JOHN Farnham has been voted Australia's greatest singer of all time, but who else made the cut? See the full list here.

1. John Farnham

HE'S the voice, and it seems his contemporaries do not need to try and understand it, they just accept it. John Farnham has blitzed our poll of Australia's most popular singer as voted by Australian singers.

The result sees Farnham, 63, confirming his status as the singer’s singer.

"John Farnham could sing the phone book and it would sound great," Jimmy Barnes says. "He is shy and unsure of his abilities sometimes but we mere mortals will probably never know this because his voice is so damn good."

Delta Goodrem said she will forever be inspired by Farnham’s voice. "He has timeless songs and a range that is out of this world."

Farnham’s voice left many vocalists in awe. "For a man to be able to sing that high with such ease is just not normal,” Ricki-Lee said. "His range is incredible but it’s the tone of his voice that gets me the most, it’s so smooth and evokes so much emotion."

David Campbell said Farnham was "the man who showed boys they could use their range" and pointed to 1980’s Please Don’t Ask Me as an example of his power. "The years in theatre and that extraordinary range help communicate a simple pop song to epic heartbreak."

"When it comes to male singers, you don’t get better than John Farnham in this country…. End chapter, close book!," Anthony Callea said. Missy Higgins summed up a general feeling on Farnham’s prowess by stating "I mean, nothing can touch Farnsey. He’s the voice!"

Ross Wilson, who wrote Farnham’s A Touch of Paradise, said he was "freaked out" by the way Farnham sings so effortlessly. "Yes, he is The Voice and that fricking TV show full of wannabes ought to find a new name and restore his title."

2. Bon Scott

media_camera Bon Scott.

Great voices never die and AC/DC frontman Bon Scott has left an indelible mark on those who saw encountered his, either live or posthumously. "Bon Scott is a total legend," says Lee Kernaghan. "Nobody’s done it better since."

Singers praised Scott for his take no prisoners attitude, authenticity and the fact that his voice - and lyrics - are unmistakable and timeless. Baby Animals singer Suze DeMarchi was also impressed by his stature. "Anyone who was that short and could sing that loud is a winner."

"The weasel on heat was a street poet with his own sound and a sense of humour; qualities I admire," Ross Wilson said."Good rock singing is an art and more difficult than most people imagine. It helped that he had an incredible band to sing with."

Hoodoo Gurus’ singer Dave Faulkner said Scott was a genius. "Bon's combination of cheek, wit and balls made everything he did unforgettable. He was also a brilliant songwriter. Do I really need to say any more about the genius of Bon Scott? We were very lucky to have him."

Melbourne’s Dan Brodie sums Scott up thus "raw, laconic, tough, funny, romantic, lover, fighter...Australian."

3. Tina Arena

media_camera Tina Arena.

Sometimes a voice the country has grown up with gets taken for granted. However Tina Arena’s contemporaries are acutely aware of her gift. Arena, now 45, has been sharing her voice with Australia since she started on Young Talent Time as a seven year old. She remains one of our most successful female singers internationally and is working on a new original album. Delta Goodrem praised Arena’s voice as one of her favorite singers from Australia. "Her voice has strength whilst keeping its feminine warmth to draw you in."

Melbourne singer/songwriter Michael Paynter hailed Arena as "simultaneously the most natural and supernatural female Australian voice ever. She is technically and emotionally perfect, but somehow always has enough of a sniff of imperfection and rawness to make you not only believe every word, but be hanging off them too." Ricki-Lee said she taught herself to sing by listening to Arena’s Don’t Ask album. "I would just sing along over and over and over and try and hit all the notes and nail every run. She has so much control and power but the most important thing for a great singer is showing restraint. Just because you can belt it doesn't mean you have to do it all the time." Missy Higgins says Tina Arena is "one of our best singers ever. She could sing the balls off anyone, and she's miniature." Brian Mannix says Arena has a "tasteful" voice. "She sells the lyrics with her big voice but never over-sings."

Birds of Tokyo frontman says "Tina Arena can sing the s--- out of anything, and do it in four different languages!" Anthony Callea, who has toured with Arena, has an insider’s perspective. "Technically, she is faultless and her tone is unique and warm. I love that she goes against all the 'singers’ rules’ - I’ve seen what she eats and drinks before a gig!"

