Bands you want to like but can't get past the lead singer's voice

Have many PJ Proby records...that's a brag, not a complaint.

 

Saw him live once...

 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Pere Ubu. Someone asked me if I liked them yesterday and I said I just can't get past David Thomas's voice.

Two others are Natalie Merchant and Thom Yorke. I saw a video that Thom Yorke made that pretty much changed my mind about his voice, but I still don't get it with Radiohead. Sorry I don't remember the video. Can't find it on YouTube.

Many people like these artists so they sound great to others, but just not to me.

 

Van der Graaf Generator. Can't listen to them at all.
And Television comes really close but Marquee Moon is such an amazing album I can overlook the vocals (overhear the vocals?).

 

Absolutely, Scott was fun to listen to, too bad he OD'd so soon

 

One of my favorite LZ songs but I hear ya on the helium vocals. I've never heard an explanation as to who or why someone felt the need to muck with Plant's vocals.

I couldn't stand Chris Cornell's voice for the longest time. Then he came down a few notches in the vocal register around BMF and now he's one of my favorite vocalists. Funny thing, that.

 

Van Hagar

 

Death has made amazing music, but as soon as Chuck's vocals kick in I'm done. And I have no issues with truly any other extreme metal vocalist.

I try about once year and hope I get it one day. Been doing that since the early 90ies but no luck yet.

 

The Smashing Pumpkins and Megadeth are obvious answers in this thread.

The voices of singers like Steven Tyler and Chris Cornell, while talented with wide ranges, can get seriously exhausting to listen to.

This is especially true on their bloated 90s albums that each feature 13+songs, most of which are four minutes long with multitracked vocals singing/screaming throughout.

Seriously... trying to listen to albums like Get a Grip, Nine Lives, SuperUnknown and/or Down on the Upside is an exhausting effort for the ears as the songs/albums are so long and both Tyler and Cornell yell and scream so damn much.

 

'70s Austrian prog band Paternoster had a cool, heavy sound dominated by organ, but the vocals really get in the way of my enjoyment. The vocalist sounds for all the world like a whiny, depressed Elmer Fudd and the lyrics are often ridiculous. On my first listen I wondered whether this was a parody of some sort.

 

Raven
Echo and the Bunnymen- Reverberation only
King Diamond

 

Dylan's voice from the mid 80's to the present.

 

Pavement- Try harder! Ha

Dinosaur Jr.- For me he sounds like how Eeyore would sound fronting a rock band.

The Darkness- I’ve seen them live and it was a fun show. I think Justin is a talented musician but the albums aren’t as enjoyable because of the vocals.

Iron Maiden- I own a handful of albums and I’ve seen them live twice. I just would like them more if I could get past Bruce’s yelling-strained-operatic -dramatic vocals.

Pearl Jam- I was a big fan early on and have seen them a handful of times.. but Eddie started changing his singing style.
It’s been said he became more Neil Young influenced.. he added some kind of folky over-singing stylings that I really don’t like at all. The first three albums don’t annoy me at all.

Nada Surf- They’ve got a solid catalog but the bland thin vocals stop me from liking them more. I actually like his talking voice on Popular more than his singing voice.

The Cult- I always thought Ian sounded like Glen Danzig. I heard Mother on MTV and I’d get that mixed up with The Cult and didn’t like it. So I didn’t get into them early on. But always thought they were a band I should like. I’ve been streaming a few Cult albums for the last few years off and on. I just picked up the Ceremony at resale and feel I should have left it.

 

Modest Mouse. Catchy songs and Johnny Marr (for a while)? Right up my street until I hear the singer's voice.

 

Talk Talk. That warbly voice drives me nuts.

 

Elmer Fudd! Ha! I can’t unhear that.

 

King Diamond for me. It’s just a little too over the top for my taste.

 

You're thinking of Greta Van Thunberg.

 

Iron Maiden with Bruce Dickinson. No matter how hard I try, I don't like the timbre of his voice.

 

Agreed. Some top music but His Majesty himself, is an acquired taste.

 

I like him but he has a very singular style so I can understand why somebody else wouldn't.

 

I consider him an excellent vocalist technically, but I can't enjoy his performances.

 

No way, Jose! Although I used to watch Greta Van Susteren every once in a while.

 

Entirely fair enough.

 

Radiohead (by far worst case)

Pearl Jam

Van der Graaf Generator

Talking Heads

Dylan