Rob Halford

For the band, see Halford (band).

Rob Halford
Halford performing in 2022
Halford performing in 2022
Background information
Birth nameRobert John Arthur Halford
Also known asMetal God
Born (1951-08-25) 25 August 1951 (age 73)
Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire, England
OriginWalsall, West Midlands, England
GenresHeavy metal
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active1969–present
Member of
Formerly of

Robert John Arthur Halford (born 25 August 1951) is an English heavy metal singer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of Judas Priest, which was formed in 1969[1] and has received accolades such as the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. He has been noted for his powerful and wide ranging operatic vocal style and trademark leather-and-studs image, both of which have become iconic in heavy metal.[2] He has also been involved with several side projects, including Fight, Two, and Halford.

Halford is often regarded as one of the greatest metal frontmen and singers of all time.[3][4][5][6] AllMusic said of Halford, "There have been few vocalists in the history of heavy metal whose singing style has been as influential and instantly recognizable... able to effortlessly alternate between a throaty growl and an ear-splitting falsetto."[7] He was ranked at No. 33 on the list of greatest voices in rock by Planet Rock listeners in 2009.[8] He has also been nicknamed "Metal God" by fans.[9][10] He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Judas Priest in 2022, via the Award for Musical Excellence.[11]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference invented was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Daniel Bukszpan (2003). "The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal"
  3. ^ "Fan Poll: 5 Greatest Metal Vocalists of All Time". Revolver. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Top 10 Best Metal Singers". TheTopTens. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  5. ^ "The 66 Best Hard Rock + Metal Frontmen of All Time". Loudwire. 13 October 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  6. ^ Blog, N. M. E. (18 May 2011). "The 10 Best Heavy Metal Frontmen". NME. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  7. ^ Prato, Greg. "AllMusic biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 5 November 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  8. ^ "Robert Plant voted rock's greatest voice". MusicRadar. 4 January 2009. Archived from the original on 11 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  9. ^ Giles, Jeff (19 June 2014). "Judas Priest's Rob Halford explains 'Metal God' trademark". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  10. ^ Blabbermouth (25 October 2019). "Celestial". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  11. ^ "ROB HALFORD on ROCK HALL Induction: 'This is Not Just for JUDAS PRIEST; This is for Heavy Metal Music'". 7 May 2022.