4. Michael Hutchence

media_camera Michael Hutchence.

Another iconic Australian voice sadly only enjoyed in the past, Hutchence was the voice behind our biggest rock band, INXS. The band have struggled to get past his legacy, but behind the headlines and waistlines he has been remembered as one of our finest vocalists by his peers.

"Michael was a sassy rock singer who just oozed sex and style," Daryl Braithwaite said. The Superjesus’ Sarah McLeod was won over by Hutchence’s vocals. "Michael was all about tone and sex. His voice was so alluring, I liked him the best when he sang down low, that’s when he got me." Kids in the Kitchen frontman Scott Carne toured with INXS in the '80s. "He was the Lizard King of the '80s," Carne recalls. "A cool performer and a great singer live, so much passion in his voice. And a chick magnet to boot."

Suze DeMarchi liked Hutchence’s style. "He had a beautiful tone and knew his way around a song. You could hear the sentiment in his voice when he sang. All round rock god." Musician Phil Ceberano points to more beyond just his swagger. "He was an international rock star but a great white soul/rock singer in his own right." Michael Paynter said Hutchence was the "ultimate frontman". "Not only was he arguably the sexiest voice to ever leave these shores Michael Hutchence personified what it meant to become the song."

5. Jimmy Barnes

media_camera Jimmy Barnes. Picture: Adam Ward

We’ve had Farnsey, now comes Barnsey. He has been praised for his passion as well as his trademark power. "He has always been able to make a song start really powerful and take it where no man has dared to go," country star Troy Cassar-Daley said. "His voice volume is legendary and has always been a yardstick as far as rock n roll singers go, just try and keep up with him and you will lose!"

Daryl Braithwaite points out it’s not just pub rock. "Jimmy has one of the best rock voices in Australia but he has a lovely softer voice as well." Sarah McLeod hinted at some envy at Barnes’ range. "Not only does Jimmy have a great blues feel he can really wail, he hits really high notes, even as a girl it’s hard to reach where Jimmy can go!"

The final word to his son, David Campbell. "Especially in the Chisel years he had the pure high tones of a classic soul singer. Have a close listen to Choir Girl again. Or the feel of isolation to ironic rage in Four Walls. Masterful stuff."

6. Guy Sebastian

media_camera Guy Sebastian

The youngest singer in the Top 10, Guy Sebastian has made a major impression since winning the inaugural Australian Idol ten years ago. Sebastian has relied on his talent to silence an endless string of haters and his vocal and songwriting skills have now seen credibility added to his truckload of record sales. Delta Goodrem calls Sebastian’s voice "phenomenal". "He can do anything and everything with his instrument," she says.

His work at introducing soul music to a younger generation has not gone unnoticed either. "The guy is a Memphis soul singer in a pop star's body," Michael Paynter says. "He has amazing vocal chops," says Andrew Da Silva.

"When you hear Guy's voice you know it's him," Australia's Got Talent star Jack Vidgen says. "It's just so distinct. I grew up loving all of his ballads and remember voting for him on Australian Idol when I was six years old!" Missy Higgins has been won over by Sebastian. "Holy crap Guy's voice is awesome. I'm pretty sure he can sing 18 notes in half a second. Some seriously fine tonsils there."

Mental as Anything’s Greedy Smith says Sebastian is just starting to come into his own. "He’s getting even better because he’s writing for his own voice now." And Grinspoon frontman Phil Jamieson sums it by saying "he is undeniable. He never f---s up."

7. Renee Geyer

media_camera Renee Geyer

Melbourne soul queen Renee Geyer was a must-pick for her contemporaries. "As BB King once said about her, 'That girl sings her ass off’," recalls Dave Faulkner. "Renee added class and guts to Australian music in equal measure. Her Ready to Deal album is a masterpiece."

Missy Higgins’ said Geyer’s singing voice cannot be touched. "She has the gravelly, smokey, torn-apart voice of a woman who has seen it all, and then some." Bachelor Girl’s Tania Doko said Geyer’s soul is immeasurable. "She’s real and wears it all on her sleeve, you’re almost cold blooded if you’re not moved by THAT voice."

