sing-off against Aretha Franklin or Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder? Maybe.

On another note, you think Ozzy Osbourne would have been signed after an audition for Motown…?

PROBABLY NOT

David Bowie, Taylor Swift, Glenn Danzig, Billie Eilish, Lou Reed, John Mellencamp, Gwen Stefani, Karen Carpenter, Roger Daltry, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Iggy Pop, Sonny Bono and Cher, Joan Baez, Janis Joplin, Leonard Cohen, Dolly Parton, Fiona Apple, Chris Martin, Selena Gomez, Lana Del Rey, Debbie Harry, David Hasselhoff, Steven Tyler, Willie Nelson, Kurt Cobain, Robert Plant, Nancy Sinatra, Stevie Nicks, Kid Rock, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Billy Idol, Mick Jagger, John Mayer, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Rick Springfield, Belinda Carlisle, Jimi Hendrix, Axl Rose, Pat Benatar, Elvis Costello, George Thorogood, Daryl Hall, Glenn Frey, Alice Cooper, Sammy Hagar, Ric Ocasek, Neil Young, Madonna and Joan Jett

Some of these artists were product aided by MTV visuals. A lack of actual talent was tolerated as long as sales came in to support record company overhead. Some could hit the notes as that’s all that could really be asked for, could scream in pitch, but were they great “singers”? Nope.

And don’t get me started on actors and actresses who “sing” because their agents won’t risk their jobs telling them the ugly truth.

John Travolta, Nicole Kidman, Kevin Bacon, Johnny Depp, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Cruise, Reese Witherspoon, Val Kilmer, and Christian Bale….

The IMDB post neglected to mention Michelle Pfeiffer also co-starred in “Grease 2”, possibly at the request of Michelle herself.

Today’s soft-singing, breathers probably wouldn’t have even considered a Motown audition for obvious reasons including having fragile egos that would’ve been dashed by restrained laughter as they were leaving the room.

And when it comes to boy, girl and vocal group bands, one could argue The Jackson 5, The Supremes, The Four Tops, The Temptations, just to name a few, set the standard. Do you think The Backstreet Boys, Osmonds, *NSYNC, Partridge Family, Monkees, Spice Girls, Destiny’s Child or BTS were as unique?

And for those of you who may take this is as a race hit piece, Rare Earth, R. Dean Taylor, Chris Clark, William Goldstein and Charlene were Motown signings.

Again, some had distinctive sounds but good enough to satisfy Motown Records customers who had clear expectations for vocal talent? Probably not.

Finally, any list of greatest singers will not include rap “artists”.

What does that tell ya?

Michael Moore: Why the U.S. Has Trouble Effecting Change in Gun Laws
Lady Gaga says Congress has ‘blood on their hands’ while Julianne Moore calls their prayers ‘cheap sound bites that don’t protect innocent lives’ in call for gun control after Las Vegas attack
Lady Gaga, John Mayer, The Chainsmokers & More Demand Gun Control Following Las Vegas Shooting
Jimmy Kimmel Increases Security at Show Tapings Following Incidents with Trump Supporters
Ariana Grande calls for gun control following Las Vegas massacre
Celebrities call for US gun law reform, express condolences after Vegas shooting

Let’s not blow off how many of these celebrities have made millions of dollars in productions where they’re depicted shooting off dozens of rounds from cool-looking, exotic weaponry and killing the many people who had it coming.

2014: Harvey Weinstein (Miramax) vows to stop making films that glorify gun violence

That lasted about a week and while celebrities will take time from their important schedules to lecture us about the scourge of gun violence in America, the Hollywood body count grows in proportion to their bottom lines.

From Sept. 22-28, the four top live-action movies — Kingsman: The Golden Circle, American Assassin, It and mother! — contained 212 incidents of gun violence, 108 of them involving automatic weapons similar to the ones used by Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock.
— The Hollywood Reporter, 10/10/17

And they sure make gun violence look pretty.

Of course, those who create and are paid handsomely to participate in Hollywood body counts are the first to absolve themselves of any responsibility for any actions their television shows, movies and/or video games may inspire.

It’s absurd for a movie director or game designer to say, “This is just entertainment; it doesn’t mean anything.” And just as television and movies can affect how we think about love or work or death or beauty, they might be able to change how we think about violence, which is why those who produce our culture should be as thoughtful as possible about all the messages they send.
— Paul Waldman, Washington Post opinion writer

Any media outlet that recites there’s no evidence to back up the assertion that violent sensory overload of onscreen violence doesn’t desensitize thus may inspire consumers to carry it out, is probably owned by a corporation that produces and distributes them. Any admission of responsibility could open them up for numerous, massive lawsuits (which is why no entertainment company will EVER make such a declaration).

