How Is This Rock 'n' Roll Icon Only No. 17 on Rolling Stone's Greatest Singers List?

In 2023, Rolling Stone released a new ranking of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time, and while the list is explicitly subjective, the placements of some artists are bound to spark up a bit of debate.

Among the singers with an eyebrow-raising spot on the list is Elvis Presley, who is ranked at No. 17. He comes in just behind singers like John Lennon (No. 12) and Bob Dylan (No. 15), signifying that Rolling Stone's ranking order weighs both traditional vocal ability and cultural impact.

In fact, Rolling Stone clarifies that their ranking of singers is not to be confused with a ranking of the best vocalists. The publication explains that when putting the list together, "What mattered most to us was originality, influence, the depth of an artist's catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy."

Still, the placement may surprise some readers given Elvis' enduring legacy. Interestingly, the King of Rock 'n' Roll also appears at No. 3 on Rolling Stone's Greatest Artists of All Time list. On that list, Elvis is still ranked behind Dylan (No. 2), and The Beatles (No. 1).

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As far as Rolling Stone's list of the 200 Greatest Singers, many artists in the top spots are widely regarded as influential vocalists, like Aretha Franklin (ranked at No. 1) and Whitney Houston (No. 2). Other frontrunners on the list include Sam Cooke, Billie Holiday, and Mariah Carey, who, in 2008, actually surpassed Elvis' record as the solo artist with the most No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

Here is the full Top 20 list of artists who make up the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time, according to Rolling Stone:

1. Aretha Franklin
2. Whitney Houston
3. Sam Cooke
4. Billie Holiday
5. Mariah Carey
6. Ray Charles
7. Stevie Wonder
8. Beyoncé
9. Otis Redding
10. Al Green
11. Little Richard
12. John Lennon
13. Patsy Cline
14. Freddie Mercury
15. Bob Dylan
16. Prince
17. Elvis Presley
18. Celia Cruz
19. Frank Sinatra
20. Marvin Gaye

Related: 1949 Hit, Named One of the 'Best Country Songs Ever,' Was the 'Saddest' Song Elvis Presley Ever Heard

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This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 6:55 PM.