Top 10 Falsetto Moments That Gave Us Chills

#10: “Cry Me a River” (2002)

Justin Timberlake

JT busted out what would eventually become something of an iconic modern falsetto for his debut solo album, “Justified.” That LP contained a number of hit singles, including “Cry Me a River.” The tune would serve as an early, defining song for this ex-NSYNC boy bander, signifying a more adult sound that went along with Justin Timberlake’s freshened-up image. “Cry Me a River” is slinky and sexy, while Timberlake’s falsetto feels impossibly cool. It doesn’t feel hyperbolic at all to signal out the success of this song as something of a blueprint for future young pop stars that were seeking out a similar path to solo stardom.

#9: “Somebody to Love” (1976)Queen

Fans of the hard rock legends in Queen can honestly take their pick when it comes to powerful vocal moments on this track from 1976. “Somebody to Love” opens up with an epic-sounding chorus of voices setting the stage, but who are we kidding? We all know that it’s actually the END of “Somebody to Love” that takes the proverbial cake. Freddie Mercury’s soaring falsetto hits after a tremendous, rocked out coda from the band. That supersonic note on the word “to” is stretched out for all its worth, and fans have been hanging there, suspending in amazement ever since.

#8: “Blinding Lights” (2019)The Weeknd

Anticipation seemed to be high in the months leading up to the release of The Weeknd’s fourth LP, “After Hours.” This was due primarily to the success of its early single, “Blinding Lights.” The tune was released a year prior to “After Hours” street date in 2020, and makes the most out of The Weekend’s retro-sounding falsetto. This is up-beat, driving synth-pop with a modern edge, and the falsetto vocals simply add to the magic at hand. “Blinding Lights” crossed over big time back in 2019, and helped introduce The Weeknd’s music to a whole new cross-section of appreciative listeners.

#7: “Trouble” (2000)Coldplay

The music of Coldplay has been in the news as of late for its…let’s go with “ability to bring people together.” Dramatic and melancholic hits like “Shiver,” [xref] “Fix You” or “The Scientist” stand alongside other Coldplay songs that make the most out of Chris Martin’s fragile falsetto. Songs like “Trouble,” which was more successful abroad than in the United States, yet nevertheless showcases Coldplay’s penchant for the pensive and thought-provoking. Martin’s natural charisma as a frontman also helps his falsetto transcend on stage, reaching those people in the audience with a palpable sense of importance.

#6: “Corpus Christi Carol” (1995)

Jeff Buckley

What is it about doomed musicians that somehow makes their recorded legacy feel all the more ghostly and not-of-this world? The legend of Jeff Buckley has only grown since his sole LP from 1995, “Grace.” That album gained particular critical prominence at the time for its inclusion of “Hallelujah,” a cover version of Leonard Cohen that’s perhaps the best ever set to tape. That isn’t the only cover on the record, however, since Buckley also utilized his fantastic falsetto voice on the traditional folk hymn, “Corpus Christi Carol.” This holiday tune with religious connotations takes on a whole new life under Buckley’s care, and adds further magic to the man’s depressingly slim recorded output.

#5: “Sherry” (1962)Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

Songwriting can be a wonderful business, and it’s interesting to research a song’s evolution from idea to hit. “Sherry” was written by Bob Gaudio of The Four Seasons, and was just one to make the most out of that group’s lead singer, Frankie Valli. Other examples, like “Big Girls Don’t Cry” or “Walk Like a Man” are great, but it’s “Sherry,” that Gaudio allegedly wrote in fifteen minutes, that’s a stone cold classic. It went on to not only serve as one of the finest doo-wop songs ever recorded, but the success of “Sherry” also underlined how Gaudio’s melodic songwriting worked perfectly with Valli’s helium falsetto. They’re called “classics” for a reason, after all.

#4: “Holocene” (2011)Bon Iver

Fans of the modern folk-rock icons in Bon Iver could likely point to a dozen examples of their favorite falsetto moments from the band’s lead singer, Justin Vernon. “Stacks” [xref] is one that comes up often in conversation, as does “Holocene” from 2011. This tune from Bon Iver’s self-titled sophomore effort earned both commercial and critical acclaim, with “Holocene” being nominated for both Song and Record of the year at the 2012 Grammy Awards. It’s easy to see why this song was so beloved, too, since Vernon’s warm and inviting falsetto never steps over what Bon Iver is trying to do musically. It’s a great performance from a very talented singer.

#3: “Svefn-G-Englar” (1999)

Sigur Rós

It isn’t just every experimental band that can create a fictional, phonetic language for their music and get away with it. Yet, Iceland’s Sigur Rós aren’t your average, everyday rock band. Their music is one of crushing, terrible beauty, grand melancholy and…hope. It’s impossible to describe for those outside looking in, but songs like “Svefn-G-Englar” from the band’s sophomore album, “Ágætis byrjun” possess the ability to connect with listeners in a remarkably genuine manner. Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson’s whispered, faint falsetto feels like it’s made of glass, a sparkling cascade of sound that’s impossible to resist.

#2: “Writing’s on the Wall” (2015)Sam Smith

One of the most brilliant aspects about the world of Bond themes is their diversity. They’re essentially a snapshot into what’s cool, hip and happening during the production of each 007 adventure. 2015’s “Spectre” was a critically divisive entry, both with regards to its film and title theme from Sam Smith. Speaking subjectively, however? We still think that “Writing’s on the Wall” is one of the best James Bond title songs, full stop. Smith utilizes their falsetto throughout much of the tune, and captures that spirit of cinematic space and grandeur that’s so indicative of the franchise. The double chorus at the end is particularly striking, and it brings us near tears every time.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Take On Me” (1985), a-ha

Morten Harket’s Iconic Work on That Chorus

“Nights on Broadway” (1975), Bee Gees

Made Falsetto Singing Cool Again

“Knights of Cydonia” (2006), Muse

Epic Prog Moves Meets Falsetto Greatness

“Don’t Worry Baby” (1964) The Beach Boys

The Kings of Harmonized Falsetto

#1: “Paranoid Android” (1997)Radiohead

We don’t know about you guys, but we kind of want to live in a world where both Sam Smith’s and Radiohead’s songs for “Spectre” found their ways into the finished movie. [1] That said, it isn’t as if we’re in any deficit of Thom Yorke falsetto vocal moments…because, you know, “Paranoid Android” will forever remain a thing. A thing of beauty, of weirdness and of epic musicality. A song where the aggro meets the psychedelic, and where Yorke’s amazing falsetto does a lot of creative heavy lifting. The “from a great height” sequence around the halfway point is the sort of Radiohead moment that basically cast in stone their reputation as generationally talented songwriters.

What are your thoughts about male falsetto vocals? For? Against? Ambivalent? Sound off in the comments!