January 4, 2023
LOS ANGELES – K-pop stars IU and BTS’ Jungkook have made it to Rolling Stone’s 200 Greatest Singers Of All Time list.
The American music and pop culture magazine released its list on Sunday, which it said took into account originality, influence, the depth of the artistes’ catalogues and the breadth of their musical legacies.
Rolling Stone called IU, who was at No. 135, “one of the most highly regarded vocalists in South Korean music”.
“Despite having a soft voice, she has a wide range, a powerful delivery and a versatility that’s allowed her to move easily from bossa nova to nineties chamber pop and jazz to ballads,” said the magazine of the 29-year-old singer-actress.
Jungkook was listed at No. 191, the only member of K-pop band BTS to make the list.
The magazine said the 25-year-old “boasts a long list of talents – he is a strong performer, (has) written several songs, and is known to be extremely hardworking and humble despite the success he’s experienced at such an early age”.
Late Pakistani vocal master Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (No. 91) and Indian playback singer Lata Mangeshkar (No. 84) were among the Asian names on the list dominated by American and British singers.
Topping the list was Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, while coming in at No. 2 was American singer Whitney Houston, one of the best-selling music artistes of all time.
Other female singers on the list included Billie Holiday (No. 4), Mariah Carey (No. 5), Beyonce (No. 8) and Adele (No. 22).
However, the omission of Canadian singer Celine Dion has sparked outrage, with some netizens calling it “a Titanic mistake”, referring to Dion’s mega hit, My Heart Will Go On, from the 1997 blockbuster movie.
Jamie Lambert, a producer, promoter and recording artiste, tweeted: “Respectfully, not including Celine Dion, arguably the best vocal technician of all time, in this list is borderline treasonous.”