The news and information media should acknowledge the proven scientific connection between virtual violence and real-world aggression and the current consensus of credentialed experts in this field and should avoid equating unscientific opinions and industry marketing tracts with peer-reviewed and vetted scientific research.
— American Academy of Pediatrics, 10/1/16

Some scientific consensus’ are given more credibility than others.

Gun control is never a political talking point in need of another national discussion when the body count gets into the dozens in black neighborhoods over a weekend in a gun-controlled Democrat district, or even when a Republican congressman is shot during a baseball practice by a Bernie Sanders supporter.

What’s most hypocritical is that those using Las Vegas as a rallying cry for gun control are some of the most protected people in the country; celebrities who consider themselves more important than “ordinary people” and are most probably shielded by someone with… wait for it… a gun.

As for our concerned politicians expressing outrage today, they do so within federal buildings with armed guards and metal detectors because they also deem themselves more special than those who are forced to pay for their salaries and protection.

Oscars Security: LAPD Will Have Over 500 Officers On Hand at Red Carpet
More than 500 officers will be on hand, many of them working overtime, to ensure the safety of the 90th Academy Awards, along with firefighters, police helicopters and agents from the FBI. Private security guards from Security Industry Specialists will work the inside of the theater.

The city of L.A. bills the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for security, street closures, and other expenses related to the event. This year, the cost is $340,000, up from $300,000 for the last several years.

We’re patiently waiting for the first noble celebrity to announce he or she has disarmed a bodyguard to show they are going to abide by what they’re calling for the rest of us to live with… at taxpayer expense.

2000: 10 celebrity candidates for exile if Bush wins
2008: Celebrities who promise to move out of the USA when McCain wins

No explanation, no apologies for their word not being worth a damn; just the assurance that in four years, they’ll be back again sharing their political brilliance and hoping just ONE person will say they’ll be missed if they issue another empty threat that will deny us of their all-important presence.

2016

Below is the 2016 edition of the privileged waiting for someone, ANYONE, to publicly beg them not to flee the country if their candidate didn’t win the presidential election.

 

 
We wondered about a class action lawsuit only because it could be argued the thought of some of these “entertainers” fleeing was juicy incentive for many hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Americans to get out and vote for Donald Trump. It could’ve been considered fraud, at the least, as they reneged (again).

So when’s the flight? Celebrities who pledged to leave the U.S. if the Donald won including Lena Dunham, Amy Schumer and Miley Cyrus stay silent as Trump supporters mock on Twitter

Many of these narcissistic celebrities assumed the places they announced (Italy, other planets, “hell”) they’d move to actually wanted them and all the baggage self-important divas brought. Of course, when the election was over and they didn’t get the result they wanted, they reverted back to their traditional response: they were “joking” or some have just gone into hiding hoping we’ll not hold them to their word, again .

Just kidding: Stars change their minds after vowing to leave country if Donald Trump wins
Amy Schumer hits out at stars for threatening to LEAVE America now Donald Trump is President after Spain ‘joke’

I’m not leaving the country I was born and raised in.
— Whoopi Goldberg

Sure, whatever.

Some celebs have lashed out at a general public that didn’t drop everything and do as they were instructed: vote for Hillary.

Most of the Hollywood elite don’t have a single nice thing to say about any Republican or their voters… except when THEY want us to pay to see their movies television show, download their “music”, buy a product they’re pimping, or bow to a candidate their wisdom dictates we must support.

Then they “act” all nice.

When they don’t get what they demanded, it will be back to Republican/Trump-bashing at the first opportunity.

A couple of those publicly (and proudly) decided to pass on performing for the incoming President of the United States.

We’re not advocating a boycott of anything these “celebrities” participate in or produce, but here’s one thing to think about: these people WILL take any opportunity to use a vehicle to bash Republican and/or conservative ideals during one of their performances or productions and more times than not, that message will be aimed at your politically-naive, easily-awed kids.

Just something to consider.

2020

They’re at it again, assuming there are millions of people who will be all put out if they REALLY leave this time, while some arrogantly believe they speak for others….

John Legend says that Americans ‘will have to start thinking about going somewhere else’ if Trump is reelected
Rock star Tommy Lee says he’ll leave the country if Trump is reelected
Bruce Springsteen Says He’ll Leave the Country if Trump is Reelected

How arrogant these people are that wherever they decide to flee to, the people there actually want them. Of course, should Donald Trump win reelection, you won’t hear shit from these people when they don’t leave.

It’ll be like their words never had any meaning (or weight) at all.