Thus we know that the average age of most of those involved in the selection was about 40, and the staff that “chimed in” with random “historical” picks was probably even younger. Clearly they didn’t do any serious research. You can approach such a list two ways if you want any integrity. One is to rank the vocalists by actual singing excellence, rating by vocal quality, range, phrasing, presentation and versatility. The other is to rate them by popularity and impact on the culture. This list does neither. It would have had more credibility if it did not just throw in random singing stars from decades ago that were apparently picked out of a hat. Fine: it’s primarily a list made up of singers this pool of “experts” were familiar with due to a too narrow exposure to popular music history. Don’t pretend it is anything else.

For example, Patsy Cline made the list, because Patsy Cline died tragically mid-career. Brenda Lee had a longer career, more hits, a freak voice, and whether anyone thinks Patsy could out-sing her is a matter of taste. You know who else isn’t on the list? Connie Francis, whom I dedicated a post to here. She was a crossover artist with a unique voice who sold over 200 million records, The Fifties and early Sixties were the decades of great soloists, but you’d never know it from the “100 Best.” Missing from the list: Buddy Holly, Nat King Cole, Harry Belafonte, and Tony Williams, the amazing tenor of “The Platters” in songs like “Only You.”Also missing: Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Perry Como, Andy Williams and Frankie Lane. On the female side, the list omits Rosemary Clooney, Barbara Cook, Doris Day and Pattie Page, the top-charting female vocalist and best-selling female artist of the 1950s. Her signature song “Tennessee Waltz“is the best selling song of the 1950s by a female artist and one of the biggest-selling singles of the 20th century. The response of the Consequence selectors: “Who?”

Barbra Streisand is widely recognized as having, at her prime, a historically remarkable singing voice. The list of the “hundred best” doesn’t include her. It doesn’t include Judy Garland, another iconic voice, or Julie Andrews. No, not Linda Ronstadt either, or Dusty Springfield.

Bob Dylan makes the list, with one of the most annoying voices in music history. Joan Baez, the most iconic female folk singer doesn’t. Neither does Al Jolson, which is I chalk up to pure ignorance, but the most absurd omission of all, is, without question, Bing Crosby. He had a spectacular and immediately recognizable voice that maintained much of its range and power into his Seventies. Bing was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide (both Sinatra and Elvis—they did make the list— would say the he was the greatest influence on their singing) and a leader in record sales, network radio ratings, and motion picture grosses from 1926 to 1977 as well as a global cultural icon. Crosby recorded more than 1,600 songs, including what is still the best selling single of all time, “White Christmas.”

But the experts polled didn’t consider him one of the 100 best vocalists of all time.

I will grant this wretched collection this: #1, Freddie Mercury, is a defensible choice for the first slot.