Kate Ceberano compared Geyer’s voice to a freak of nature. "Listening to her sing like Sister Rosetta and James Brown all at once is really mindblowing!" Jimmy Barnes remembers seeing Renee in his youth and the impact her voice had. "She was a young girl and I was a young man. The difference between us was that even at that tender age Renee had found the direct route between her heart her soul and her voice while I was fumbling in the dark waiting for a sign. I got a sign, a sign that said to me that what I was trying to do would be difficult and painful but if I could speak from my heart and not my ego it would be worth it. That sign was in the form of Renee Geyer."

8. Sia Furler

media_camera Sia Furler.



Ironically Adelaide’s Sia Furler is more popular now that she’s effectively retired from live performances and being a popstar. Now writing for A-list pop stars like Rihanna and Kylie, Furler’s guide vocals on Titanium were so impressive dance producer David Guetta kept her on the track rather than Mary J Blige. However Sia’s history stretches back to funk and soul acts in Adelaide, through to work with UK act Zero 7 and her own quirky pop career. "She has power, bite and fun," Ella Hooper says. "Real freshness, attitude and believability - they’re game-changing attributes for the (dance) genre she’s in."

"She has such power and versatility in her voice," Delta Goodrem says. Damien Leith said "She’s an incredible songwriter and an electrifying vocalist."

Ricki-Lee said her favorite Sia song is her ballad Breathe Me. "She has such an unusual voice and its really commands attention and cuts right through you to the heart and you feel every single word she sings." Suze DeMarchi is a longtime Sia follower. "She just sings with unfaltering conviction. She is kind of unparralled. I love her."

9. Chrissie Amphlett

media_camera Chrissy Amphlett and Mark McEntee from The Divinyls perfom at Fremantle Oval. Picture: Getty

Dave Faulkner of the Hoodoo Gurus calls "the divine Miss A" a musical force of nature. And the Divinyls frontwoman has many fans among her peers. "Chrissie is a massive influence on me with her delicious blend of rock, melancholy, and breathy, gravel tones - I believe her every word," says Tania Doko. Icehouse’s Iva Davies, who has recorded with Amphlett, points to her impact on the local music scene from the early '80s onwards. "Chrissy dared to go where no other female Australian rock singer had every gone before. She was challenging, and confronting, as well as a brassy rock and roll lady."

Ella Hooper, who fronted Killing Heidi, was one of the many Australian singers inspired by Amphlett’s trail blazing. "Like a purring kitten that might bite your finger off, Chrissy has snap, crackle and pop! An electric and electrifying voice, oodles of sass and ability, but she never over-sings which I love." Kate Ceberano picked Amphlett as her all-time favorite singer/songwriter/artist. "She exemplifies what it means to be a complete story. Bold, courageous, sexy and powerful! What a combo." And as Phil Jamieson pinpoints "that venom – brilliant!"

10. Neil and Tim Finn

media_camera Singers Tim and Neil Finn.

No stranger to being claimed as Australian, Neil and Finn have spread much of their musical DNA around local studios and stages. However while their songwriting is regularly honoured, the Finn’s contemporaries talk in hushed tones about his voice. "Neil and Tim Finn’s harmonies on the Woodface album are incredible," Evermore’s Jon Hume says. Megan Washington opts for Tim Finn by a whisker. "Tim is one of my favourite singers on the planet, not just in Australia. He has a fragility and sincerity in his voice that I could listen to forever."

Russell Morris points out Neil has "plaintive appeal - very Beatleish." Ross Wilson is impressed with their long careers. "With their melodies, harmonies, brilliant songs and execution, together and apart they changed the pop landcape round these here parts. Neil seems like the happy bro but an examination of their themes and lyrics reveals a lotta Dirty Creatures residing in both houses." Brian Mannix opts for Neil Finn saying "everything just sounds so effortless for him."

Angie Hart says "I believe anything Neil wants to sing to me. Warm and confident. A singer from the heart."

11. Daniel Johns

media_camera Singer and guitarist Daniel Johns of the band Silverchair. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Thrust into the spotlight as an angsty teenager fronting Silverchair, Daniel Johns has bloomed before our eyes - and ears. His contemporaries are impressed with the different shades to his distinctive voice. "I love how Daniel can sing in every area of his voice be it rocking out in full throttle or tapping into his falsetto," Delta Goodrem says. "His talent is one of a kind."

