When it comes to male singers, there is a lot of competition. And when it comes to those who are known for their work this century, there are a ton to choose from. Here below, we wanted to dive into the best crooners, rockers, pop stars, soul singers and R&B artists to perform this century. These are the fellas who make your heart swoon, who get your blood boiling and who appear most often on your streaming services.
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Chris Stapleton
The platonic ideal of a country singer. If you were to build the perfect singing voice for the genre in a lab, it would come out sounding like Chris Stapleton. He’s got enough clarity, projection and growl to his tone to make anyone fall in love with the music or whatever song he’s singing. Stapleton is just one of those people whose talent cannot be denied.
Luke Combs
Another country standout, Combs has a bit more sweetness to his voice and, somehow, a bit more gruff and growl to it, too. It’s an incredible combination and one the world is getting to experience more and more, thanks most recently to his cover of the Tracy Chapman hit single, “Fast Car,” which was the unofficial song of 2023.
Michael Kiwanuka
British-born singer Michael Kiwanuka’s singing voice burrows deep into your heart and has a summer home in your soul. The man has a voice like an oak tree and he performs it with sincerity and love for his craft. He may not be the most famous singer on Earth (yet) but his voice is up there with the greats. Part-soul, part-R&B powerhouse, Kiwanuka is like a fine wine. He only gets better with time.
Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll is the hottest name in country music these days. The king of the downtrodden, Jelly Roll’s voice oozes emotion and feeling. He sounds like your soul weeping. And he knows it, able to project his lyrics to the heavens or even further down below. Bellowing like a fallen angel, Jelly Roll sings about needing help, rarely going to church and all the mistakes he’s made. It’s beautiful.
Eric Burton
The frontman for the Austin, Texas, rock group Black Pumas, Eric Burton is a wandering soul who can make a home anywhere thanks to his glorious singing voice. He takes you to church and school at the same time, singing about his passions and the reasons why people should get along better. His band’s song “Colors” is one of the most popular songs of the past few years and it’s because of his insightful soulful voice.
John Legend
Put John Legend in front of a piano and watch the hearts in the room melt like candles in the sun. He is touching, emotive, passionate, and knows how to bring your emotions out of you perhaps better than any artist today. With a calm smile and a voice that breaks at just the right moments, Legend is just that in today’s world of popular music.
Chester Bennington
The late Chester Bennington was the frontman for the popular nu-metal group Linkin Park. He was electric as a singer, capable of connecting with mainstream pop culture and those on the fringes of society. Bennington was a dynamo, a lightning bolt, carrying on the solemn torch of other artists before him like Alice in Chains’ Layne Staley. A banshee of a singer, the emotive artist is missed today.
Chris Martin
If a singing voice could be a heartthrob, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin’s would fit the bill. Has any male singing voice garnered as much attention, as many accolades and streams as Martin’s over the past two decades? With songs like “Clocks” and “The Scientist,” Martin has proven himself to be a singer than connects with people of all walks of life. He’s collaborated with Kanye West and Jay-Z and headlined every important festival in the world. There might not be a better resume out there today.
Drake
The power of Drake’s singing voice is in its nuance and subtlety. He knows when to bend it, twist it, dance with it, and with each unique syllable, it gets into your psyche. He is a psychologist with his voice, the kind of person who knows how each millisecond will affect his listener. Chris Martin may sing the song called “The Scientist,” but Drake actually is one with his vocals.
Michael Bublé
As smooth as silk and as lovely as the driven snow, Michael Bublé has become the King of Christmas thanks to his knack for performing holiday songs. But he’s not just a one-trick pony. He can thrive on his own compositions, too. But truly, every December, he excels, the walking-talking version of a warm fireplace and a cup of hot cocoa.
Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars is a laser shining through a diamond. He’s neon mixed with magnetism. He can get you dancing, pack a stadium and create a pop song that will live forever all within the span of a week. While there is no Michael Jackson 2.0, if we had to choose today, it would probably be Mars. He’s as talented a performer as he is singer and that’s a difficult combination.
Harry Styles
The former One Direction member, Harry Styles’ voice is like a fashion runway. He’s compelling, sexy, sensitive, and dazzling. Some compare him to David Bowie, but that’s not fair to either artist. Styles is his own thing, a sticky-sweet dessert for your ears who is as lovely a person, it would seem, as he is a talented singer. He’s the kind of guy who will be around for decades, too, improving, somehow, each step of the way. Like a painter recreating masterpieces.
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Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
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