Axl voted fourth greatest singer in poll

Michael Jackson has beaten Queen's Freddie Mercury in NME's poll of the Greatest Singers Of All Time.

Jackson got an average score of 9.02 out of 10, while Mercury's was 8.39.

The poll, which took place on NME.COM saw 10 million votes being cast, 4000 Facebook comments and, initially, saw Mercury at the top spot until Jackson went to Number One.

Elvis Presley took the Number Three position with an average of 7.17 out of 10 and Guns N' Roses Axl Rose took fourth place with 6.47.

Matt Bellamy from Muse was the only singer within the Top 20 to have emerged in the past 25 years. He made Number 11. Meanwhile, Aretha Franklin landed at Number 10, making her the only woman in the Top Ten. As the chart stands, nine of the Top 20 are dead.

The full Top 20 was:

1. Michael Jackson
2. Freddie Mercury
3. Elvis Presley
4. Axl Rose
5. John Lennon
6. David Bowie
7. Robert Plant
8. Paul McCartney
9. Stevie Wonder
10. Aretha Franklin
11. Matt Bellamy
12. Ray Charles
13. Jim Morrison
14. Bob Marley
15. Elton John
16. Kurt Cobain
17. Steven Tyler
18. Mick Jagger
19. Marvin Gaye
20. Tina Turner