Cloud McFly
All Star
Beyonce is a louder singer than Aaliyah and obviously sings in a different register but how is she better when Beyonce doesn't strike a nerve when I listen to her. I don't FEEL her singing. It doesn't evoke any type of motion. She just singing instead of SINGING. Even though Aaliyah had a low register with her vocals, I can still feel it and she never came across as bland; she's like Janet with her whisper like vocals in that regard.
Aaliyah was great, and her departure was a tragic loss, but to me, she wasn't better than Beyonce in any way.
As far as singing, there really isn't any contest. Just look at the following video of her singing Halo in a hospital with no studio assistance or backing track...
^If you don't FEEL that, I don't know what to tell you.
Performance is another aspect where Aaliyah never came close. I knew B put on a great show by seeing video clips, but It wasn't until I took my wife to the Formation tour that I realized that she is in a class by herself.