Absolute Best Black Female Singers of All Time
Who are the Top Black Female Singers in the history of music?
Top Black Female Singers – Anyway that you look at it black women have made an indelible mark on the history of soul music, and soul singers, R&B Music and R&B singers, race music, black music, black female singers cannot be denied.
These are the women who have taken the industry by storm since the inception of the music industry. From the Blues to Jazz to R&B the riffs, scats, octaves, and emotion black women singers have mastered over the decades have without a doubt played an integral part in the music industry it’s rich history. Like “Soul Food” we have, or at least HAD a plethora of Soul Music to choose from.
Black female singers were there during the highs and the lows of our community from the ins and outs of love go through the Civil Rights movement. If we were to close the music history books today and list the best black female singers of all time is this list complete? Absolutely not, you would literally have to write a book on all the great black women in music, but these are our choices in who we think the top ones are. Do you Agree or disagree? Well, you can be the judge.
Whitney Houston
Only a fool could deny the late Whitney Houston’s amazing talent. She had one of the most spectacular voices of the century and sold millions of albums and singles in a career that spanned 30 years. Top Black Female Singers
Aretha Franklin
The late Aretha Franklin had etched her space in history as the undeniable Queen of Soul. Her career had spanned more than 50 years.
Nancy Wilson
The late Nancy Wilson was always a bit underrated but she made up for it with her Jazz-tinged sexy vocals that won fans worldwide and earned her space as a great singer of many genres, including jazz and soul.
Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick was the Whitney Houston of the 60s, teaming up with Burt Bacharach for some of the most memorable hits in the history of music like I Say a Little Prayer and Walk on By. Top Black Female Singers
Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight has one of the most recognizable and BEST voices in R&B. She is still going strong today
Chaka Khan
chaka Khan has solidified her space as one of the premier singers in R&B history. Her range and interpretation is second to none.
Natalie Cole
Natalie Cole was a multi-dimensional singer that can do standards, soul, jazz and even Latin music. Her troubled past and her poor relationships fueled her talent to incredible heights. Out of all the women on the list, Natalie and Mariah Carey probably has the best range.
Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle was never meant to be a gracious and plastic singer off stage or on. She never had a problem rolling on the floor and kicking off her shoes to the delight of fans and singing her heart out.
Mariah Carey
Mariah is not a soul singer or a pop singer she is JUST a GREAT singer. Her unique ability to sing in the whistle register is only matched by Rachelle Ferrell … Mariah is probably the wealthiest woman on the list as she wrote MOST of her smash hits so she will have a great payday for life. Best Black Female Singers
Phyllis Hyman
Phyllis was so incredibly underrated and she deserved SO much more recognition for her amazing voice. ironically her music sounds just as good today as it did 20 years ago RIP.
Sarah Vaughn
Sarah Vaughn was so talented with such great range and wonderful jazzy style that there were times she could sing like a man and bridge a baritone key into a soprano with amazing ease. She was truly one of the best singers in the world.
Ella Fitzgerald
Is there anything that can’t be said about the amazing Ella Fitzgerald?
128 comments
A joke to place Whitney before Chaka and Aretha. Whitney is not on my list because I do not care much for pop.
I realize that all the singers mentioned in the comments, the asking/wondering why they aren’t included and I agree with the fact that all that are mentioned are extremely talented, however the list is naming the 12 best of all times, it should have been titled “12 of the best” which would give the understanding that there are many more but these are the 12 we’ve narrowed it down to which was extremely difficult. I recognize the difference in “sanging” and having the ability to sing, and in “my opinion” the only name that should not be on that list is Mariah Carey, who though she has a pretty voice is not qualified as one of the 12 best black females singers of all time, try to appreciate the difference and the list will make more sense. I would have put Stephanie Mills before Mariah Carey or even Angela Winbush. All I’m giving is my opinion and you know what they say about that, so please keep the hate…
J.Low should not be on list. What happened to Theola kilgard, Kim weston, the channels oh it soooooooooo many. List very incomplete
List is bogus without Diana Ross, just saying
I think this list is right on target, except for Mariah Carey. I would put Minnie Riperton in her spot. I think while many singers are good, are they unique? How do they stand out?
Mahalia Jackson, “Dame” Shirley Bassey and Jennifer Hudson are conspicuously absent.
I think Della Reese should certainly deserve honorable mention, if not placed in the top list. She could really belt it out.