Girls have lengthy dominated the rock scene, whether or not they’ve been correctly acknowledged for his or her achievements or not. Whereas numerous girls have formed the historical past of music, right here we’ve highlighted 30 of the most effective feminine rock singers. From Debbie Harry to Karen O, Stevie Nicks to PJ Harvey, see how these musicians’ vocals, songwriting and values have made them stand out within the music trade.
When you’re studying, hearken to our Feminine Rockers playlist right here.
30: Sharon Van Etten
Sharon Van Etten didn’t get widespread recognition till her third studio album, Tramp, landed in 2012, however when she did, she had the type of viral success most singer-songwriters are not often afforded. Gorgeous listeners along with her emotional candor, Van Etten sang songs about abusive relationships, love and self-discovery. She has since grown as a musician, transferring into scoring and mixing cinematic parts with rock music. Her 2019 album, Remind Me Tomorrow, which was launched earlier this 12 months, proves she’s greater than arrived on the rock scene.
29: St. Vincent
The one factor extra agile than St Vincent’s legendary guitar taking part in is her beautiful vocals. For over a decade, Annie Clark has traversed completely different types and sounds, and is equally at residence in singer-songwriter mode as she is recording avant-rock idea albums with David Byrne. A musical shape-shifter, Clark takes on a brand new persona with every album. On 2017’s Masseduction, she accomplished her evolution from singer-songwriter to indie darling to rock star.
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28: Hayley Williams (Paramore)
Within the male-dominated pop-punk scene, Paramore lead singer Hayley Williams felt like she was beginning a revolution along with her music and perspective, inspiring different women and girls to play in bands. Now 5 albums deep into her 15-year profession, Williams has grown up and develop into extra eclectic in her tastes with the group’s 2017 launch, After Laughter, bringing 80s synth-pop into the combination. However her rebellious spirit and deep connection along with her followers has by no means waned.
27: Kate Pierson (The B-52s)
As one of many founding members of The B-52s, Kate Pierson’s infectious pop-rock vocals made get together tracks corresponding to “Love Shack” and “Roam” what they’re at the moment. Alongside her vocal prowess, the singer-songwriter’s campy picture and charming persona has made her one among rock’s beloved cult icons. When not touring with The B-52s, Pierson has additionally fostered a stellar solo profession, incomes her a spot among the many greatest feminine rock singers.
26: Donita Sparks (L7)
In 1992, L7’s Donita Sparks threw her bloody tampon at festival-goers after they berated the band onstage. In her profession with the pioneering all-female group L7, she’s all the time defied expectations each inside and outdoors of music. It doesn’t get any extra rock’n’roll than that.
25: Alice Bag (The Baggage)
As one of many solely Latina musicians from the primary wave of 70s LA punk, Alice Bag turned an icon and an inspiration. As lead singer of The Baggage, she has used her platform to convey illustration center-stage, sending messages to survivors of abuse and addressing the detainment of immigrants.
24: Gwen Stefani (No Doubt)
Earlier than Gwen Stefani branched out into pop stardom, she was often called the alluring lead singer of early 90s ska and punk-rock band No Doubt. With early songs “Just A Girl” and “Spiderwebs,” from their breakthrough document Tragic Kingdom, Stefani proved she wasn’t going to play by the foundations and rapidly turned among the best feminine rock singers of the last decade. Her impeccable vocals stay unparalleled.
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23: Dolores O’Riordan (The Cranberries)
Along with her lofty Limerick accent, Dolores O’Riordan made a few of the biggest rock songs of the 90s along with her band, The Cranberries. From “Linger” to “Zombie,” O’Riordan’s emotive vary and Gaelic lilt made the band stand out. What made her much more of a rock star? Talking brazenly about her battle with bipolar dysfunction in 2017. The outpouring of emotion that adopted her dying, in 2018, was unprecedented.
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22: Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes)
As lead singer for Alabama Shakes, Brittany Howard is greatest recognized for her soulful, blues-tinged vocals. Because the Shakes took off, Howard began Bermuda Triangle, a aspect mission with Becca Mancari and Jesse Lafser. Being the badass she is, Howard can be lead singer of rock band Thunderbitch, who not often do dwell appearances. An unstoppable pressure among the many greatest feminine rock singers on this listing, Howard’s vocals can stand on their very own.
