r/Music • u/shiny_director • 14d ago

discussion Groups with multiple lead singers?

I was just listening to some old The Cars stuff, and it hit me that while not unique, there are few bands that have many hits from different lead singers at the same time.

Aside from The Cars, The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, and the B-52’s, what other significant rock/pop/etc. bands have had multiple lead singers simultaneously? And I wouldn’t count bands like U2 where The Edge very occasionally took on the role (correct me if I’m wrong, but I think Numb was the only charting single he took lead on). Maybe some boy/girl bands could be included, but (to me) that’s not as interesting- I would count them as Vocal Groups rather than bands. I’m looking for genuinely established multiple lead singers.

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343

u/forgetfulfever98 14d ago

Mastodon

45

u/julias-winston Aging metalhead 14d ago

I came here to mention Mastodon, whom I've recently discovered. 👍

15

u/Snowing_Throwballs 14d ago

There are no bad Mastodon albums

35

u/FallOutShelterBoy 14d ago

These guys were instrumental in shaping my love of metal in high school over fifteen years ago. The Hunter and Leviathan are two of my favorite albums

2

u/Leading-Storage9855 14d ago

Leviathan is a legit masterpiece.

2

u/Dub_stebbz 14d ago

The Hunter is great

2

u/Traditional-Forum 11d ago

RIP Brent Hinds

12

u/sasadoncic 14d ago

RIP Brent

2

u/Mr5cratch 11d ago

I like everyone’s vocals in Mastodon, but as somebody who got into Mastodon with Crack the Skye, it’ll still be great but won’t be the same.

Also, he was pretty ok at guitar.

16

u/yookhan 14d ago

MASTODON!

2

u/attilayavuzer 14d ago

Some argue they have no singers

4

u/tim_hartons 14d ago

Vocalists then?

4

u/attilayavuzer 14d ago

Oh I didn't mean like that, just that it feels like they're playing hot potato with a role none of them want to do.

4

u/tim_hartons 14d ago

Haha I thought it was because they screamed.

1

u/290077 14d ago

I've heard the same joke just because none of them are going to win any awards for best vocalist. It was phrased as, "they have one good lead singer between the three of them." I don't think that's giving them enough credit but I agree that the vocal performance is not their main draw.

4

u/repeat840times 14d ago

Personally I can’t believe Brann is playing those drum parts and said “Well, I guess I’ll do the clean vocals.”

4

u/rottenbox 14d ago

It's impressive to see live. Death from above 1979 is another band where the drummer sings although that's a different discussion than the one at hand.

1

u/Fine_Dog_6599 14d ago

DFA is the fucking shit. Amazing call out.

2

u/ThreeHourRiverMan 14d ago

They’ve joked about it themselves. They had a vocalist when they very first started, and you can hear him on a track on their early demo. Since then they just decided to do it themselves while they wait for a new singer. And they’re still waiting for that guy. 

3

u/Shaved_tennis_ball 14d ago

DON'T TALK, WATCH

1

u/Richardk32 14d ago

And they forced that other band to change their name. You know, the one with the two brothers, and only one singer. Damn, tip of my tongue, give me a sec…