The best singers or musical groups

[elisangelapessoa]

I would like to know which are best singers or musical groups for beginners English students? I want to learn to listen better!



Thanks!

 

[riquecohen]

I would like to know which are best singers or musical groups for beginners English students? I want to learn to listen better!
Thanks!

How old are you, Elisangela? I ask this question because, as a person close to 70, my recommendations may not be very interesting to you. While most of my students listen to current singers and groups, I find that I frequently can't understand the lyrics. IMO the songs that I feel would be most helpful are at least 50 years old, and sung by singers of that era. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn (who had excellent diction,) Tony Bennett (still alive and still sounding good at 90,) are some of the best. The songs might be even more important than the singers. Rodgers and Hammerstein, Cole Porter, the Gershwins and many others wrote lyrics that are very accessible. Nowadays, Rod Stewart is an excellent interpreter of these grat American classics. Good luck.

 

[Ouisch]

As Rique mentioned, "best" singers is a very ambiguous phrase that is wide open to interpretation. And while Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn are musical legends, I woud not recommend their recordings to someone who is hoping to learn English from the lyrics. From the most modern popular music to the songs made famous during World War I, the lyrics regularly contain slang, incorrect grammar and nonsensical words. Even if the lyrics are correct English, each singer's enunciation is different (Elton John is notorious for having his lyrics misunderstood just due to his pronunciation); I'm a native speaker and I still have difficulty understanding a lot of singers.

 

[riquecohen]

As Rique mentioned, "best" singers is a very ambiguous phrase that is wide open to interpretation. And while Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn are musical legends, I woud not recommend their recordings to someone who is hoping to learn English from the lyrics. From the most modern popular music to the songs made famous during World War I, the lyrics regularly contain slang, incorrect grammar and nonsensical words. Even if the lyrics are correct English, each singer's enunciation is different (Elton John is notorious for having his lyrics misunderstood just due to his pronunciation); I'm a native speaker and I still have difficulty understanding a lot of singers.

I agree with Ouisch's observations above and wouldn't recommend listening to any singer's recordings as a way of learning English, although many learner's feel that this is "cool." As I noted, I too have difficulty understanding many modern singers. However, my recommendation was based on what I think are songs that are more easily listened to and understood.