Daryl Braithwaite is a fan. "Daniel’s voice has a distinctive timbre," Daryl says. Rapper Seth Sentry was inspired by early Silverchair. "Daniel just keeps re-inventing himself. Tomorrow is my go-to guitar riff at parties." Kasey Chambers chose Johns as one of her favorites. "In my eyes the greatest Australian singers of all time are not necessarily always the most technically perfect singers but ones who sing from a place of pure heart and soul that I cannot help but be inspired by."

Birds of Tokyo’s Ian Kenny says Johns is a hero of his. "He’s just getting better and better."

12. The Bee Gees

media_camera The Bee Gees .. Maurice , Barry and Robin Gibb circa 1970. Picture: Getty

Another we’ll claim as our own, most people couldn’t separate the three brothers, with sadly only one still standing. "Wonderful voices on their own but why choose one when you can have all three," Angus McDonald of Sneaky Sound System says. "Incredible songwriters to boot." Ross Wilson points to what’s known as blood harmonies in the business. "They had that sibling sound and you can't beat that when it comes to harmonising. Amazingly the three brothers had unique individual voices too."

"Not since the Beach Boys have harmonies taken over the world," David Campbell notes. "And like Brian Wilson, Barry Gibb’s melodies made the songs timeless."

13. Stevie Wright

media_camera Stevie Wright of the Easy Beats. Picture: File

Stevie was the voice, heart and soul of the Easybeats in the '60s, before forging a solo career. "It was the levels of his voice and the distances it could travel, just in Evie parts 1,2 & 3 alone which make him one of the best for me," says David Campbell. Hoodoo Gurus frontman Dave Faulkner cites Wright and the Easybeats as a major inspiration.

"They were the first Australian rock band to capture the attention of the world at large. Paul McCartney famously heard Friday On My Mind on his car radio and he immediately pulled over and phoned the BBC demanding that they play it again (which they did). Stevie's voice was a crucial part of the musical landscape when I was growing up in the '60s. The Easybeats made us proud then and they still do." Phil Ceberano thinks Wright’s appeal is simple. "Just play Friday on My Mind. Enough said."

14. Paul Kelly

media_camera Paul Kelly.

Sometimes the best voices aren’t always technically perfect. Ella Hooper says Paul Kelly has "a slightly honky, charmingly nasal delivery" which creates "an utterly believable, warm and wise tone." Longtime Paul Kelly fan Missy Higgins says his voice is so distinctive you’d recognise it anywhere."It's like a wood-wind instrument with the Aussie accent," she says.

Something For Kate’s Paul Dempsey points to Kelly’s comforting voice. "Paul's singing voice is so sparing and simple, it's like the voice of an old friend. It immediately puts you at ease so you can just relax and take in what's being shared/told/related…" Kate Ceberano compared Kelly’s voice to Woodie Guthrie and Bob Dylan in capturing the soul of Australia. "He makes honest observations of everyday conditions. Powerful stuff."

Angie Hart notes "Paul was born to tell stories. He is talking to you, while he's singing."

15. Vanessa Amorosi

media_camera Vanessa Amorosi



The local industry loves the Melbourne singer/songwriter who has grown up in public. "One day Vanessa will find an unbelievable song to match her unbelievable voice," Daryl Braithwaite says.

" She has one of the greatest rock chick voices of our time," Anthony Callea said. "Every time I hear Vanessa sing, her power, range and control blows me away. This chick does not need auto-tune."

Ricki-Lee is another Amorosi fan. "Her range on record is ridiculous but she’s even better live." Jack Vidgen is a big fan of her power ballads. "Her voice and power just astounds me," he says. "Vanessa has one of the best female voices in the world," says Shannon Noll.

"Vanessa’s vocals are effortless and her tone and vibrato perfect," Troy Cassar-Daley says. "She can do the Janice Joplin thing which is great but when she sings soft she has a vulnerable quality in there that kills me every time."

16. Jessica Mauboy

media_camera Jessica Mauboy



Just 23, Mauboy’s seized the attention of Australia since being discovered on Australian Idol in 2006. As well as an endless string of singles on radio, she’s now expanding into movies with The Sapphires taking her from singing modern R&B to retro soul. It seems her talents have not gone unnoticed among her peers. "This sister girl can wipe the floor with most singers on this planet," Cassar-Daley says. "She proved it before Idol when I saw her at Tamworth one year, her work on The Sapphires showed another soulful side to her already multi-layered voice. She is going to be one to watch internationally."

