While I suppose I can't argue with Aretha Franklin taking the number one spot atop Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers of All Time list there are more than a few "singers" listed that blow my mind. Putting Elvis in at number 3 and John Lennon at number 5 is tragic. Don't get me wrong - they were both incredibly talented musicians and performers, but top 5-worthy singers?

The panel of 179 "experts" did the ranking and the only thing weirder than the arbitrary number of people in their panel is the fact that Bob Dylan was listed as the number 7 greatest singer of all time.

There is no way on earth that there is only one woman in the top ten regardless of whether or not she is placed in the number one spot. Where is Mariah Carey? Whitney Houston? Janice Joplin? Rufus Wainwright (not a woman - but where is he)? Hell, where is Kelly Clarkson?

Obviously the Rolling Stone definition of "singer" is vastly different than my own. Jonathan Lethem's accompanying RS article, "What Makes a Great Singer?", baffles the mind. He says, "Contrary to anything you've heard, the ability to actually carry a tune is in no regard a disability in becoming a rock & roll singer, only a mild disadvantage." Wait, what? Contrary to what I've heard? Was I busy huffing glue when the world decided Lou Reed's voice is like the sound of angel wings fluttering? The man sounds like he's been gargling lava for forty years. There is a time and place for that kind of gruff story-telling. When I think of the greatest singers of all time I think of voices that make my tummy go in knots; the ones that can tell a story even without intelligent lyrics to take you to a space outside of your immediate world.

Putting together my own list of 100 or even 10 of the greatest singers of all time is something I wouldn't want to task myself with. Still, I'd be interested in hearing what some of your picks would be (in no particular order).