21: Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley)
Whereas she obtained her begin over 20 years in the past because the frontwoman of Rilo Kiley, Jenny Lewis has gone onto have an much more esteemed solo profession. The actress-turned-musician is a grasp of storytelling, praised for her susceptible songwriting about love, sexuality, relationships, and coming of age. Lewis has garnered a cult fanbase for her lyrical knowledge, sense of favor, and cool-girl perspective, however largely she’s an insanely proficient vocalist and guitarist who can’t be ignored.
20: Laura Jane Grace (Towards Me!)
Towards Me! founder and lead singer Laura Jane Grace has dominated the punk scene for over 20 years. Tackling delicate matters like class points and making hidden references to gender dysphoria in her music, in 2012, she turned one of the distinguished musicians to return out as transgender, and she or he’s been utilizing her platform to make a distinction ever since.
19: Melissa Etheridge
Kansas-born Melissa Etheridge paid her dues the onerous approach, dropping out of music school and gigging solidly in California earlier than a take care of Island Data got here her approach. She first tasted stardom when her self-titled 1988 debut spawned the hit “Bring Me Some Water,” however her confessional lyrical model and seductively raspy, Janis Joplin-esque supply aligned to perfection on the multi-million-selling album Sure I Am, which spawned signature hits “I’m The Only One” and “Come To My Window” and earned Etheridge a Grammy for Greatest Feminine Rock Vocalist in 1995.
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18: Kim Deal (Pixies, The Breeders)
Kim Deal first emerged on the scene within the late 80s because the bassist and co-singer for indie rock icons Pixies earlier than beginning her personal band, The Breeders, along with her sister Kelley Deal. From “Gigantic” to “Cannonball,” her voice is behind a few of the most enduring hits in 90s rock. Embodying the DIY ethos of indie rock whereas retaining a real rock star’s magnetism, who else could make maneuvering intricate basslines whereas delivering impassioned vocals look simple?
17: Siouxsie Sioux (Siouxsie And The Banshees)
Not solely among the best feminine rock singers in music, as chief of Siouxsie And The Banshees and The Creatures, Siouxsie Sioux is among the most influential British singers in rock. However it was her songwriting that made her an much more affecting musician, meditating on sexual abuse, psychological sickness, and crippling nervousness. The breadth of her skills led her to collaborate with Morrissey and John Cale over time and she or he stays an enigmatic determine and cult icon.
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16: PJ Harvey
In the course of the heyday of 90s alt.rock, Polly Jean Harvey’s otherworldly voice and avant-garde theatrics helped her stand out from the pack of feminine singer-songwriters of the period. Her unflinching lyrics are solely matched by the rawness of her music, and she or he continues to be not solely among the best feminine rock singers in music, however one of the attention-grabbing artists in rock at the moment.
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15: Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
Because the boisterous lead singer of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Karen O dominated the early 00s indie rock scene along with her contagious howls and ostentatious model. The success of Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ track “Maps” paved the way in which for O to develop into one among New York’s favourite musicians, and her affect will be felt each within the present wave of feminine singer-songwriters in addition to the artwork and vogue worlds, because of her Christian Pleasure-designed creations and her unhinged power.
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14: Shirley Manson (Rubbish)
Working and not using a filter, Scottish singer Shirley Manson has undoubtedly develop into one of many coolest girls in rock. Past being recognized for her unmistakable vocals and angsty lyrics, the Rubbish frontwoman is a feminist icon who sticks up for ladies and underrepresented communities. With hits corresponding to “I’m Only Happy When It Rains” and “Why Do You Love Me,” Manson has constantly been in a position to showcase her spectacular vocal vary, oscillating from snarls to an ethereal lilt with out fuelling an excessive amount of melancholy.
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13: Courtney Love (Gap)
For greater than 4 many years, Courtney Love has been a pressure to be reckoned with within the grunge scene. Her stint because the lead singer of alt.rock outfit Gap cemented her standing as among the best feminine rock singers in historical past: she was praised for her introspection on Movie star Pores and skin and continued to impress as a solo artist on America’s Sweetheart. Love’s wild antics and fervour for model, artwork, and the punk scene have helped her stay greater than related in any case these years.
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12: Pat Benatar
Whereas she stays greatest often called an MTV staple for her feisty hits “Love Is A Battlefield” and “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” Pat Benatar first took the rock world by storm along with her 70s debut album, Within the Warmth of the Night time. She’s managed to keep up that grit and over the course of 4 many years, gifting us numerous hits corresponding to “We Belong” and opening the door for future feminine solo stars who didn’t want a band to make themselves heard.
