Vocalists:
-Roger Daltrey (The Who)
-Dev (duh)
-Freddie Mercury (Queen)
-Peter Gabriel
-Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull)

Guitar:
-David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
-Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree, etc...he has to be seen live to be belived)
-Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth...especially on acoustic)
-Dev...how could I leave him out?
-Mick Ronson or Pete Townshend (David Bowie/The Who)

Bass:
-John Entwistle (c'mon people! The fucking Ox!)
-Chris Squire (Yes)
-Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel)
-Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree)
-Justin Chancellor (Tool)

Drums:
-Keith Moon (The Who)
-Gene Holgan
-Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree)
-Dino Campanella (dredg)
-Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater)

I'm slightly too drunk to do this properly, soooo....

Top 1 Best Vocalist:

1 - Jeff Buckley

Top 1 Best Guitarist:

1 - Neil Young

No one plays anything like Neil - the shortest connection between heart and guitar of anyone ever.

Yeah me too. I was thinking of adding you to my list, because I was out of names...

Its not the worst bassists ever thread

I'm not going to try and compare better with worse...

VOCALISTS:

Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn
Peter Gabriel
Sade
Tori Amos
David Bowie
Billie Holliday
Alicia Keys
Jeff Buckley
Devin Townsend
Antony Hegarty (Antony and the Johnsons)
Prince
Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can Dance)
Diamanda Galás
Frank Sinatra
Mike Patton

GUITARISTS:

Robert Fripp
Fredrik Thordendal
Wes Montgomery
Barney Kessel
Joe Pass
Eddie Van Halen
Syd Barrett
Adrian Belew
Brian May
Dimebag Darrell
Nuno Bettencourt
Steve Vai

BASSISTS:

Charles Mingus
Rhonda Smith (New Power Generation)
Leonard Hubbard (The Roots)
Jimmy Garrison (Coltrane Quartet)
Paul McCartney
Martin Mendez (Opeth)
Joe Callandra (Monster Magnet)
Trevor Dunn (Mr Bungle, Fantômas)

KEYBOARDISTS:

McCoy Tyner (Coltrane Quartet)
Tori Amos
Alicia Keys
Nat King Cole
Bill Evans
Rick Wakeman (Yes)
Thelonius Monk
Renato Neto (New Power Generation)
Matt Bellamy (Muse)
Ray Manzarek (The Doors)

DRUMMERS:

Elvin Jones (Coltrane Quartet)
Matt Chamberlain (Tori Amos, David Bowie)
Tomas Haake (Meshuggah)
?uestlove (The Roots)
John Blackwell (New Power Generation)
Danny Carey (Tool)
Derrick McKenzie (Jamiroquai)
Chad Wackerman (Frank Zappa)
Bill Bruford (King Crimson, Yes)
Martin Lopez (Opeth)
Vinnie Paul (Pantera)
Dave Lombardo (Fantômas, John Zorn, Slayer)
Alan White (Yes, Plastic Ono Band)

PRODUCERS:

Alan Moulder (NIN, Monster Magnet, APC)
David Botrill (Peter Gabriel, Tool, Muse)
Trent Reznor (NIN, 12 Rounds, Marilyn Manson)
Neil Davidge (Massive Attack)
David Axelrod (Electric Prunes)
Ahmet Ertegun (Ray Charles, John Coltrane)
?uestlove (The Roots, Common)
George Martin (The Beatles, The Goons)
DJ Muggs (Cypress Hill, GZA the Genius)
Trey Spruance (Mr Bungle, Secret Chiefs 3)
Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Paul McCartney)
Steve Albini (Neurosis, Swans)
Devin Townsend

What's with Dream Theater members and some of you guys? Mike Myung? John Petruzzi? Dave Lombardo in DT? Hahaha! Anyway

Steve Vai - he does not play guitar, he speaks guitar
John Petrucci - he's very patterny and mechanical, but fucking versatile, never boring
Dev - he knows
Jed Simon - his right is amazing
Jason Becker - no one knows what this man would be able to play today if life's sense of humor wouldn't be so fucked up

John Myung - he's there with those other three
Les Claypool - he's got three brains: one for playing, one for singing, one for stage appearance
Sean Malone - tasty
Byron Stroud - Gene sez he keeps it solid. Who'd argue with Gene?
Tony Levin - anyone who gets to play with Dream Theater crew and says "This guys can play!" and fucking delivers is my man

Gene Hoglan - he smashes it, but he has an evil plan behind it; plus he recorded Shitstorm
Sean Reinert - how Human?
Mike Portnoy - sometimes I listen to DT concentrating only on drums; so involved, fucking joy
Atma Anur - talk about involved: Perpetual Burn
Mike Mangini - the idea is to be able to play anything that can be played and a little something that can't

Devin Townsend - the passion, the balls, the phrasing
James LaBrie - STFU, his voice has presence; best work: Leonardo - The Absolute Man
Sarah Brightman - the softness, think The Murder in Mairyland Park
King Diamond - unique
( ) - I like instrumentals

Jordan Rudess, baby

I wanted to create just this thread, but found out it had been done... 4 years ago. BUMP!

