Aretha Franklin Was Crowned 'Greatest Singer of All Time'

In 1967, legendary musician Aretha Franklin released her first No. 1 hit - "Respect."

The song is widely considered one of the greatest hits of all time, and established Franklin's legacy as the "Queen of Soul."

Franklin put her own spin on the original 1965 version of "Respect" written by Otis Redding, using her iconic voice to bring the song to new heights.

Franklin's voice is so legendary that she's twice been honored as the "Great Singer of All Time" on Rolling Stone Magazine's top-200 list. She earned the title originally when the list was first released in 2008, and maintained her top position in the rankings when the publication updated its list in 2023.

Franklin was awarded the top spot over names like Whitney Houston, Sam Cooke, Billie Holiday and Mariah Carey.

"A force of nature. A work of genius. A gift from the heavens. Aretha Franklin's voice is all that and more, which is why she remains the unchallenged Queen, years after her final bow," Rolling Stone wrote in its description. "Her singing is the most magnificent sound to emerge from America - more universal than Coltrane's horn, bolder than Hendrix's guitar. She blew up worldwide with her 1967 hit 'Respect,' claiming her throne as the greatest pop, rock, or soul singer ever."

Franklin is lauded for her ability to represent a wide range of emotions with her uniquely beautiful voice. She won 18 Grammy awards, a Presidential Medal of Freedom and was the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, among many other honors.

"Whatever she sang, she claimed it as her own. And as long as you live, you'll never hear anything like Aretha Franklin," Rolling Stone concluded. "That's why her voice still goes right on changing the world. Singer of singers. Queen of queens. All hail Lady Soul."

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 6:00 AM.