27 Songs For Deep Voices

If you have a low-pitched voice, consider yourself blessed—some of the most famous singers in history have been known for their lower register. If you’re looking for a song for deep voices, try out one of these top 27 picks:

1. God’s Gonna Cut You Down — Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash - God's Gonna Cut You Down (Official Music Video)

There is no doubt that Johnny Cash was the king of those deep country songs. His famous bass voice added gravitas to his more mournful pieces. God’s Gonna Cut You Down is his take on a traditional American religious track; he looked at similar songs as directed toward his past self and his old, sinful ways.

Next: Most famous & best country singers ever

2. Misty Mountains — Richard Armitage

The Misty Mountains Cold - The Hobbit

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was released in 2012. While the film itself received mixed reviews, its theme song Misty Mountains caught attention immediately. The track is performed by Thorin Oakenshield and the dwarves as they prepare to start their quest; the male chorus was in a cappella and is nothing short of breathtaking. 

Next: The best movie theme songs to listen to

3. Ol’ Man River — Paul Robeson

Show Boat, Act 1: "Ol' Man River" (Live At the Dury Lane Theatre)

Paul Robeson was a bass-baritone singer known for his musical career from the 1920s to the 1960s. Though he died in 1976, he continues to enthrall listeners through his musical recordings. His mesmerizingly deep, rich voice is on perfect display in Ol’ Man River, although the lyrics use some vocabulary considered offensive by modern audiences. 

Next: The best songs with great bass (of all time)

4. Ain’t No Sunshine — Bill Withers

Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine (Official Audio)

Ain’t No Sunshine was the track that launched Bill Withers’ career. It’s hard not to feel captivated by the smooth rhythm alongside his electric baritone voice. The track, released in 1971, is still considered his signature song; it won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. It is a classic choice for deep voices. 

5. Light My Fire — The Doors

Light My Fire (2017 Remaster)

The Doors were wildly popular during the late 1960s, in no small part because of the deep vocals of lead singer Jim Morrison. Sadly, he didn’t have a long career, passing away in 1971 at the age of 27. Light My Fire was a 1967 hit that put his rich voice on perfect display.

Next: Top bands from the 1960s (our ultimate list)

6. Wherever You Will Go — The Calling

The Calling - Wherever You Will Go (First Video- in Tijuana)

Wherever You Will Go is a post-grunge song released by The Calling in 2001. This is a great choice for vocalists with a deeper range who prefer more modern, high-energy pieces. The track topped the charts throughout 2001 and is still well-known as one of the band’s most famous and beloved songs.

Next: Greatest grunge songs in history

7. Never Gonna Give You Up — Rick Astley

Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (Official Music Video)

Though Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up is best known as the subject of an internet meme and cultural prank called Rickrolling, the song also gave him the chance to show off his deep vocals. He might not have had electric dance moves, but he could certainly sing.

Next: The best, most iconic meme songs ever

8. The Thrill is Gone — B.B. King

B.B. King - The Thrill Is Gone [Crossroads 2010] (Official Live Video)

The Thrill Is Gone was released in the 1950s, but it wasn’t widely known until B.B. King popularized it in 1970. It became one of his signature songs, helped by his deep, smooth vocals. This throwback hit sounds amazing in a deeper register; it isn’t as widely performed today, making it a welcome change of pace at an audition or karaoke night. 

9. Rebel Yell — Billy Idol

Billy Idol - Rebel Yell

Billy Idol’s top hits include Mony Mony, Dancing With Myself, White Wedding, and the 1983 track, Rebel Yell. This hard rock song took its name from a type of whiskey; it was voted among the best hard rock tunes of all time. This deeper-register track requires some vocal power to nail the performance. 

10. Hurt — Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash - Hurt

Johnny Cash’s last music video was 2002’s Hurt, a cover of the Nine Inch Nails song. His somber performance made the track completely his own; Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails even said that the song no longer belonged to him. Cash passed away just a few months after recording the track.

11. You Want It Darker — Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker (Audio)

Leonard Cohen was best known for his track Hallelujah, but his career came to a spectacular finale with 2016’s You Want It Darker. This somber song features a choir and pipe organ as he meditates on his approaching death. It was a remarkable prophecy, as the singer died 17 days after releasing the album.

12. Wellerman — The Wellermen

The Wellermen - Wellerman (Official TikTok Version)

Sea shanties are the last thing that you would expect to become popular in the 2020s, but tell that to the wildly popular viral hit, Wellerman. The song spread like wildfire across TikTok and other social media platforms thanks to its electric bass and baritone parts and intricate harmonies. 

