It’s not easy to define who the greatest singers of all time are because, in the end, it’s all a matter of taste. For example, some people might consider Ozzy Osbourne a great singer, while others might disagree. Back in 2008, he accepted an invitation from Rolling Stone magazine to list his choices for the greatest singers of all time, and his votes contributed to the final list that the magazine published later on. Among the 20 people he named, besides himself, there were two female singers that we’ll discuss in this article.
The 2 female singers Ozzy Osbourne chose as the best of all time
Tina Turner
The best-placed female singer on Ozzy Osbourne’s list was the late legendary American artist Tina Turner. He ranked her in the 13th position and had already praised her back in the 80s. One day before the benefit festival Live Aid in 1985, Ozzy was interviewed by the TV station 6abc on a special edition of the newsmagazine show “AM Philadelphia.”
Ozzy and Tina were part of the festival’s lineup, and he was asked how he felt about performing on the same day as her. His answer was: “I’m a very big Tina Turner fan. I love her voice.”
At the time, Tina was also promoting her role in the new Mad Max movie, “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.” The film featured the hit “We Don’t Need Another Hero” as part of its soundtrack.
She began her career in the mid-1950s and rose to fame with the duo Ike & Tina Turner, formed with her ex-husband. A few decades later, she became an even bigger star with her successful solo career. She is one of the best-selling artists of all time, with an estimated 100 million records sold worldwide.
As an actress, in addition to the acclaimed Mad Max sequel, she also appeared in The Who’s “Tommy” (1975) and “Last Action Hero” (1993). She passed away back in 2023 at the age of 83.
Aretha Franklin
The second female singer mentioned by Ozzy was Aretha Franklin, whom he ranked in the 14th position. They both were part of the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. Ozzy and Aretha were present on the second night that celebrated the Hall’s birthday.
Franklin was inducted 19 years before Ozzy, in 1987. The Prince of Darkness would only be inducted in 2006 as a member of Black Sabbath by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. In 2024 he was finally inducted as a solo artist by the actor and Tenacious D member Jack Black.
Curiously, Aretha Franklin was also on Keith Richards’ list. He placed her in the top position, calling her the greatest singer of all time. Also known as the “Queen of Soul”, she was one of the most influential singers of all time. Aretha sold an estimated amount of more than 75 million records sold worldwide.
During her career she collaborated with many amazing artists. She released albums focused on R&B, Soul, Jazz, Gospel and even with Rock influences. She passed away back in 2018 at the age of 76.