On January 1, 2023 (Happy New Year!) popular music magazine Rolling Stone published their piece The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. A loaded title preceded this article, as staff writers and key contributors put together a list of some of the greatest singers out there. From Frank Ocean to Kate Bush to Rosalía to the list’s chart topper Aretha Franklin, all who have influenced music were present and accounted for, except for one person – Céline Dion. 

Out of 200 singers, Dion, who is acknowledged as part of the vocal trinity alongside Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston (both of whom made the list’s top ten), was noticeably absent and the internet did not like it. 

The writers of Rolling Stone prefaced the list of greatest singers with the notion that this list is about greatest singers, not the greatest voices. Their methodology on who fits into the list of greatest singers of all time comes includes not just talent, but technique and a dash of genius that has influenced not only the music industry, but generations of listeners worldwide. 

With an impressive five octave vocal range, Dion is one of Canada’s best selling artists and she’s the best selling French language artist of all time. Billboard crowned her the Queen of Adult Contemporary for the amount of number one songs she has had in the genre. Multiple awards and 60 million albums aside, her songs and singing ability have altered the music industry permanently and her influence can be seen in singers like Ariana Grande, Leona Lewis, and Kelly Clarkson (Grande and Clarkson also made the list). 

But no placement on Rolling Stone’s list.

Granted many (and not just the music gays) are up in arms about the list in its entirety. With some artists being placed above others, like Taylor Swift above Michael Jackson and with some folks completely missing from the list, like Dion, music fans are not thrilled. To see people like Lady Gaga, Otis Redding, Prince, Celia Cruz, Beyoncé, and Mary J. Blige on this list makes sense. But to not have the Québécois vocal powerhouse seems a bit odd.

And maybe that’s not all coming back to you now, as it didn’t for this Rolling Stone list, but the pedigree and accomplishments are there and accounted for. Still, Dion’s place on the list wasn’t and there were plenty of thoughts from the internet.

Lists aside, Céline Dion will always be one of one.

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