Why feature one quality lead vocalist when you can showcase two … or three, or four, etc? Here some prominent rock bands who are — or were — doing just that.

Layne Staley was one of the great frontmen of the grunge genre, but lead guitarist Jerry Cantrell often lent his voice to Alice in Chains. The pair’s harmonization on the classic “Man in the Box” is just one example of that hard-rock brilliance. When the band re-formed following Staley’s death, Cantrell stepped up his vocal presence a little more, complemented by highly underrated guitarist/vocalist William DuVall.

Pop-punk is not everybody’s cup of tea, especially hardcore punks. Yet, regarding the overall scene, Alkaline Trio has attained a certain amount of punk/alternative credibility. With its unique, creative, often satirical and macabre approach to punk, highlighted by its vocal back-and-forth between guitarist Matt Skiba and bassist Dan Andriano, this Chicago-based trio has provided some of the most underrated music within the genre.

The three-pronged vocal stylings of Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson has always been something special. That’s why The B-52’s remain a beloved new wave/art pop rock act since forming in the mid 1970s. Tunes like “Rock Lobster,” “Roam” and “Love Shack” are just the most well-known numbers that truly exemplify the band’s uniquely creative sound when all three voices work together seamlessly within their respective ranges.

Whether Rick Danko or Levon Helm singing lead, or sharing like they did on the classic “The Weight,” The Band’s underrated strength was the collective vocal ability of the group. And, don’t forget that Robbie Robertson and even Richard Manuel were able to successfully and wonderfully carry a tune with their voices. Stellar musicianship might always be what The Band was known for, but its vocal arrangements must also be celebrated.

Back in the mid-to-late 1990s, this quirky Canadian alternative pop rock outfit enjoyed massive success thanks to cuts like “If I Had $1000000,” Brian Wilson” and “One Week.” A lot of that success was due to the vocal stylings of Ed Robertson and Steven Page. Both unique in their own right when it came to those vocals, the two played well off each other until Page left the band in 2009.

When it comes to harmonies, nobody did — or even is currently doing — it better than The Beach Boys: Mike Love, Al Jardine, Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson and Bruce Johnston. Even Dennis Wilson chimed in. Just about any Beach Boys classic — of which obviously there are many — includes some of the most genuine and beloved harmonies in the history of any genre of music. It’s a vocal styling and approach that many tried to emulate and few succeed.

Consider the classic tunes that each member of the Beatles sang lead on? When it comes to John Lennon and Paul McCartney, there’s truly too many to count, and when they harmonized together (“I Want to Hold Your Hand”) it was true genius. But, what about George Harrison’s vocals on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Something?” And don’t forget Ringo Starr’s memorable voice on “Yellow Submarine” or “With a Little Help from My Friends.” Keep in mind, this is just a small sample size of The Beatles’ greatness.

One of the more unheralded elements of a great pop-punk group are vocal stylings that stand out. A claim to fame when it comes to Blink-182’s lasting success is the vocal back-and-forth between bassist Mark Hoppus and guitarist Tom DeLonge. Some of Blink’s most popular tracks feature the two providing coordinated vocals (“The Rock Show,” “Going Away to College,” “d,” ‘Feeling This”). Even those rock fans who don’t quite fancy the band or genre can appreciate this tight vocal tandem.

As of 2018, this Boston-based alternative rock outfit had released nine studio albums, and it’s the co-lead vocal work of guitarist Bill Janovitz and bassist Chris Colbourn is a big part of the appeal. Always considered a great live band, Buffalo Tom’s prominence spanned outside the East Coast thanks to 1993’s Big Red Letter Day, which featured two songs “Sodajerk” (which features both sharing lead vocals) “Late at Night” (with Colbourn doing the lead vocal honors) included in the short-lived but severely underrated ABC teen drama My So-Called Life.

Casual fans of The Cars might only know the quirky Ric Ocasek as the voice of the band, thanks to major hits like “My Best Friend’s Girl,” “Shake it Up,” and “You Might Think.” And while Ocasek was obviously the group’s frontman, bassist Benjamin Orr sang lead on some of the band’s biggest hits as well. That prominent voice heard on classic tracks such as “Just What I Needed,” “Let’s Go,” “Candy-O” and “Drive,” was Orr at his finest.

The Hall of Fame band, which is still active since forming in 1967, might be best known for its brass section and pop ballads of the 1980s. However, Chicago has also produced some quality vocalists, who all doubled as above-average musicians, during the course of its lengthy run. Peter Cetera (“Feelin’ Stronger Everyday,” “Hard to Say I’m Sorry”), Terry Kath (“Colour My World”, “Make Me Smile”), Robert Lamm (“Saturday in the Park“), Bill Champlin (“Look Away”) and Jason Scheff (“What Kind of Man Would I Be?”) being the most prominent.

Joe Strummer has long been considered the true frontman of The Clash, taking lead on such punk classics as “Train in Vain,” and “London Calling,” but Mick Jones also delivered the vocal goods on tracks like “Should I Stay or Should Go.” In fact, Jones’ vocal contributions offered another element of versatility and excellence to a legendary outfit that was a pioneer amid the punk movement in England and in the United States.

Since coming together just south of San Francisco in San Jose in 1970, the Doobies have been going strong for five decades, perhaps because of the versatility among its various lineups and musical stylings. Rock, country, soul, yacht-rock — it’s all there across a legendary career. Perhaps most impressive regarding the Hall of Famers’ tenure are the talents of famed musicians and great vocalists like Tom Johnston (“Listen to the Music“), Patrick Simmons (“Black Water“) and Michael McDonald (“Takin’ It to the Streets“).

