Umm Kulthum Only Arab Featured on Rolling Stone's "200 Greatest Singers of All Time" List

Yara Sameh

Iconic Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum has been listed in Rolling Stone's "200 Greatest Singers of All Time" list.

The publication started the New Year with an update to its rankings, which began in 2008, honouring the best vocalists in music.

"This new list was compiled by our staff and key contributors, and it encompasses 100 years of pop music as an ongoing global conversation," Rolling Stone writes.

The criteria were based on originality, influence, the depth of an artist’s catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy.

Umm Kulthum ranked 61— beating Billie Eilish who ranked 198, Michael Jackson ranked 89, and Rihanna ranked 68.

The legendary singer is the only Arab to be featured in the list.

Umm Kulthum, born on December 31, 1898, has no equivalent among singers in the world and represented the soul of the pan-Arab world for decades.

Her potent contralto, which could blur gender in its lower register, conveyed breathtaking emotional range in complex songs that, across theme and wildly-ornamented variations, could easily last an hour.

Her death on February 3, 1975, brought millions into the Cairo streets to mourn, and while her influence among Arab singers is incalculable, it extended far beyond it.

The Top 20 are listed below, with the full list of 200 available on Rolling Stone's website.

20. Marvin Gaye

19. Frank Sinatra

18. Celia Cruz

17. Elvis Presley

16. Prince

15. Bob Dylan

14. Freddie Mercury

13. Patsy Cline

12. John Lennon

11. Little Richard

10. Al Green