"She has a beautiful soul voice with effortless ease," says Andrew Da Silva. "I love the way she does her riffs and vocal runs and try and love trying to emulate them," fan Jack Vidgen notes. Tim Campbell points to her "incredible" R&B instincts. "Even at her most exhausted - and she works a ridiculous amount - she can still tear a song a new one!"

17. Nick Cave

media_camera Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds will tour Australia.

Melbourne’s darkest musical export is hailed for his songwriting, but he has many of his peers gushing about his vocals. "Nick Cave has resonance and gravitas. An almost thespian like tragi-comic delivery of the lyrics," Ella Hooper says. "He just has such a distinct and interesting voice," says Brooke Addamo, aka Owl Eyes.

18. Connie Mitchell (Sneaky Sound System)

media_camera Connie Mitchell from the group 'Sneaky Sound System'. Picture: Universal

First getting attention in rock band Primary, Mitchell had a musical second wind as the singer in dance act Sneaky Sound System. Her voice is so powerful Kanye West has used her on several of his records - she’s singing the title on his hit Flashing Lights. "Connie is an incredible singer," X Factor winner Samantha Jade says. "So creative and out of the box."

Tania Doko says she learns from Mitchell’s diversity. "She experiments vocally, can do anything with her voice. She has that insatiable, modern X factor sound that travels globally." Ella Hooper is also a disciple. "She’s a powerhouse. A wild woman with a wild voice to match. Spunky and huge in scope, her voice can growl and soar - and blow your hair back." Her Sneaky bandmate Angus McDonald knows her talents well. "She is the best female in the business. I've found it very hard to work with anyone else because she is just so damn good."

19. Katie Noonan

media_camera Katie Noonan.

First seducing the nation as the singer in George, Noonan has embarked on an interesting career path, from jazz to occasional collisions with pop charts. "Right from the beginning she has stamped 'class' on her career," Icehouse’s Iva Davies says of Noonan. "Very few people achieve the control, range and dynamic supported be flawless technique, and among the pantheon of female singers she could easily claim a place next to the great Joni Mitchell in that regard."

Michael Paynter said Noonan has one of the best jazz voices Australia has ever produced. "Her voice is as smooth as it is ethereally resonant." Or as Damien Leith points out, "She has the voice of an angel."

Kate Ceberano said Noonan has her dream voice. "Katie is like the voice I have in my dreams. Soaring and no note too impossible to reach. She makes something so difficult seem so easy. Her voice is the sound of wonder to me."

20. Gurrumul

media_camera Gurrumul.

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunipingu arrived with minimum fuss but maximum impact in 2008. Singing about his culture in his own tongue, he’s stunned audiences across the world. "Listening to Gurrumul sing is a spiritual experience," Missy Higgins says. "He is transcendent."

"Gurrumul definitely has one of the most natural and unique voices I’ve ever heard," Damien Leith notes. "Warm and soulful, it touches right to the core."

21. Suze De Marchi

media_camera Suze de Marchi.

The frontwoman of the Baby Animals was tagged as one of the toughest female voice this country has produced by many singers polled. "She wails," Ella Hooper says. "Raw, warm, strong and super sexy."

The Superjesus’ Sarah McLeod notes "Suze has got great feel and rock tone and that’s what it’s all about, feel and tone."

22. Daryl Braithwaite

media_camera Daryl Braithwaite.

Hoodoo Gurus’ frontman Dave Faulkner says in the '70s he was always a Sherbet fan over their rivals Skyhooks due to Daryl Braithwaite’s voice. "Atmospheric while still approachable," adds Greedy Smith of Mental as Anything. "Daryl’s voice is technically flawless with a killer falsetto."

23. Sarah Blasko

media_camera Sarah Blasko.

Blasko’s voice has been pinpointed as immediately distinct, with many admiring they way she’s steered her career from day one. "Sarah has a beautiful voice that comes out of her with total class, control and composure," Paul Dempsey of Something For Kate says.

24. Iva Davies

media_camera Iva Davies.

