I have a rule that states that in rock music, there are Ethel Merman singers or Fozzie Bear singers. This rule applies only to singers with careers that begin after April 1970, the month the Beatles broke up. I call it The Ethel-or-Fozzie Rule.
In this rule, I attempt to demonstrate divide in singers among showtune histrionics (Ethel) and holier-than-thou groans (Fozzie). To skeptics, I refer to the episode of The Muppet Show, in which Merman sings a medley with the Muppet troupe, among them Fozzie.
The first Ethel Merman Band, formed in April 1970, is Queen.
What follows is a list of the top bands/artists of the 1990s, according to this random site, along with my E-or-F ruling. If anyone would like to appeal a specific ruling, I invite your feedback in the comments section. I will issue my ruling on the top 200 bands/artists of the 1980s soon.
1. Nirvana
Ethel
2. Pearl Jam
Ethel
3. Radiohead
Fozzie
4. 2Pac
Fozzie
5. Red Hot Chili Peppers
Fozzie
6. Beck
Fozzie
7. The Smashing Pumpkins
Ethel
8. Beastie Boys
Ethel (Ad Rock, Mike D), Fozzie (MCA)
9. R.E.M.
Fozzie (IRS), Ethel (Warner Bros)
10. Dr. Dre
Fozzie
11. Mariah Carey
Ethel
12. Alice In Chains
Ethel
13. Green Day
Ethel
14. Soundgarden
Fozzie
15. Nine Inch Nails
Ethel
16. Rage Against The Machine
Fozzie
17. U2
Ethel
18. Metallica
Fozzie
19. A Tribe Called Quest
Ethel (Phife Dawg), Fozzie (Q-Tip)
20. Jeff Buckley
Ethel
21. Tool
Fozzie
22. The Notorious B.I.G.
Fozzie
23. Pavement
Ethel
24. Public Enemy
Fozzie (Chuck D), Ethel (Flava Flav)
25. Faith No More
Ethel (Mike Patton)
26. Bjork
Ethel
27. Korn
Ethel
28. PJ Harvey
Fozzie
29. Tori Amos
Ethel
30. Phish
Fozzie
31. Sonic Youth
Fozzie
32. Weezer
Ethel
33. Guns N’ Roses
Ethel
34. Queensryche
Ethel
35. Oasis
Fozzie
36. Dave Matthews Band
Fozzie
37. Primus
Fozzie
38. Blur
Fozzie
39. Jane’s Addiction
Ethel
40. Neil Young
NA
41. Snoop Dogg
Fozzie
42. Stone Temple Pilots
Ethel
43. My Bloody Valentine
Fozzie
44. Pantera
Ethel
45. Sublime
Fozzie
46. Dream Theater
Ethel
47. Marilyn Manson
Ethel
48. The Offspring
Fozzie
49. Seal
Fozzie
50. TLC
Fozzie
51. Liz Phair
Ethel
52. The Fugees
Fozzie
53. Madonna
Ethel
54. Manic Street Preachers
Fozzie
55. Bush
Ethel
56. Mary J. Blige
Ethel
57. Jay Z
Fozzie
58. OutKast
Ethel
59. Nas
Fozzie
60. Eric Clapton
NA
61. Coolio
Fozzie
62. The Verve
Ethel
63. Foo Fighters
Ethel
64. Sepultura
Fozzie
65. Prince
Ethel
66. Silverchair
Fozzie
67. The Flaming Lips
Fozzie
68. The Black Crowes
Ethel
69. Jamiroquai
Fozzie
70. 311
Fozzie
71. The Pixies
Ethel
72. Alanis Morissette
Ethel
73. Sinead O’Conner
Fozzie
74. Missy Elliot
Fozzie
75. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Fozzie
76. Lauryn Hill
Ethel
77. Hole
Fozzie
78. Lenny Kravitz
Ethel
79. Megadeth
Fozzie
80. The Roots
Fozzie
81. Temple Of The Dog
Fozzie
82. Garbage
Ethel
83. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Fozzie
84. Mr. Bungle
Ethel
85. Slayer
Fozzie
86. The Dandy Warhols
Ethel
87. Sheryl Crow
Ethel
88. Busta Rhymes
Fozzie
89. Blind Melon
Ethel
90. Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band
Fozzie
91. Creed
Ethel
92. Arrested Development
Fozzie
93. Screaming Trees
Ethel
94. Wilco
Fozzie
95. Fugazi
Ethel
96. Hootie & The Blowfish
Fozzie
97. Matchbox Twenty
Ethel
98. Blues Traveler
Fozzie
99. Ministry
Fozzie
100. Barenaked Ladies
Ethel
you, friend, have too much free time. Maisie oughta put you to work…..
I am seeing a bias – chics (with the exception of P.J. Harvey) seem to get the Ethel. and pixies being Ethel – yes and no. there’s plenty of songs were mr francis (or mr black) seems to be destroying his vocal cords quite nicely.
I’m excited about the 80′s…
I think almost all of what you categorize here has a certain sound logic to it. I note that the list is about the top *songs* of the 90s; hence the strange appearance of super-side project Temple of the Dog? perhaps this also accounts for some seeming discrepancies: some bands are one or the other depending on the song? [and, honestly, it strikes me that only Brits include The Manic Street Preachers in any lists.]
Despite broadly agreeing with you here, the following are clearly Ethels: Soundgarden, Tool, and Seal. And, finally, isn’t Pavement the biggest Fozzie on the list!?!?
Seeing my name so many times in one post is alarming