4 of the Most Iconic Vocalists From British Invasion Bands

You can make a good argument that the British Invasion saved rock and roll from obsolescence. The music was on shaky ground in the early 60s when, led by The Beatles, those British bands came storming through the gates to enliven the genre.

Many of those bands benefited from stellar lead singers who brought something special to every song they tackled. Here are four iconic vocalists from the British Invasion whose power and delicacy still reverberate today.

Eric Burdon of The Animals

While most British bands came from some sort of blues foundation, the lead singers of the bands tried to distinguish themselves from the blues belters of yore. But Eric Burdon’s booming, blustery vocals put him at the forefront of British vocalists, in part because he embraced the grit of the blues. As amazing as the instrumental accompaniment to The Animals’ version of “House Of The Rising Sun” might be, it took Burdon’s incendiary lead vocal to bring it to another level. You can’t help but believe his soul is trapped in that infernal domain. And he brought that kind of intensity to everything he did with the band, even the numbers with pop trappings.

Roger Daltrey of The Who

Anybody can scream. But few singers can scream in tune. And even fewer still can pick their moments to unleash for maximum impact. We’re here to say that Roger Daltrey is one of the finest screamers in rock music history. But he’s so much more than that as a singer. As The Who evolved, the nuances in Daltrey’s vocals evolved right along with it. In their early years, he handled the bluesy thrust that the band brought to the table. He was right on point when they started releasing catchier, pop-adjacent singles. And when Pete Townshend started delivering concept albums filled with rich characters, it was Daltrey whom he wisely trusted with bringing those characters to life.

Allan Clarke of The Hollies

The Hollies benefited from a rich vocal blend, with Graham Nash (in their early years) and Tony Hicks chipping in and helping out on most songs with their harmonies. But, for the most part, Allan Clarke was the guy out in front. And his rich instrument proved quite versatile as this band progressed through the years. In the early years, he added just the right amount of sneaky personality to their pop gems. When the band moved out of that period (and Nash left), Clarke started to shine in a more decisive way. His ability to caress ballads like “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” and “The Air That I Breathe” made sure that the band stayed relevant well past the first bloom of the British Invasion.

Colin Blunstone of The Zombies

The Zombies stand out as one of the great “what if” stories in rock history. As in, what if the music world had caught on to their baroque brilliance sooner, instead of ignoring them to the point that they broke up? Nonetheless, people have since realized what they brought to the table. Better late than never, because folks now understand how special Colin Blunstone’s vocals with the band have always been. His ability to delicately flow through the band’s melodically rich compositions always grounded the ambitious music in lived-in emotion. For a bonus treat, check out Blunstone’s solo output from the early 70s for even more evidence of his singing excellence.

(Photo by David Redfern/Redferns)

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