After putting Icehouse on hold for many years, their frontman Iva Davies has reminded many of his vocal prowess. "Iva has the ultimate brooding 80's pop voice," Michael Paynter says. "That stark, uncomplicated simplicity requires so much control and maturity. He can communicate so much by doing seemingly so little."

25. Ian Moss

media_camera Ian Moss.



The 'other' voice from Cold Chisel wasn’t missed by his peers. "Ian was the ‘other’ voice in Cold Chisel but when he sang he always elevated the band to further heights," Iva Davies says. Meanwhile that ‘other’ voice, Jimmy Barnes, says Moss’ voice, like his guitar work, comes straight from his soul with no filter. "Sometmes I believe those signs I saw scattered through the Chisel audience saying 'Mossy is God'," Barnes adds.

26. Doug Parkinson

media_camera Doug Parkinson.

One of the biggest voices in the country, and also one of the most popular among his peers, who are quick to note Parkinson has lost none of his power. "His voice is so rich and recognisable and beautiful," says Daryl Braithwaite. "A voice so big and so soulful can’t be ignored," notes Russell Morris.

27. Glenn Shorrock

media_camera Glenn Shorrock.

The voice, heart and soul of Little River Band, who Greedy Smith accurately notes has "a voice like runny honey".

"He still sounds great," says Ross Wilson. "His range and delivery put him on the world charts but he understands how to handle a harmony. Believe me, a lot of lead vocalists are crap when it comes to doing harmonies."

28. Darren Hayes

media_camera Darren Hayes.

His voice helped propel Savage Garden to the top of the US charts. Twice. "His voice has such engaging textures you believe every word he sings," Delta Goodrem notes. Brian Mannix pointed out Hayes’ "unlimited" range. "I was amazed at how he sang live and then bastard jumps up another octave!"

Anthony Callea is another fan. "His voice is sensitive, honest and draws you in in a very unique way."

29. Colin Hay

media_camera Colin Hay.

Kate Ceberano says the former Men at Work singer has transformed into more than just a vocalist. "He’s like a bard these days, wise and full of rock and roll road stories," she says. Connie Mitchell of Sneaky Sound System admires his "immaculate phrasing" and says "When I hear (Men at Work’s) Overkill gosh my heart skips."

Suze DeMarchi says "the man has an iron voice box. I reckon he could sing through a tsunami."

30. Gotye

media_camera A handful . . . Gotye posing with two of three of his trophies.

The world may have only discovered Gotye, aka Wally deBacker, in the last year but his haunting voice and attention to detail have made him many fans among Australian singers for the past decade. "He sings so high and what a songwriter," Daryl Braithwaite says.

"Touring with Wally has made me even more in awe of him because his voice is seriously every bit as good live as it is on the recordings," Missy Higgins says.

31. Dan Sultan

media_camera Dan Sultan.

A singer/songwriter poised to make his commercial breakthrough, Sultan is already well respected as one of our most emotive singers. "His voice made so many people cry on first listen (myself included) that it should come with a warning," Ella Hooper says. "Stunningly rich and then uproarious, Dan has it all."

Missy Higgins loves the "rough around the edges, sexy rockabilly quality to his voice."

32. Kate Ceberano

media_camera Kate Ceberano.

Another singer plying her trade since a teenager, Kate Ceberano has impressed with her diversity. Brother Phil notes "there are very few singers in this country that are as talented as singers across the Soul/Pop, Disco, Musical Theatre and Jazz Genres than Kate." Ricki-Lee Coulter fell in love with her voice at a young age. "She is such an amazing entertainer and on stage she is so sensual and joyous, I could listen to her sing all day, her voice is like velvet."

33. Russell Morris

media_camera Russell Morris.

So much more than just The Real Thing, Russell Morris was a regular feature in the voting. "His voice has a lovely vulnerable quality and can really soar," remarks Dan Brodie. "He was one of the purest voices in the business," Ross Wilson says.

"He’s a great songwriter too and when he sings his so-called oldies they sound fresh and contemporary. His latest album Sharkmouth has cracked the ARIA Top 30 and, once again, he's carving out new territory."

34. Gerry Humphries (The Loved Ones)

media_camera Gerry Humphries.

