All boybands really, Westlife being top and a lot of girl groups too - Destiny's Child being the one that comes to mind......

I will have to disagree with the ones who blasted Macy Gray and Nellu Furtado. They are both good singers, maybe they just appeal to younger audiences. Also I think Sarah McLaclahn is good too.

Nice to see some other Mariah fans on here!! I have to ask you Superfurryanimal...how can you diss hamster faces? I thought we were talking voices here anyway! But seriously.. I respect your views and I know a lot of people view her as arrogant. All I say is like many performers I think it's a act for an insecure person to hide behind. Bruyere's right she respects her fans- holds gatherings, sends voice message to her fans at her site to telling them how things are going practically every week. A lot of acts wouldn't bother! So as a personality I think she's a little misunderstood. But vocally- I can understand why some people might find the warbling irritating- I just don't. You won't be surprised to hear I like Whitney too! I also like Claire form Steps although she's not quite in the same vocal league. I also love Destiny's Child although vocally they ain't no En Vogue!
I've never heard Britney singing as a kid but these days I just feel she's vocally inferior to both Christina Aguilera and jessica Simpson.
Lilspikey and Bruyere- I can see the point about Macy and Nelly having interesting voice- they certainly stand out! I just don't find it attractive but I guess its a personal thing. I love Anastacia and I guess her voice could really grate with some people!
See Ya!

In the same way that a Fishes face would look silly on a Badger, a Hamster's face looks silly on a Woman. Fact is that I named Mariah "a Hamster faced pudding" many years ago during a diatribe against the new "divas" and for some reason it still makes me laugh. Hey, it's one of my few predjudices!

SuperFurry, my sweet animal, my Sylvie told me to add Whitney Huston to her list and tell you that she's not tearing down her Mariah poster's any time soon either!
Macy Grey has an intriguing voice and I was trying for Anastasia's name and had forgotten it. She's got a unique sound herself!

Mariah didn't exactly come from a bed of roses either from what my daughter tells me and whenever I see someone who had a hard start in life, who still manages to act like a decent person to others who put her where she is today, I'd rather have her as a role model and quite frankly I find her voice interesting.
It's got the timbre of her African ancestors.
She could rest on her laurels but she doesn't.
I think her chipmunk face is sweet...I've got a button nose too, at least she didn't get her face remodeled like Michael Jackson, who is, by the way, getting darker according to the papers.

Alright you'll probably have my head on a platter then, but not only do my children like Craig David but I do as well!
Have you heard that one thing where he just about quadruples his rate? Just let Shaggy try that one!
At least he's got a range. And knows how to do it.
You'd rather have Robbie Williams?

From my standpoint as a mother of teen (s) I much prefer Mariah, Whitney and Celine Dion to Britney.
She also has French favorites to emulate.

OK! OK! Just not my cup of tea....It's just my taste. I guess I just don't like much in the way of modern chart music as a whole and particularly the warbling divas bit. Perhaps I will just be a more private curmudgeon in future!

Nah! Probably not!

Heather, if that's what your daughter likes, then good for her, although Whitney's not that much of a role model if you ask me. Not these days anyway!

Thanx Bruyere. You can debate the whole idea of the image of the divas all day. But I still believe that the likes of Whitney, Celine, Mariah and I have to add Toni Braxton are better role models than the likes of Britney, not because they necessarily dress differently or anything but bacuase they have talent. I have no objection to groups or singers who mime etc. all the time as long as real singers are allowed to exist in the business too.As a vocalist Britney, Jennifer Lopez etc. will never inspire the next generation of vocalists in the way the divas do! Also granted you might not find Mariah attractive but why should everyone in the music industry be synthetically gorgeous? Although personally I don't think Mariah's bad looking at all. We should be standing against the sterotypes of an industry which is already trying to turn its back on MC- I 've heard comments like she's too fat, too old- She's 31 for Christsake!!!!
Also you're right that she doesn't rest on her laurels- she could sit back and let others write and produce for her. Instead she's co-written and co-produced everything from day 1, keeping up an astonishing work rate of about an album a year and taken risks like a mid-career change to a more rap/RnB flavoured sound. See ya!

Here's Sylvie's rundown on the way to work in the car, "Well it's true they are role models Mom, but the one has had a drug problem, the other has had multiple nervous breakdowns, and yet, they still keep going...and give their all for their fans."
My kid's pretty lucid about them.

SuperFurryAnimal, Just you wait sonny boy, until your own kids start getting idols you don't approve of..they'll probably be playing Dean Martin or something!
Mine try so hard to shock me and yet they have pretty good taste.

I know where your daughter's coming from Bruyere, its not where you come from or the problems you suffer (or create) that make a person. Its what you give to the world and what you overcome. If your song or voice touches one person then you've succeeded ( and Mariah, Whitney, Celine, Toni etc have touched millions) even if others can't see the attraction you're obviously doing something right!
See Ya!

Overated? Look no further than Frank Zappa. I reckon he disguised his fundamental lack of real original thought with stolen jazz riffs and predictably obtuse time signatures. As for his move into orchestral music, that's just a well worn path for rock stars with moon-sized egoes to tread. Doesn't make his work any more valid. And he was a vulgar, sleazy little fellow too. I'll grant him one or two good records, "Hot Rats" and "Only In It For The Money" come to mind, but all those albums of guitar solos?? Spare me!

By way of an explanation for this little rant, my flatmate and good friend was a Zappa completist. I was exposed to this for years. I guess I'm just recovering from the trauma to this day!!

My my, we are venting our spleen, aren't we? Fortunately I happen to agree with you on Zappa. By the way, did anyone ever mention Joe Cocker? I have never understood the apotheosis of Joe Cocker and honestly it was John Belushi's imitation of him simultaneously on stage that made me appreciate him. I happen to have the tape of that Sat Night Live episode.

I still don't understand the Bruce Springsteen worship, nor the middle aged Grateful dead worship as I used to have neighbors who were Deadheads and went to great lengths to attend their concerts and they were pretty much yuppies from the outside. Their house was full of Deadhead artifacts and their cat was named Cosmic Charlie from a song. (think he'd smoked a few too many catnip joints!).

I don't like Mariah Carey either. Never have, never will. I need to add Celine Dion to this list, every time she starts to sing, I wish I were struck temporarly deaf.

I hate the newest crop of alterna-acts. I love older alt-rock but these new guys need to get off the "My parents sucked" band wagon and find a new topic.

SFA, Zappa? Ok, I like Zappa. I know lots of people don't. He wasn't what I'd call a rock god, but I like him. I also love the Grateful Dead, so go figure

Well, my mate Chris loved Zappa, and he's an otherwise fairly decent chap, so I guess there must be something there for some folks. If you enjoy it, especially someone as cultured as yourself, IndieQueen, then fair does. Now I kinda like the Grateful Dead. They were a bit more - and I don't believe I'm saying this - down to earth than Zappa. A bit more honest-to-goodness wig out material, that was.

What's so great about the band Cold Play?
The song "Yellow" is a great song to listen to while you're slashing your wrists.

They are a bit that way, aren't they? Awfully dull.