Backing Vocalists - Lead Singers Who Record Backup Vocals

Lead Singers Who Record Backup Vocals

In the recording studio, some lead singers record their own backing vocals by overdubbing, because the sound of their own harmonies will blend well with their main vocal. Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy, Wednesday 13, in his own band, and as the lead and backing vocalist of Murderdolls, also Ian Gillan of Deep Purple and Brad Delp of Boston recorded lead and backing vocals for their albums.

With the exception of a few songs on each album, Dan Fogelberg, Eddie Rabbitt, David Bowie and Richard Marx sing all of the background vocals for their songs. Robert Smith of The Cure not only sings his own backing vocals in the studio, but also doesn't perform with backing vocalists when playing live.

Many metalcore and some post-hardcore bands, such as As I Lay Dying, Alexisonfire, Haste the Day and Silverstein feature a main vocalist who performs using harsh vocals, whilst the backing vocalist sings harmonies (clean vocals) during choruses to create a contrast. Some bands, such as Hawthorne Heights and Finch have the backup singers do harsh vocals to highlight specific lyrics.

Pop and R&B vocalists such as Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Beyoncé Knowles, Brandy, Faith Evans, D'Angelo, and Amerie have become known specifically for not only recording their own backing vocals, but for arranging their own multi-tracked vocals and even contriving highly complex harmonies and arrangements.