Crying

Often compared to an opera singer, Roy Orbison is universally acknowledged as the ultimate vocalist. His ability to hit a multiple four-octave range and keep perfect pitch, tone and expression is unparalleled. Orbison's career began at Sun Records in the late 1950s when he sang country and western but his ballad style evolved once he switched to Monument and had 22 songs chart in the Top 40. Roy's album sales were huge and for a period in the '60s he single-handedly bridged the divide between rock and roll and chart pop music. 1962's Crying, which takes its name from the epic title cut, was Orbison's second album for Monument and chart breakthrough, reaching No. 21 on the Billboard chart and No. 17 in the U.K. Additional highlights come in the form of further classics like "Love Hurts" and "Running Scared."