The Loved Ones were not Australia’s most prolific bands, but frontman Gerry Humphries certainly left his mark vocally. Iva Davies said his band Icehouse tried to cover their songs several times, but struggled to match his vocal styles. "Gerry was immediately recognisable, and unlike any other voice I’d heard," Davies says.

Dave Faulkner says Humphries is "the greatest punk rock singer to come out of Australia, making only one album with The Loved Ones and then goodbye!"

35. Johnny O'Keefe

media_camera Johnny O'Keefe.

JOK launched Australian rock and roll. "He sang everything like his life depended on it," Dave Faulkner says. Ross Wilson says O’Keefe’s voice is often underrated. "I like him because he has his own sound and it really connects emotionally due to his sincerity about his mission. He really believed in what he was doing."

36. Olivia Newton-John

media_camera Olivia Newton John.

Another singer whose talents are often underrated, ONJ just lobbed behind JOK. "Olivia sings with such warmth and love while she tells stories through song, it’s no wonder the whole world will forever be in love with her magic," Delta Goodrem says.

"That sound, the warmth from such a high singer," David Campbell says. "Seducing every teenage boy and man with her sound even to this day."

37. Slim Dusty

media_camera Slim Dusty.

As Lee Kernaghan notes simply, Slim Dusty is "the king of country." Troy Cassar-Daley agrees. "He is simply the voice of Australia and that’s a fact. He is the King of all Country singers here in Australia and to me the father of country music. When Slim sang the whole of Australia listened!"

38. Stephen Cummings

media_camera Stephen Cummings.

From ground-breaking work with the Sports to a long and interesting solo career, Stephen Cummings was regularly picked as one of our most intriguing and engaging vocalists by his peers. "His voice is so relaxed and loose," Angie Hart says. "Such a beautiful, natural tone, with an edge."

39. Ross Wilson

media_camera Ross Wilson.

From Daddy Cool to Mondo Rock to his solo career, Ross Wilson is a man who still loves music, and it shows. "Ross has music as his pulse," Jimmy Barnes notes. "He hears it in every bit of this life he loves. He wants not only to share it but to bring it out of whoever he comes close to. He see's the rhythm in us all and wants to let it find it's way to our hearts and eventually to our feet. His voice can purr like a cat or growl like a caged beast. I think the beast inside is only happy when he is making music."

40. Bernard Fanning

media_camera Bernard Fanning.

Once the voice of Powderfinger, Bernard Fanning made Australian rock vocals a little more passionate. "His voice has such an amazing open and warm tone you just want to sing along with him," says Delta Goodrem. Brian Mannix says if Russell Morris has the most unique voice in Australia, Bernard Fanning is a close second. "Sincerity, tenderness and rocking, he’s got it all. And he sounds a bit like Russell Morris."

41. Adalita

media_camera Adalita.

The unmistakable voice behind Magic Dirt, and now a solo career, Adalita has many fans among our industry - several in Grinspoon. "She’s passionate and uncompromising," Grinspoon’s Phil Jamieson says. His bandmate Joe Hansen adds "Ads can roar or purr but she’s always a super powerful presence on stage. I think captivating is the word."

42. Judith Durham

media_camera Judith Durham.

The quiet achiever with the Seekers for many years, Judith Durham’s voice is often overlooked as a key to their success. "Judith's joyful, incredible voice was the single most important ingredient of their sound, a voice that is inextricably part of our cultural DNA," Dave Faulkner says. Angie Hart says Durham’s voice hasn’t lessened in power over the years. "There is a purity and a joie de vivre, that makes you want to weep and dance with a big stupid grin on your face, all at once."

43. Marc Hunter

media_camera Marc Hunter.

The late singer of Dragon, a band who relocated from New Zealand to Australia and made it big. "I’d enthusiastically claim them as honorary Australians," Iva Davies says. "I saw them early on, but later we were their support band when they were at their peak. Marc had incredible charisma on stage, as well as that beautiful husky voice. He was magnetic on stage."

44. Kasey Chambers

media_camera Kasey Chambers.

One of our best story tellers, Kasey Chambers has transcended being just a country singer with her voice and honesty. "There are a lot of young pop singers around who can really sing but they don't have life experience or any insight and what they sing about is superficial crapola," Ross Wilson notes.

