Lately, the amazing Taylor Swift has been capturing everyone’s attention, making some of our favorite male singers take a backseat. When you take a peek at the top Spotify charts though, you’ll see a fantastic mix of hip-hop, incredible instrumentalists like DJ Calvin Harris, and plenty of talented female acts. And yes, our beloved male vocalists are still rocking it out there!
Now, let me share my personal take on who I believe are the best vocalists in the world today. Spoiler alert: many of them are our beloved pop stars and icons.
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1. The Weeknd
Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye is a name that music lovers everywhere recognize. For quite some time, he was the reigning champion on Spotify with a whopping 100 million monthly listeners.
Recently, he was surpassed by the mighty Taylor Swift, but don’t shed any tears for our Canadian superstar. He’s still rocking with 104 million monthly listeners and holds the impressive title of the second most popular artist on Spotify globally – not too shabby at all!
The legendary producer and songwriter Max Martin catapulted The Weeknd into the limelight with the phenomenal dance hit, “I Can’t Feel My Face.” Since then, his star has only shone brighter with sold-out world tours, songs featured in the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise, and a recent show on HBO called “The Idol.”
Here’s the original video for “I Can’t Feel My Face”, which remains my all-time favorite song of his.
2. Bruno Mars
Peter Hernandez, who you probably know better as Bruno Mars, really reminds me of today’s Prince. He’s an incredible instrumentalist and producer, but most of all, his singing just blows me away.
Believe it or not, Bruno’s originally from Hawaii! He moved to Los Angeles in 2003 and was instantly part of the successful production and songwriting crew, The Smeezingtons. They’ve written for a whole bunch of stars, from Lil Wayne to Snoop Dogg.
The song that really put Bruno on the map? That would be his hit “Grenade”, which was even nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammys.
3. Luis Miguel
If you’re not a Spanish speaker, you might not be familiar with this artist. But if you ask any Spanish speaker or Latino, they’ll tell you he’s one of the most beloved singers ever.
His world tours are always a hit, selling out every time, and he’s the proud owner of 12 Grammy Awards.
Can you believe he even shared a duet with the legendary Frank Sinatra at the peak of his career? Yes, you heard it right! He was the only Spanish-speaking singer to feature on Frank Sinatra’s last duets album, Duets II.
Luis Miguel is often compared to a Spanish version of Michael Buble and Tony Bennett, with a sprinkle of contemporary pop.
Here’s the video of his famous duet with Frank Sinatra on the song “Come Fly With Me”. Enjoy!
4. Charlie Puth
Charlie Puth, much like our favorite Bruno Mars, is a songwriter and producer who made his way to becoming a pop icon. Would you believe that before all the fame, he was a YouTuber posting comedy videos and acoustic covers on his Charlie’s Vlogs?
He won an online video competition sponsored by Perez Hilton, and then went on to get signed to Ellen DeGeneres’s record label after he beautifully covered Adele’s “Someone Like You” on her show.
But it was his song “See You Again” from his Voicenotes album in 2016 that really brought him the respect and recognition he deserved from the industry. He went on to be nominated for song of the year, along with two other Grammy nominations, and even a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song.
Talk about an impressive resume!
My personal favorite, though, is his song “Attention,” which has an ultra-cool video featuring a young Samara Weaving, who went on to become a big actress.
5. Lewis Capaldi
Lewis Capaldi, an uber-talented pop singer from Scotland, made quite an entrance in 2020 when his heartfelt song ‘Someone You Loved’ won the Brit Award for Song of the Year and even scored a Grammy nomination!
Becoming a sudden sensation through the boost from social media influencers, Lewis quickly found fame. However, his rapid ascent meant that by 2023, he needed to step back from touring due to mental and physical health concerns.
Yet, there’s no denying that Lewis Capaldi is an extraordinarily talented singer, and I’m positive we’ll be hearing more from this wonderful Scot. Here’s his video for ‘Someone You Loved’ for your enjoyment.
6. Sam Smith
Isn’t it remarkable how Sam Smith, now a British icon, reached stardom in the most unexpected ways? I vividly recall the first time his captivating voice graced my ears.
It was with a catchy tune titled “Latch” performed with a then relatively unknown electronic band, Disclosure. Unsurprisingly, the song was a chart-topping hit that swept the US Dance market off its feet!
But the story doesn’t end there! His debut album, “In The Lonely Hour,” was more than just successful; it was a sensation!
It earned six Grammy nominations, including one for Best New Artist. And his achievements didn’t stop there. He also won Grammys for Song of the Year and Record of the Year for his soulful track, “Stay With Me”.
However, the song that will likely remain in our hearts and minds is his James Bond film theme, “Writing’s On The Wall” from “Spectre”. This magnificent song won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2016. Absolutely brilliant!
7. Stevie Wonder
Who doesn’t know this man? The one and only Stevie Wonder!
He’s been a true legend for over half a century, and guess what? He’s still out there, touring and absolutely nailing every performance.
Remember when he performed in the ‘We Are the World’ recording produced by Quincy Jones? He was not just another singer, he was the standout!
He’s given us such joy with his amazing songs like ‘Superstition’, ‘You Are the Sunshine of My Life’, and ‘Do I Do’. And who can forget the beautiful ‘Ebony and Ivory’, his duet with the Beatles’ very own Paul McCartney? It’s one of my personal favorites!