Guitarists:

- Paul Gilbert -The best shredder on planet, me thinks
- Guthrie Govain - Unbelievable technique and variety
- Michael Romeo (Symphony X) - Awesome riff player, killer solo player, manages to handle all the guitars of Symphony X, which is quite an achievement
- Jari Mäenpää (Wintersun - The best finnish metal guitarist. Ever.
- Dev

Bassists:

- Pekka Pohjola - The best finnish bassist
- Mike Lepond (Symphony X) - Symphony X have amazing bass lines to say the least
- Martin Mendez (Opeth) - Flawless performances every time
- Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree) - He plays progressive rock with taste
- Cliff Burton ( Metallica) - Because.

Vocalists:

- Devin Townsend
- Jari Mäenpää (Wintersun)
- Tori Amos
- Heather Findlay (Mostly Autumn)
- Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth)
- Freddie Mercury (Queen)
- Tim Bowness (No-man)
- Anneke van Giersbergen (The Gathering, Anneke de Annique)

Oh shit... I could go on with singers forever. But I'll stop here.

Drummers:
- Kai Hahto (Wintersun) - The best Finnish metal drummer. Ever.
- Jason Rullo (Symphony X)
- Gene Hoglans - GODLIKE!
- Sean Reinert - Totally awesome drumming
- Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree) - Maybe my favourite of them all, BUT the the previous Porcupine Tree drummer: Chris Maitland is absolutely fantastic as well
- RVP - Totally rocking drummer
- Dave Weckl - Amazzzing
- Thomas Lang - Check this guy out, SICK
- Neil Peart
- Martin Lopez (Opeth)

Oh shiiiit..... Alright, I'm a drummer so I could propably go on with these even longer than with the singers...

Keyboards.... Who gives a fuck about keyboards!?

This is rather tough, but I'll give it a go.

Guitarists (since I'm a guitarist, this is especially difficult--these are just a few that represent different styles):

--Devin Townsend
--John Petrucci (early stuff)
--David Gilmour
--Thomas Erak
--Mikael Akerfeldt
--Guthrie Govan
--Michael Romeo

Bassists:

--Michael Manring
--John Myung
--Martin Mendez
--Thomas Miller
--Cliff Burton
--Andreas Blomqvist

Drummers:

--Duris Maxwell
--Martin Lopez
--Ryan van Poederooyen
--Neil Peart
--Jimmy Cobb
--Gene Hoglan
--Brann Dailor

Vocalists:

--Devin Townsend
--Mikael Akerfeldt
--Cedric Bixler-Zavala
--Tommy Karevik
--David Gilmour/Roger Waters
--Freddie Mercury

I'm not good at counting, it would seem.

Im just going to do Guitarists and vocalists

1.Evil Chuck Schuldiner (I can't believe he has been left out, i would actually carry his children it were physically possible R.I.P DEATH)
2.Muhammed Suicmez (Necrophagist unreal riffs and solos)
3.Devin Townsend
4.Buckethead
5.Dallas toller-wade(Nile)
6.The guy from Gojira

1.Devin Townsend
2.Dallas toller-wade(fucking evil growls)
3.Evil Chuck Schuldiner
4.Muhammed Suicmez
5.The guy from Gojira

I can't be bothered to order them, but, off we go anyway;

Guitar:
Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead)
Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree/Blackfield/solo)
Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)
Alex Lifeson (Rush)
Eric Johnson

Bass:
Les Claypool (Primus)
Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Geddy Lee (Rush)
Jaco Pastorius (spelling on that? )
Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)

Vocals:
Devin Townsend (duh)
Steven Wilson
Emily Haines (Metric)
Thom Yorke (Radiohead)
Matt Mays (Matthew Mays & El Torpedo)

Drums:
Brann Dailor (Mastodon)
Neil Peart (Rush)
Duris Maxwell
Johnny Fay (The Tragically Hip)
can't pick a fifth.

