Tim Buckley
Nina Simone
Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond
Edith Piaf
Björk
An Pierlé

Linda Sharrock
Whatsisface from Converge
William Bennett
Philip Best
Scott Walker
Francoise Hardy

Scott Walker
Sandy Denny
Billie Holiday
Townes Van Zandt
Elizabeth Fraser
Kate & Anna McGarrigle
June Tabor
James Carr
Gram Parsons

hands down.

Either dude in the New Flesh.

don't know how to define "emotional intensity" but Tom Waits is noteworthy. Bone Machine sums how dynamic he can be despite such a unique voice.

Kristin Hersh, on "Vicky's Box" particularly... of course I could be confusing intensity delivery with intense lyrics?

Tom Waits indeed
and Isaac Brooke from modest mouse

and then there's that Modest Mouse attempt at Waits, "This Devil's Workday"

I forgot Liz Fraser.

Lisa Gerrard

Brendan Perry

Liz Fraser

Jamie Stewart

Ian Curtis

Tom Waits

Many good calls already, let me add Sara Lov (devics)...check this little "sample" :)

http://www.badongo.com/file/2849521

Bumping a very old thread but it's a good one so whatever.

Roberta Flack
Karen Carpenter
Sharon Van Etten

1) Maynard

2) Chino Moreno from Deftones/Team Sleep/Crosses

3) Shannon Wright

Carla Bozulich
Jarboe
that Hainer guy with the sunglasses and long grey hair
Phil Minton
Jessika Kenney
Mike Patton
Junko
Blixa Bargeld
Haco
Nina Hagen

oh, and lest I ferget my heritage

Lau Nau

Jonathan Davis - KoRn

His on-stage freak-outs are legendary.

Dion
Timi Yuro
Darlene Love
Robert Johnson
Buju Banton
Kim Gordon
John Lennon

and the winner is..

Howlin` Wolf
Captain Beefheart
Tom Waits
Dr. John
Nick Cave
Elvis
Eddie Cochran
Jim Morrison
Ian Curtis
PJ Harvey
Björk
Kate Bush
John Fogerty
Iggy Pop
Stevie Winwood
Stevie Wonder
Johnny Winter
Jukka Gustavson

Tony Starks AKA Ironman.

SON HOUSE

Ooo i love intense vocalists. Here's some:
Page Hamilton on Born Annoying (1993), and theres also some gems on Strap It On, like FBLA and Murder.
Jeremy Enigk on LP2.
Bobby Digital on Domestic Violence sounds pretty angry. Very PC.
Drive Like Jehu - If It Kills You.
Eddie Vedder on Leash.
PJ Harvey on pretty much the whole Rid Of Me.
Thirty Ought Six - songs like Dealt, Tike, Eris and Tourmaline (which happens to include Enigk)
The Hated - Words Come Back
Yaphet Kotto - If you can stand the sometimes awkward teenage angst vibe
Beastie Boys - Holy Snappers
Company Flow - Lune TNS
Divine Styler - that jamaican guy on Grand Design
Skinny Puppy - some of their finest moments on: Scrapyard, Circustance, God's Gift (maggot), Human Disease, Bark

Matana Roberts is an emotionally intense one

Lets all just be contrarian and act like Kurt Cobain wasn't one of the best emotive vocalists of all time.

Neil Young on the albums Tonight's the night and On the beach

bukka white
louis armstrong is pretty intense here i feel. and recently i have come to realize how this is simply one of the greatest songs.

http://youtu.be/QzcpUdBw7gs

How about a trio of chix?

Johnette Napolitano - "Joey"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdpTcvSn8HQ&ob=av2e

PJ Harvey - "The Dancer"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7o8URBIHLE

Carla Bozulich - "Dragon Lady"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibJZUXuD16s

There are more emotions than pain and love you know