"Technique cannot make up for lack of soul. Kasey is the real thing. Musical, great voice, writes excellent songs and has a whole lotta country soul. I could tell Kasey was a star from day one when I saw her in her family's Dead Ringer Band. She is a perfect example of my belief that there is never any competition: if you are great you'll rise straight up."

45. Joe Camilleri

media_camera Joe Camilleri.

His history lies with Jo Jo Zep among other bands, but Joe Camilleri is rated highly by his peers as a fine vocalist. "He’s the real deal and has been for a long time," Wilbur Wilde says. "He’s shaped the culture of Australia and continues to do so by working at the coalface."

46. Steve Kilbey

media_camera Steve Kilbey.

Longtime frontman of The Church, with a voice, like so many here, instantly recognisable no matter what genre of music he’s making. "Steve Kilbey’s voice is understated, aloof and a bit mysterious," Joe Hansen of Grinspoon points out.

47. Keith Urban

media_camera Country Music singer Keith Urban features in a karaoke video to launch his North American tour next year. (Pictutre: AFP/Gabriel Bouys)

It took judging on a TV show to exposed Keith Urban’s voice beyond the Australian country music loving audience, but his peers have been aware of his skills for a long time. "Keith’s voice wraps around you and gives you a hug, it’s so inviting, raw and honest," Delta Goodrem notes.

"If you want to listen to an honest story telling voice, with raw emotion and beautifully written lyrics, you put on a Keith Urban album," Anthony Callea says.

48. Daniel Merriweather

media_camera Daniel Merriweather.

Straight out of Melbourne, but with a voice straight out of the history of soul, Daniel Merriweather is praised for his ‘stellar’ singing and "boot load of swagger" by Ian Kenny of Birds of Tokyo. Rapper Seth Sentry first saw Merriweather at a hip hop event in Melbourne. "He was smoking a cigarette and drinking a long neck out of a brown paper bag. Then he jumped up on stage and sang like a god damn angel."

49. Billy Thorpe

media_camera Billy Thorpe.

With the Aztecs, and as a solo act, Billy Thorpe was remembered as one of our great rock and roll voices. "I watched Billy take the power that was for years just out of the common man’s reach and use it as if he was born with it," Jimmy Barnes says. "His passion and tenacity were unstoppable and infectious. I caught the bug watching him perform."

50. Jon Stevens

media_camera Jon Stevens.



Another Kiwi adopted by Australians, Stevens’ vocals have long resonated with his peers. "He has a great raw soul voice," Andrew Da Silva says.

"He has a great rock vocal, and a rich thick tone with loads of control," Sarah McLeod says.

51. Tex Perkins

52. Kylie Minogue

53. Peter Allen

54. Dale Ryder (Boom Crash Opera)

55. Jack Jones

56. Tim Rogers

57. Peter Garrett

58. Jimmy Little

59. Luke Steele (Empire of the Sun)

60. Dame Joan Sutherland

61. Archie Roach

62. Dougie Mandagi (the Temper Trap)

63. Shirley Strachan (Skyhooks)

64. David McComb (The Triffids)

65. Smokey Dawson

66. Chris Cheney (The Living End)

67. Nic Cester (Jet)

68. Gareth Liddiard (the Drones)

69. Kav Temperly (Eskimo Joe)

70. Diesel

71. Lior

72. Glenn Richards (Augie March)

73. Rowland S Howard

74. Rick Price

75. Spencer P Jones

76. Phil Jamieson (Grinspoon)

77. Ian Rilen

78. Mark Seymour

79 Lisa Gerrard

80. Robert Forster (Go-Betweens)

81. Missy Higgins

82. James Reyne

83. John Toogood (Shihad)

84. Anthony Callea

85. Grant McLennan (Go Betweens)

86. Wendy Stapleton

87. Dave Faulkner (Hoodoo Gurus)

88. Matt Walker

89. Max Merritt

90. Ed Kuepper

91. Quan Yeomans (Regurgitator)

92. Abby Dobson

93. Sally Seltmann

94. Anthony Warlow

95. Ian Kenny (Birds of Tokyo)

96. Bertie Blackman

97. Ella Hooper

98. Wendy Saddington

99. Jeremy Oxley (Sunnyboys)

100. Christine Anu

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Originally published as Australia's Top 100 singers