Nashville-via-Detroit power-pop maestro—and one-time wingman to Jack White in The Raconteurs—Brendan Benson is back with a new single, “Half a Boy (and Half a Man)” on White’s Third Man Records label. As he puts the finishing touches on his first solo album in nearly half a decade, and preps the upcoming reissues of his back catalog, Benson made us this playlist of great moments on the mic. “This list began as a ‘favorite singers’ list. After listening though, I think a more apt theme would be ‘favorite vocal performances.’ There are way too many to list, but I thought these were some fine examples of some really inspired and moving vocals. The power that comes from a believable vocal delivery is undeniable. It can reach deep inside you and tug at your heart strings. (What are those, btw?) It can make you pull your car over to cry on the side of the road. It can cause rebellion and incite riots. It can give you physical sensations like goosebumps or chills. It can make you believe in love. Or it can make you despise love. It’s all about the singer and the song.”—Brendan Benson
