Considering that these awards are given out for talent they have over the years chosen some vocalists to win who either have little distinction in their vocals or are not good singers. Justin Timberlake won two prizes this year for his vocal performances but to me he is a photogenic video star not a gifted singer. Bobby Brown won a vocal award one year and to me he is even worse than Justin. Milli Vanilli is another example. Bob Dylan and Paul Simon at least are very strong metaphorical songwriters but I don't think they are good singers. Both have won for vocal performance in the past. Are there any others?

Michael Bolton won for best male pop singer... I think MB has a decent ROCK voice (before he was a ballad king, he used to be a hard rock singer... and he sounded good singing heavier songs), but with the type of songs he applied the voice to, it sounded horrible.

Justin Timberlake is photogenic. Milli Vannilli had great visuals.

The both look(ed) great in videos. :cool:

"And if that don't fetch'em," a cynical record company executive or two must have said, "I don't know Arkansaw." :lol:

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
Michael Bolton won for best male pop singer... I think MB has a decent ROCK voice (before he was a ballad king, he used to be a hard rock singer... and he sounded good singing heavier songs), but with the type of songs he applied the voice to, it sounded horrible.

His grammy winning version of When A man Loves A Woman is terrible, but some of his tunes aren't so bad. That wrenching overwrought quality actually works on his cover of To Love Somebody and he tones it down a lot on Said I Loved You But I Lied which was a grammy nominee in 1994.

Originally posted by Steve M.
Justin Timberlake is photogenic. Milli Vannilli had great visuals.

The both look(ed) great in videos. :cool:

"And if that don't fetch'em," a cynical record company executive or two must have said, "I don't know Arkansaw." :lol:

Janet Jackson won grammies for 3 of her videos and each won had a corresponding nomination for her singing, but she is another person who is more video star than vocalist. She actually did win once for singing All for You in the dance category where I guess singing quality is irrelevant. It may be irrelevant in some other areas too. Jerry Reed isn't a good singer yet he won in country one year. I personally don't think much of Kenny Rogers' singing either and he won for country male vocal 2x.

At least Britney Spears never won one though she's had like 7 nominations all for singing which is weird. Who keeps voting for her?

Puff Daddy is another one. He's one 3x for his rapping which is very lame and unoriginal within the parameters of the rap world.

I think Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson both have good voices, it just depends on what theyre singing.

Originally posted by jamesanthony
His grammy winning version of When A man Loves A Woman is terrible, but some of his tunes aren't so bad. That wrenching overwrought quality actually works on his cover of To Love Somebody and he tones it down a lot on Said I Loved You But I Lied which was a grammy nominee in 1994.

I think the prob with Bolton's voice was that before he made his Adult Contemporary debut with 1987's The Hunger, he'd spent over a decade beforehand singing hard rock/heavy metal style songs... so for a few years, he was singing these softer songs the way he would apply his voice to metal, except the music didn't go along with his style. He has settled down as he's gotten more comfortable with pop though. Nothing tops Everybody's Crazy though IMO (his heavy metal album from 1985)

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
I think the prob with Bolton's voice was that before he made his Adult Contemporary debut with 1987's The Hunger, he'd spent over a decade beforehand singing hard rock/heavy metal style songs... so for a few years, he was singing these softer songs the way he would apply his voice to metal, except the music didn't go along with his style. He has settled down as he's gotten more comfortable with pop though. Nothing tops Everybody's Crazy though IMO (his heavy metal album from 1985) I just cant picture Michael Bolton singing heavy metal O_O. Im used to all his laid back songs that my mother has all the albums to. :lol:

I like Michael Bolton <bows head down in shame LOL>

Originally posted by MandieR1980
I like Michael Bolton <bows head down in shame LOL>

I liked him a whole lot more in the late 80s-early 90s than now. His howling vocals are just too much on too many of his songs. I do like his version of To Love Somebody though which to me is better than the BeeGees'. Until I saw that it was from an entire album of covers I thought it was an original song.

I think Justin Timberlake can sing. All the guys in NSYNC have good singing voices.

I can't believe Britney has had seven nominations. I like some of her music, but she's not that good. Christina Aguilera has a stronger voice than Britney.

Originally posted by ¤MsConanOBrien¤
I just cant picture Michael Bolton singing heavy metal O_O. Im used to all his laid back songs that my mother has all the albums to. :lol: me too. You're not alone.:) ;) I have always remembered him singing soft romantic songs. I don't remebmber him singing rock music!

Originally posted by Janice Johnson
me too. You're not alone.:) ;) I have always remembered him singing soft romantic songs. I don't remebmber him singing rock music!

Bolton recorded 5 or 6 hard rock albums between 1976-1985 to very little success, even tho he got some MTV airplay with 83's Fools Game and 85's Everybody's Crazy. His career didn't really take off until he went into a more adult contemporary direction that his career took off, but even then, he had a few songs in the latter albums that were in the rock vein, like How Can We Be Lovers and Ain't Got Nothin' If You Ain't Love (which sounded like a Def Leppard song circa Hysteria).