Favorite Harmonizers!

[aeroplane]

The concept of harmonies isn't one I usually think about when listening to music. Either I like the song or I don't, cut and dry, and little nuances in the delivery won't change that one bit.

However, giving the idea some thought, I thought Huey Lewis and the News did a good job with harmonies. There are a number of tunes they did that I believe to have good harmonies, in addition to being a plain old good song.

 

[Astrid Kirchherr65]

Well you mentioned so many and really HARMONY is my favorite thing in music =Beatles...Beach Boys ..CSN..The Hollies..Mama's and Papa's LOVELY


AND Runty mentioned Motown ...gawd there a volcano of it:
one of the best :

Smokey Robinson








50's Rock N Roll was awesome too :

Everly Brothers

 

[Nololob]

In addition to the great and inimitable Queen, I would add these artists.

For me Uriah Heep as well.

 

[Lynch]

First and foremost, I have to give credit where it's due.

#1) Paul McCartney and John Lennon. These two guys (with the help of George and Ringo at times) turned their vocals into their primary "instrument". I wonder where the Beatles would have been had they not been writing a bunch of their music to specifically show off their vocal talents. Their voices worked SO well together.




They deserve a post all on their own (even though they've already been mentioned)

 

[Lynch]

Other great notable harmonizers:

Simon and Garfunkel
Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young
The Mamas and the Papas
The Eagles
Everly Brothers
Righteous Brothers
The Temptations
The Four Tops
Van Halen
Little River Band
Styx
Ambrosia
Bon Jovi (Jon + Ritchie had some great harmonies)
Extreme (Gary + Nuno, same as above)


Many many more out there, but these are the first that come to mind without thinking too hard about it.

 

[FireandWater]

Boston and ELO

 

[Lynch]

Another one I thought about is the Beach Boys, but the more I thought about it, the more I started to think they they really weren't so much about "harmonies" (at least the way I define is) as they were about having backing vocals (which were typically singing something different from the lead) that sounded good with the lead vocals.


Or am I wrong. I'm thinking about Good Vibrations as a perfect example of what I'm attempting to say.

 

[architect]

Peter Paul and Mary
Simon and Garfunkel
CSNY
The Eagles
America
Queen

All ones that have been mentioned before, and one that has not...


Pink Floyd- While they're not really known for it, David Gilmour and Richard Wright produced some really beautiful vocals together.






great harmonies throughout this one, but the best starts at 4:18

 

[Astrid Kirchherr65]

AMERICA ARE AWESOME


My parents always had alot of folky/ and 50's stuff around

I always like The Platters..chilling harmonies !

 

[ecisgod]

Most people have mentioned the big ones. I really enjoy the Barenaked Ladies. I have posted this interview with Paul McCartney before....but if Paul likes how can you argue?

Paul McCartney was recently asked by a London session musician which bands’ talents he likes in today’s musicland. “A lot of the bands today are much more technical than we were,” Macca said. “But the Barenaked Ladies have to be my favorite. Their harmonies are right on. They could outsing us any day of the week. I don’t think John and myself ever had the sort of range they do.” McCartney added he wouldn’t mind cutting an album with the band. Maybe BNL’s next song with Paul will be titled “If I had a Billion Dollars"


Obviously Macca is being modest,but I have seen BNL live several times and the harmonies are great!