Why new female singers can’t sing

August 17, 2023 Alan Cross 0 Comments

That’s a harsh headline, but it does try to make a point. Hear me out.

I was at the gym the other day when Janis Joplin’s “Me and Bobby McGee” came on. About halfway through the song, I thought “Someone with a voice like that would never get signed today. All people seem to want are female singers that pretty much sound the same.”

Other singers came to mind: Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Bjork, Cher, Bonnie Tyler–even Whitney Houston and Celine Dion. They all have distinctive voices that don’t really fit in with contemporary trends.

I was still thinking about why this is the case when I ran across this video. Does this answer any questions?

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

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