Photo: Putland/Retna

Born March 1st, 1944 Key Tracks "My Generation," "I Can See for Miles," "Pinball Wizard," "Won't Get Fooled Again" Influenced Ian Gillan (Deep Purple), Robin Zander, Eddie Vedder

"You don't realize how great a singer Roger Daltrey is until you try to do it yourself," says the Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne, whose band did a Tommy medley at VH1's 2008 Rock Honors special for the Who. From the anxious stutter in "My Generation" to the glass-breaking wail that tops off "Won't Get Fooled Again," the voice of the Who is one of the most powerful instruments in hard rock. Daltrey didn't write his own lyrics, but he had an uncanny ability to adapt to whatever character songwriter Pete Townshend came up with (the vulnerable, Christlike Tommy cooing "See Me, Feel Me," the cocky thug of "Slip Kid" spitting out the words). "It's a very strange process," Daltrey says. "That's why I shut my eyes when I sing — I'm in another space, and the characters are living in me."

1. My Generation
2. I Can See for Miles
3. Pinball Wizard
4. Won't Get Fooled Again

• View List: The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time
• Listen: The Ultimate Singers Playlist
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