Top 10 Lowest Low Notes of All Time

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for some of the most iconic low notes ever sung.

#10: Patrick Page

A voice like this was made for the stage. Patrick Page is no stranger to theater, and has been using his deep voice to his advantage since the 1980s. He’s gotten even better with age, and was able to flaunt his pipes in the role of Hades in “Hadestown.” The show required him to sing a G1—which is one of the lowest keys on a piano. He managed to do so with ease, sending chills down the audience’s spines. It gave him the perfect opportunity to both show off his impressive range, and prove that you don’t have to hit constant high notes to make an impact on viewers.

#9: Taylor Swift

Is there anything she can’t do? Throughout her long and impressive career, Taylor Swift has proven she can reach low notes as easily as she hits high ones. She utilizes her chest voice, a method that uses the larynx in order to make the vocal cords less taut. With this technique, she’s been able to reach impressively deep tones like the ones found in the verses of “Cruel Summer” and “Getaway Car.” Though they aren’t present throughout the entirety of the songs, they do add a sense of depth and variety, especially when they’re contrasted with higher notes afterwards. With just a few bars, she turned classic-sounding pop songs into something truly unique.

#8: Leonard Cohen

There’s something about a deeper sound that makes a dark topic even more impactful. Leonard Cohen displayed this perfectly with multiple songs on the album “You Want it Darker.” His voice had changed throughout his career, becoming deeper with each passing year. That came through on this project tenfold. The titular track in particular is filled to the brim with low, almost growling notes as he unflinchingly accepts his own eventual demise. Each track on the project is performed in a similar way, with the deep tones emphasizing the despondent messages. The songs teem with emotion despite not having much discernible vocal range, proving just how effective a powerful low pitch can be.

#7: Miley Cyrus

Well into her career, she’s proven she can whip out new tricks. Most singers would learn they have a polyp on their vocal cords, and do anything to have it removed— but not Miley Cyrus. She uses Reinke’s edema to her advantage, harnessing its negative effects and using them to fuel her signature deep range. She’s been able to utilize the disorder to hit astonishingly low notes, both in her own music and in other iconic songs. Whether it’s dance-pop or classic rock, Miley has proven a lower tone can be perfectly applied anywhere. Though it is a roadblock in some aspects, she’s been able to turn lemons into lemonade by wielding it to extend her artistry, rather than letting it limit her.

#6: Barry White

When thinking of crooners with low voices, he’s most likely one of the first to come to mind. Barry White’s career was centered around his signature bass voice, which he used to convey a sensual tone throughout his discography, even earning him the nickname of the Ambassador of Romance. Listening to his music, it’s clear to see why. Whether it's on a funk piece like “Low Rider” or a classic R&B track, his impressively rich voice always comes through front and center. On “Low Rider,” he was even able to show off just how effortlessly he could slide down into contrabass territory, moving down the octave as though it were nothing.

#5: Prince

As impressive as it is for someone with a lower voice to hit those deep notes, there’s certainly something to be said for tenors who manage to do the same. An artist in every sense of the word, Prince had a range spanning multiple octaves. Though he usually utilized this to hit dazzling high notes, he was also more than capable of switching things up and singing parts usually reserved for baritones. There’s no need to look any further than “Daddy Pop,” where he juxtaposed low-pitched notes with falsetto ones directly before and afterwards. It created both a perfect contrast of tones and allowed him to flaunt his musical genius.

#4: Avi Kaplan

To stand out in a group of pure talent like Pentatonix, you have to have something that sets you apart. For Avi Kaplan, that’s his extensive range and exquisite bass voice. He has an oktavist range, meaning he can hit notes a scale below most baritones. In a group setting he was able to add support and a bassline to the higher vocal parts. However, Kaplan’s solo music is where he truly shines. His folk-inspired music allows him to add lyricism to his velvety, rich tone, somehow enhancing and elevating it—despite being sung down an octave.

#3: Tim Foust

Utilizing tactics primarily used by death metal singers, he’s been able to cultivate an extremely impressive range. Tim Foust is primarily known as being the full-time bass vocalist for the a capella group Home Free. To hit the notes he does, he utilizes a technique known as a growl. It’s essentially an elevated vocal fry set to music. When done properly, it can help someone reach keys that are a full octave below the bass clef. Some of the tones are so low that they sound more like machines than man—which only adds to the overall effect.

#2: Paul Robeson

Though he wasn’t the first to sing the “Showboat” classic, he ended up being the defining artist to cover it. Paul Robeson took on “Ol’ Man River” in the 1936 film adaptation, and his surprisingly dulcet tones soon had audiences in a trance. Despite how low it was, his voice was filled with emotion and determination as he delivered each pain-filled line. His voice was akin to a river itself—deep and pulsing. His bass range soon helped him become the voice of a generation, turning pieces once defined by subjugation into truly prideful ones. It’s no wonder why the show tune ended up becoming his signature piece—which aged with his voice in the best way possible.

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

Joy Chapman

Broke the World Record for the Lowest Note Sung by a Woman

Lorde

Takes Listeners to Perfect Places with Her Impressive Lower Range

Mick Jagger

Used His Lower Range to Portray a More Sensuous Tone

Geoff Castellucci

With Subharmonics, He’s Able to Hit a B0 with Ease

Mikhail Zlatopolsky

Once Recognized as the Lowest Bass in the World

#1: Tim Storms

It doesn’t get any lower than this—literally. Thanks to his unusually long vocal cords, Tim Storms has the unique ability to sing notes so low that humans can’t even hear them. His lowest is a G-7, which is several octaves lower than the lowest key on a piano. He can even access a range known as the vocal fry register, which is the lowest known to mankind. Whether he’s merely emitting low tones or crooning lyrics, he can do so without compromising the musicality in his voice. It’s no wonder why, since 2012, he’s held the world record for the lowest sound produced by a human.

What’s the lowest note you can sing? Let us know in the comments below!