Throughout the lengthy tenure of these Boston Celtic punks, the vocal arrangement has always been a prominent part of its success. Mike McColgan was the band’s original vocalist, but when singer Al Barr joined for the band’s second album, The Gang’s All Here (1999), the true emergence of bassist Ken Casey as a key vocalist truly took off. By 2003, Barr and Casey were trading lyrics on stellar Dropkick Murphy tunes such as “Walk Away” and “The Dirty Glass,” and then more notable hits like “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” and “The State of Massachusetts.”

The question should be, which member of the Eagles throughout the legendary band’s tenure didn’t take their turn at lead vocals. Though Glenn Frey (“Take It Easy“) and Don Henley (“Hotel California“) were the band’s principal vocalists, they weren’t alone when it came to fronting the band. Joe Walsh (“In the City”), Don Felder (“Visions”) and Timothy B. Schmit (“I Can’t Tell You Why”) also took their turns at the mic. And absolutely give a listen to the collective harmonizing on the band’s version of “Seven Bridges Road.”

When Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined the band in the mid-1970s, Fleetwood Mac took on more of a pop sound. Those two, along with keyboardist/pianist Christine McVie also dominated the vocal landscape of the group. Buckingham’s “Go Your Own Way,” and “Monday Morning,” Nicks’ songs like “Rhiannon” and “Landslide,” plus McVie’s “Say You Love Me” and “You Make Loving Fun” all rank high in the pantheon of great Fleetwood Mac tracks.

Throughout the course of the Grateful Dead’s celebrated careers, the vocal emphasis was usually on Jerry Garcia (“Uncle John’s Band,” “Touch of Grey”) and Bob Weir (“Truckin’,” “Sugar Magnolia“). However, bassist Phil Lesh, and way back in the day, keyboardist Ron “Pigpen” McKernan also sang lead on various Dead tunes. Still, the harmonization and vocal sharing between Garcia and Weir was an underrated aspect of the band’s appeal.

During Jefferson Airplane’s run of the success during the mid-to-late 1960s, Grace Slick (“White Rabbit,” “Somebody to Love”) proved herself to be one of the great rock frontwomen of the era. However, co-lead vocalist Marty Balin (“Volunteers“) also made his presence felt as the Airplane continued to soar. When the Airplane morphed into a Starship during the 1980s, Mickey Thomas eventually joined Balin (for a spell) and Slick. Thomas has long been hailed for his vocal performance on 1979’s “Jane.”

Actually, all four members of the Kiss lineup have sung lead on some of the band’s biggest hits. On Kiss’ most recognizable track, “Rock and Roll All Nite,” it’s Gene Simmons in charge. The Demon also sings lead on other Kiss classics like “Deuce,” and “Plaster Caster.” Paul Stanley is at the forefront of “Love Gun,” “Detroit Rock City” and most of the popular tunes from the post-makeup years. Of course, “Beth,” one of Kiss’ biggest hits, was sung by drummer Peter Criss. And, it can be argued that the highlight of 1979’s Dynasty record is a cover of the Rolling Stones’ “2,000 Man,” with lead guitarist Ace Frehley on lead vocals.

For those in the know, Night Ranger is more than “Sister Christian.” As he did on many Night Ranger favorites, drummer Kelly Keagy sang lead on that mainstream rock favorite. However, bassist Jack Blades tends to front the band’s harder numbers like “(You Can Still) Rock in America,” “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” and  “Four in the Morning.” Keagy and Blades also come together to shine vocally on the MTV favorite “When You Close Your Eyes.”

While Syd Barrett’s voice was most prominent in the early days of the Floyd, the dynamic changed when guitarist David Gilmour joined the group in 1967. Things totally expanded vocally after Barrett left the band. Gilmour’s harmonizing with bandmate Roger Waters helped turn Pink Floyd from an obscure progressive rock act to mainstream giants following the release of 1973’s Dark Side of the Moon, where Gilmour shines on tracks like “Money” and “Us and Them,” and Waters is at his best via “Brain Damage”/”Eclipse.” Down the road, the two teamed up for a brilliant vocal performance on the classic “Comfortably Numb.”

The interchanging, intersecting vocals of guitarists Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein has been described as “life-changing” by hardcore fans of these indie/alternative rock stars. While Tucker tends to carry the load vocally, Brownstein’s voice is like controlled chaos that, when put together, really is something special. For a perfect example of that remarkable vocal blend, one needs only listen to the Sleater-Kinney favorite “I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone.”

We’re talking the classic Styx lineup from the second half of the 1970s and into the mid-1980s. Noted frontman Dennis DeYoung sang lead on such classic rock favorites “Lady,” “Come Sail Away,” “Grand Illusion,” and “Don’t Let it End.” However, underrated guitarist and vocalist Tommy Shaw came through strong while singing lead on “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man),” “Renegade,” and “Too Much Time on My Hands.”

There can’t be a list like this without including Three Dog Night — mostly because the band featured three lead vocalists in Chuck Negron, Cory Wells, and Danny Hutton. Together, their all-compassing vocal talent and splendid, tight-fitting harmonies made famous songs like “Mama Told Me Not to Come, “An Old Fashioned Love Song” and “Joy to the World.” When it comes to true vocal brilliance, Three Dog Night is among the best in that department.

When Toto hit it big with the massively successful Toto IV record from 1982, three band members had a major hand in the lauded vocal performance on the album. Vocalist Bobby Kimball and keyboardist David Paich teamed on the popular “Africa,” while Kimball and guitarist Steve Lukather provided the principal vocals on the classic “Rosanna.” Lukather then took it himself on the underrated ballad “I Won’t Hold You Back.”