The New Issue of Rolling Stone: The 100 Greatest Singers

AC/DC step aside to make way for Aretha Franklin, the top-ranked vocalist in Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest singers of all time. Joining Franklin on other covers — hitting newsstands today — are John Lennon, Bob Dylan and Elvis Presley. Click below for the full list of singers and thoughts on the greats from Bono, Robert Plant, Mary J. Blige and a host of others. Also check out the gallery of behind-the-scenes photos of some of the greats like Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye and Roger Daltrey in the studio. And before you get all bent out of shape over who's on top and who didn't rank, check out how the voting worked right here.

• The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time
• What Makes a Great Singer? By Jonathan Lethem
• Gallery: In the Studio With the Greatest Singers of All Time
• Behind the Ballots: Handwritten Picks From Springsteen, Richards, Love and More

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Song Stories

“Time to Pretend”

MGMT | 2008

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”

More Song Stories entries »

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