this looks like a fun ass thread

Guitarists
1 Vernon Reid (Living Colour) - The mans a genious on guitar thats super technical and acctually sounds good
2 Geordie Walker (Killing Joke, Murder Inc) - Amazing riff maker
3 Justin K Broadrick (Godflesh, Jesu, Final, Napalm Death, more) - knows how to make dischordant sexy lead but a chuggy sexy riff
4 Devin Townsend (SYL, DT, DTB, DTP) - Coz hes the man
5 Peter 'Blackie' Black (Hard-Ons, Nunchukka Superfly) - Ive seen him stacks of times live and to me he is THE punk guitarist

Bassists
1 Ray Ahn (Hard-Ons, Nunchukka Superfly, Wog) - I really wish i could play like him...
2 Paul Raven (Killing Joke, Ministry, Murder Inc) - His work on every Killing Joke album stands out and really makes me wanna play
3 Paul Chambers (Miles Davis) - Smooth, sexy bass work
4 Mike Dean (Corrosion Of Conformity) - Has a really sweet traditional style of playing with a really heavy edge to it
5 Les Claypool (Primus, Oysterhead, Tom Waits) - Coz hes a necessity to any bassist list

Vocalists
1 Devin Townsend - Coz hes the man
2 Jaz Coleman (Killing Joke) - The man is fucking insane and thats why hes awesome
3 Tom Waits - He was the wierdest singer ive ever heard and it was awesome
4 Henry Rollins (Rollins Band, Black Flag) - He puts EVERYTHING into his performance
5 James Brown - The man had a voice that would make any woman weak at the knees in his hey day. he wasnt even much of a looker .

Drummers
1 John Stainer (Helmet, Tomahawk, Battles) - His style is amazingly funky and heavy
2 Gene Hoglan (SYL, Death, Dark Angel, Fear Factory) - Because hes the atomic clock
3 Danny Carey (Tool) - The man pretty much makes Tool in my mind
4 RVP (DTB, Non-Human Level) - Hes insanely tight
5 Meg White (The White Stripes) - Yep, shes a bad drummer but shes perfect for The White Stripes

Drums:
Brann Dailor (Mastodon)

Shit! Forgot totally. Definitely one of my top 10 drummers. He's like a jazz drummer on steroids!

Drums:
Brann Dailor (Mastodon)

Shit! Forgot totally. Definitely one of my top 10 drummers. He's like a jazz drummer on steroids!

Haha. Totally! I was talking to an older, jazz pianist/guitarist that I know a few weeks back, and he commented that metal drumming tends to be pretty predictable, blasting, or just keep a headbanging beat going.
I mentioned Mastodon's insane drums overall (perfect example here), and told him to check them out.

Next time we talked, the jazz guy had a lot more respect for metal drumming.

Guitars:
1. Dino Cazares ( Fear Factory, Divine Heresy) Mind-crushing riffs I had ever the pleasure to experience
2. Herman Li (DragonForce) technically almost over the top
3. Per Nilsson (Scar Symmetry) Listen to 'Holographic Universe' and you'll get wet
4. Mick Kenney (Anaal Nathrakh) These riffs maybe sparked the Big Bang
5. Karl Sanders (Nile) Busting everything!

Drums:
1. Raymond Herrera (Fear Factory) God!
2. Gene Hoglan (Strapping Young Lad, Death) The nick 'Atomic Clock' is reasonable
3. Henrik Ohlsson (Scar Symmetry) Pure genius
4. Dave Mackintos (DragonForce) Fast as hell
5. Kevin Talley (DÅÅTH) Those rhythms gotta' be loved

Bass:
1. Byron Stroud (FF, SYL) Kicks ass
2. John Campbell (Lamb Of God) insane
3. Masmiseim (Samael) Live his performance is indisputable
4. Burn (Sybreed) I rly have no words for his abilities
5. Dale Harrison (The Amenta) Australias n°1

Vox:
1. Burton C. Bell (FF) These vocal chords are made out of pure win!
2. Christian Älvestam (Scar Symmetry) Diverse and unique
3. Devin Townsend (SYL) Godlike and wicked as hell
4. Shagrath (Dimmu Borgir) I simply love it
5. ICS Vortex (Dimmu Borgir, Arcturus) His cleans are awesome

Guitars:
2. Herman Li (DragonForce) technically almost over the top

Have you ever seen them play live? Hit and miss yo!

Not in any particular order, but here's who comes to mind for me:

Guitar

The Dev
Steven Wilson
Mattias IA Eklundh
Mikael Akerfeldt
Jonny Greenwood

Bass

Les Claypool
Sean Malone
Matt Freeman
Arif Mirabdolbaghi
Flea

Drums

Mark Heron
Gavin Harrison
Martin Lopez
Brann Dailor
Danny Carey

Vocals

Mike Patton
The Dev (again)
Mikael Akerfeldt (also again)
Daniel Gildenlow
Joey Eppard