8. Chris Brown
Chris Brown, despite his past controversies like the incident leading to his arrest for suspected abuse of R&B star Rihanna, has truly evolved his image from the ‘bad boy’ of R&B to a dedicated artist producing some quite remarkable records and singles.
His voice has always been fantastic, channeling his inner Michael Jackson in the song ‘Fine China’. More recently, he’s been churning out hits one after the other, even earning the distinction of being the second most-awarded artist in BET history, right behind the legendary Beyoncé.
One of my favorite recent Chris Brown tracks is ‘Undecided’, masterfully produced by the legendary Scott Storch. This track, which samples the old-school hit ‘I Love Your Smile’ by Shanice, is definitely worth checking out. Don’t miss the video!
9. Harry Styles
As you’re probably well aware, Harry Styles first made his mark as a member of the phenomenally successful band, One Direction. This talented group was formed on the British competition series, the X Factor.
In 2016, Harry decided to spread his wings and leave the band. He teamed up with the amazing Jeffrey Azoff management agency CAA, and signed with the renowned Columbia records. Plus, he made his acting debut in the movie Dunkirk!
Being both a movie star heartthrob and an incredible singer skyrocketed his popularity in the pop world. The peak came in 2021 when he won the best pop solo performance at the Grammys with ‘Watermelon Sugar’, his biggest hit to date.
And let’s not forget his album, ‘Harry’s House’ – it won album of the year in 2023.
10. Elton John
Elton John has always been a dazzling star in the music world. Remember his early Liberace-style piano performances at legendary festivals like Live Aid?
Or how about when he became one of the first pop artists to have a three-year residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas? He’s an unstoppable pop icon!
In 2019, Taron Egerton had the honor of stepping into his shoes for the movie Rocketman. This film was showered with critical acclaim, and Elton himself gave it a thumbs up.
He said it was a good representation of his life and music, and you can bet we agree!
Now, let’s talk about the hits. Elton has so many chart-toppers that it’s tough to name them all!
But who could forget tunes like “Rocketman,” “Bennie and the Jets,” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”? They’re some of the greatest pop songs ever sung.
11. Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran may seem like an overnight success, but this talented Brit has been charming the crowds in small venues and coffee shops throughout England since he was just 13. Everything changed in 2010, when a YouTube video of him playing a station session at Saint Pancras train station in London caught the attention of none other than Sir Elton John!
From there, he worked his way up the music ladder, releasing a few moderately successful tunes before hitting the big time with his second studio album. This album saw him working with some pretty legendary producers like Rick Rubin, Pharrell, and Benny Blanco.
His beautifully heartfelt song, “Thinking Out Loud,” won Song of the Year at the 2016 Grammy Awards, and his incredible album, ‘Beauty Behind the Madness,’ was also nominated for Album of the Year.
These accolades really shot Ed into the stratosphere of music fame.
But Ed’s not one to rest on his laurels. He’s still creating hit after hit, and his 2017 banger “Shape of You” continues to rake in impressive streaming numbers.
12. Frank Ocean
Frank Ocean, often described as the most introverted R&B and Soul artist in the industry, has a bit of a reputation for keeping his fans on their toes. He’s been known to cancel concerts without any prior notice, which can be a bit disheartening for his fans.
Remember that time at Coachella when he went totally off script and decided to sing new songs instead of his hits? It certainly caused a bit of a stir and led to a few less-than-stellar reviews. But hey, that’s Frank for you!
Despite these hiccups, there’s no denying the beauty of his work. Take his 2012 album Channel ORANGE, for example.
It’s a masterpiece that cemented his status as one of the most respected R&B and Soul artists in the industry. It even bagged him a Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album and nominations for both Record of the Year and Album of the Year.
One performance that I personally love is his soulful rendition of “Thinking About You.” His voice, especially when he hits those high notes in his incredible falsetto, can bring you to tears.
The production is top-notch and the performance is simply phenomenal. If you haven’t heard it, here’s a clip of “Thinking About You”.
13. Khalid
The next artist, much like Sam Smith, also emerged from the Downtempo electronic world at the start of his career. One of his earliest singles that gained him recognition was a duet with Alina Baraz called “Electric”.
He penned and performed the catchy hit “Location”, which not only topped charts but also bagged a nomination for best R&B song at the 60th Grammy Awards!
Following the success of “Location” and “Electric”, he earned a lot of street cred. This opened up opportunities to collaborate with big names like Kendrick Lamar on the Black Panther soundtrack.
Next, he teamed up with the British electronic duo Disclosure on the track “Talk”. This song quickly climbed the charts to #1 and marked his debut on Saturday Night Live.
Fun fact, Disclosure also helped kick-start Sam Smith’s career.
Most recently, Khalid wrote and performed the song “Silver Platter” for the box office sensation, The Barbie Movie.
14. Shawn Mendes
Canadian singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes started his fantastic journey by sharing song covers on the social media platform Vine. This led to an exciting deal with Island Records, which resulted in his self-titled EP in 2014, followed by a studio album, ‘Handwritten’, in 2015.
‘Handwritten’ rocketed all the way to number one on the Billboard 200 charts! His song ‘Stitches’ reached number one in the UK and the top 10 in the US and Canada.
Since then, Mendes has had many awesome collaborations, including working with Camila Cabello on her massive hit “Senorita” and opening for Taylor Swift’s 1989 world tour, which really catapulted him onto the map.
One of my favorite things he’s done is his collaboration with Khalid on the track ‘Youth’. It’s amazing!