Scratching Your Soul

I don't know about you, but for me personally there's something about male singers with raspy voices that pull the strings of my soul. I've had lots of favorites over my long years on this planet and finally decided to put together a list of my top 10 contemporary songs by raspy-voiced singers that I enjoy the most.

Amazingly, my list also coincides almost one-to-one with the list that ChatGPT created, based on the radio hit ratings, number of streaming plays and downloads, as well as views on YouTube and various awards. So, here's the list:

1. Lewis Capaldi/Someone You Loved

A Scottish singer-songwriter and musician whose 2018 single "Someone You Loved," topped the UK Singles Chart in March 2019, where it remained for seven weeks. In November 2019, it reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was nominated at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and won the 2020 Brit Award for Song of the Year. His voice can be described as a thick, emotional rasp that cracks beautifully under pressure and makes every ballad feel deeply human.

2. Teddy Swims/The Door

An entirely self-made artist from my home town of Atlanta, Georgia, Teddy Swims started to attract and grow fan base in 2019 by posting his songs on YouTube. He broke through in 2023 with the release of the hit single "Lose Control," which peaked within the top ten of the charts in several countries and topped the Billboard Hot 100 the next year. There have been many more since then, and my favorite is the Door. I'd describe Teddy's voice as soulful, gospel-rooted rasp that blends grit and silk with astonishing control and range. I also absolutely love his mad social media game, with his real supermarket drop-ins for collabs with TikTok artists like this one:

3. Damiano David/Beggin'

the lead singer of the Italian band with a Danish name Måneskin has a glam-rock rasp with cigarette-smoke grit, swagger, and a theatrical punch. As one of the most recognizable and hummed songs of 2021, "Beggin'" needs no introductions or explanations.

4. Chris Stapleton/Tennessee Whisky

a multi-genre (country, blues, country rock, bluegrass) Tennessee Whisky singer and guitarist had a lot of experience writing songs for others and playing in two bands before he broke solo in 2015. His whiskey-soaked, bluesy rasp that rumbles with depth and raw emotional honesty even sang the US national anthem at the NFL Super Bowl LVII. Lots of good songs and several hit albums to choose from. However, my absolute favorite by him is this goofy little song he wrote and performed on SNL:

5. Rag’n’Bone Man/Human

A British singer everyone would recognize for his 2015 hit Human has a deep, smoky rasp layered over a powerful baritone that feels ancient and modern at once. Gives me chills every time I listen to this now classic with over 2.2 billion views as of March 2026:

6. Post Malone/Circles

Someone who needs no introduction, being one of the most famous singers and rappers of the millennial generation, Post Malone has a nasal, laid-back rasp with a signature gravelly drawl that slips easily between rap and melodic hooks. He is very generous with collabs, and his most famous song - Rockstar with over 1.3B views on YouTube - is a prime example of a song featuring 21 Savage. My favorite song of his, however, is Circles:

7. Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode)/Enjoy The Silence

How could I skip on the biggest raspy voice of my youth, with its biggest global hit released in 1990? Still am mesmerized by this dark, brooding rasp infused with gothic warmth and effortless low-range power:

8. Dan Reynolds (Imagine Dragons)/Believer

2012 Radioactive was the first global hit featuring Dan's forceful rock rasp that emerges in explosive belts, giving his vocals a volcanic edge. But to the younger generation, he is more associated with the Believer (almost 3B views on YouTube):

9. Hozier/Take Me Too Church

Another long-running song from 2013, Take Me Too Church showcases Hozier's warm, earthy rasp that coats his folk-soul tone with subtle grit and emotional resonance. His most recent hit, 2024 Too Sweet, is a lot more melodic and less raspy.

10. Jensen Ackles

I had to fight MAIK to include this into my list because Ackles is more known as a mostly TV actor (Supernatural, The Boys, Tracker, Countdown). I had to remind MAIK that Ackles has his own very successful band, Radio Company, that tours the country and has released two albums. Jensen's rugged, blues-rock rasp with a smoky Southern tint feels both intimate and effortlessly cool. Definitely is on my list, and because he is lesser known I'm going to include two of his raspy songs here:

Simple Man

Brother

Bonus Raspy Voices

SNL gave us another country gem last year - "I Miss My Daughter's Ex." Tommy Brennan as Liam wrote the song, and Ben Marshall as Big Red surprised with the low depth of his voice. And oh boy who knew Glenn Powell as Gary the ex's Dad could belch out such a remarkable rasp that it made me think he certainly can have a fall-back career in singing? Kenan Thompson as Doctor Mike was a pleasant surprise as well.

And finally, a compilation of raspy voices from the Voice Auditions from all over the world, including the Ukrainian Voice.

What's your favorite raspy voice/song? Perhaps something so new I haven't heard it yet? As you can see, my taste in music is pretty eclectic and I try to follow new stuff but a lot of times I just can't catch up. So please drop me your recommendations, preferably with YouTube links, in comments.