On January 1, the music publication published a list of the “200 Best Singers of All Time” that excluded Celine Dion. Celine “My Heart Will Go On” Dion. Celine “I Drove All Night” Dion. Celine “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” Dion. I could go on…and on. According to the article, the Rolling Stone staff based the list on “originality, influence, the depth of an artist’s catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy.” The extensive list features Rosalía in the 200th slot and Aretha Franklin at number one (before you ask, Whitney Houston ranked second, Beyoncé claimed eighth place, and Taylor Swift came in at 102).
Somehow, Dion did not make the cut, nor did Jennifer Hudson, Cher, Madonna, and more. In a preemptive strike against criticism, ’Rolling Stone’ asked readers to “keep in mind that this is the Greatest Singers list, not the Greatest Voices List.” They added, “Talent is impressive; genius is transcendent.” Whatever that’s supposed to mean!
Let’s just say this didn’t sway Twitter. “Respectfully, not including Celine Dion, arguably the best vocal technician of all time, in this list is borderline treasonous,” Jamie Lambert wrote.
“Look…you can argue Celine Dion’s music is not your cup of tea and that’s fair, another user wrote. “But to say that Celine Dion is not among all-time greatest singers is unbelievable.”
Others simply responded with evidence. As one user put it, “the best thing about that Rolling Stone list omitting Quen Celine Dion is that people are posting all her best vocal performances.” In early December 2022, Celine Dion announced that she’s been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, “a very rare neurological condition” that has affected her ability to walk and sing. As a result, she has had to cancel a number of Europe tour dates.