Next: The full meaning behind “Wellerman” sea shanty

13. Are You Lonesome Tonight? — Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley - Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Official Audio)

Officially, Elvis Presley was a baritone, though he had an amazing singing range. The 1960 song Are You Lonesome Tonight? allowed him to show off this lower range in the sweet croon that made him become a heartthrob in the first place. 

14. Jeremy — Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam’s Jeremy gained attention for its gritty, graphic story, but the song on its own is perfect for a lower register. If you don’t mind singing about suicide and gun violence, this track will really let you show off your chops. 

15. Lay Low — Josh Turner

Josh Turner - Lay Low (Official Music Video)

Josh Turner is a country singer with a famously deep, rich voice, so pretty much any of his songs could fit on this list. Lay Low is just one of his many country hits that let a deep baritone voice really shine. 

16. The Unforgiven II — Metallica

Metallica: The Unforgiven II (Official Music Video)

Metallica might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to songs for deep voices. But this late-1990s power ballad is actually perfect for a singer with a lower register who can bring some real energy to the piece.

Next: Greatest metal bands in music history

17. Human Race — Rag’n’Bone Man

Rag'n'Bone Man - Human (Official Video)

Rag’n’Bone Man’s 2016 Human Race featured not just deep vocals, but the kind of power that most singers can only dream of. It isn’t hard to see why the song hit number one on the UK charts. 

18. House of The Rising Sun — Five Finger Death Punch

Five Finger Death Punch - House Of The Rising Sun

Let’s be clear: Five Finger Death Punch didn’t create this song, which originated sometime in the 1930s. This lower-register tune about a man’s life going awry has been covered extensively since it first appeared on the map. 

19. Can’t Get Enough of Your Love Baby — Barry White

Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Baby

When it comes to soul and disco fusion, no one does it like Barry White. His 1974 hit Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love Baby is a groovy, soulful track that is perfectly suited to a lower register. He was also famous for his resounding bass vocals. 

20. My Way — Frank Sinatra

My Way (2008 Remastered)

Frank Sinatra had countless hits over the course of his career, but My Way may be one of the most famous. This glorious jazz song is all about the triumph of living life on your terms; it isn’t hard to see why it has remained popular to this day. 

21. Change on The Rise — Avi Kaplan

Avi Kaplan - Change on the Rise (Official Music Video)

Avi Kaplan gained attention as the bass singer in the a cappella group, Pentatonix. He eventually started a solo career, experimenting with the folk genre. His deep voice is utterly mesmerizing, and it is never better on display than in his 2020 track Change On The Rise.

22. The Devil Wears a Suit And Tie — Colter Wall

The Devil Wears a Suit and Tie

The Devil Wears A Suit And Tie is the story of a musician who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for musical skills and success. The song draws on a legend about a famous blues artist who was said to have made the same deal. 

23. Purple Haze — The Jimi Hendrix Experience

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Purple Haze (Live at the Atlanta Pop Festival)

Purple Haze is known for its exquisite guitar accompaniment rather than its vocals; however, Jimi Hendrix’s singing is wonderful in its own right. He fuses the melody with passion, which is what makes it so evocative. 

24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love — Queen

Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Official Video)

It is a testament to his talent that Freddie Mercury, known for his high register and skilled falsetto, could explore his lower range so effectively in Crazy Little Thing Called Love. It is a rare side of his vocals, but no less amazing for that reason. 

25. Can’t Help Falling in Love — Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley - Can't Help Falling In Love (Official Audio)

Can’t Help Falling In Love is one of Elvis Presley’s most famously romantic songs, in no small part thanks to his rich, deep vocals. It isn’t hard to believe that fainting fans were a common sight at his concerts. 

26. Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm — Crash Test Dummies

Crash Test Dummies - Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm (Official Video)

A hit from the lesser-known Canadian band Crash Test Dummies, 1993’s Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm is one of the group’s best. They are most famous for lead singer Brad Roberts’ instantly-recognizable voice, which strays between the bass and baritone register. 

27. Downtown Train — Tom Waits

Tom Waits - "Downtown Train"

Downtown Train has been covered many times since Tom Waits first released it in 1985. It became a hit for Rod Stewart four years later, showing that the tune itself has lasting power—it just needs the right deep vocals to carry it.

1 thought on “27 Songs For Deep Voices”

  1. Liam! Thanks for this list but #17 is a joke. Great song but you gotta sing a HIGH Bb (!) in the bridge for it to be effective. This is not a song for deep voices, but for very wide-range voices.

    Reply

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