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11: Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill, Le Tigre)
A pioneer of the riot grrrl scene, Kathleen Hanna discovered fame as each a feminist and a punk icon. Fronted Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, and, most just lately, The Julie Destroy, Hanna captivated audiences along with her snarl and penchant for pushing societal norms. Between her activism and position in serving to to create third-wave feminism, Hanna is thought to be one of the influential girls in rock.
10: Lita Ford (The Runaways)
Having burst onto the scene as the principle shredder for feminine rock pioneers The Runaways, Lita Ford rapidly established she was frontwoman materials after the group flamed out and she or he launched into a vastly profitable solo profession. In the course of the heyday of hair steel, Ford was one of many few girls to star in her personal movies fairly than seem as a prop. She might go toe-to-toe with any of her male friends on the axe and had the pipes to drag off all these energy ballads, all whereas doing it in six-inch heels. “Larger Than Life,” certainly.
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9: Janis Joplin (Huge Brother And The Holding Firm)
First gaining recognition as a member of the psych-rock band Huge Brother And The Holding Firm, Joplin rapidly ascended from being among the best feminine rock singers of the 60s to develop into among the best rock and blues singer-songwriters of all time. After two data with The Holding Firm she pursued a solo profession, including songs corresponding to “Mercedes Benz” to a legacy that already included “Down On Me” and “Ball and Chain.” Whereas she died of a heroin overdose on the age of 27, Joplin’s voice has by no means been forgotten; she was posthumously inducted into the Rock And Roll Corridor Of Fame in 1995.
8: Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders)
Because the frontwoman of The Pretenders, Chrissie Hynde has been a fixture on the rock scene since 1978 and, all through the many years that adopted, has constantly stood among the many greatest feminine rock singers. Over the course of her profession, Hynde has collaborated with everybody from Cher to Frank Sinatra, and, as a part of The Pretenders, was inducted into the Rock And Roll Corridor Of Fame in 2005. Her daring stage presence and feminist power have made her an inspiring determine within the music trade.
7: Ann Wilson (Coronary heart)
With their band Coronary heart, sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson have been behind a few of the greatest rock anthems of the 70s and 80s, together with the scorcher “Barracuda.” Along with her bombastic vocal vary and edgy look, Ann Wilson simply transitioned to the 80s, releasing hit energy ballads corresponding to “These Dreams.” Whereas by no means formally taught, Wilson has one of the distinct voices in rock – no marvel it’s so onerous to hit these notes at karaoke.
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6: Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane)
Since becoming a member of the pioneering psych-rock group Jefferson Airplane in 1967, Grace Slick turned a formidable pressure in rock. Incomes her stripes as among the best feminine rock singers in historical past, she embodying the intercourse, medication, and rock’n’roll life-style and out-partied all her male contemporaries. With a mouth like a sailor and charisma for days, Slick was a disarming presence and have become the poster little one for the Summer time Of Love. She would proceed with Jefferson Airplane by way of varied guises over the many years, and is behind a few of the group’s most iconic hits.
5: Tina Turner
All through her profession, Tina Turner has perfected the artwork of mixing pop with soul-filled rock music. She crossed style and racial traces at a time when nobody else might, and, along with her signature raspy vocals and unstoppable power, she makes every track her personal. Whether or not she’s crafting enviornment pop classics corresponding to “What’s Love Got To Do With It” or giving The Rolling Stones a run for his or her cash at Altamont along with her cowl of Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long,” Turner stays an inimitable expertise among the many greatest feminine rock singers.
4: Joan Jett (The Runaways, Joan Jett And The Blackhearts)
Dubbed “The Queen Of Rock’n’Roll,” Joan Jett’s legacy stems from founding The Runaways with Lita Ford, Cherie Currie, Jackie Fox and Sandy West, after which her band Joan Jett And The Blackhearts. A staunch feminist, Jett made her mark in music with songs such because the guitar-punk “Bad Reputation” and The Blackhearts’ rendition of The Arrows’ track “I Love Rock’n’Roll.” In 2015, she obtained a long-overdue accolade: an induction into the Rock And Roll Corridor Of Fame for her work with The Blackhearts.
3: Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac)
From her begin in Fleetwood Mac to her solo releases, Stevie Nicks has develop into rock royalty. Identified for her mystical persona and live performance storytelling, Nicks has been lauded as one of the prolific singer-songwriters in historical past. Whereas she was inducted into the Rock And Roll Corridor Of Fame in 1998 as part of Fleetwood Mac, her standing as among the best feminine rock singers of all time was underlined when she entered that HOF as a solo artist in 2019.
2: Debbie Harry (Blondie)
Because the lead singer of Blondie, Debbie Harry develop into a punk icon within the New York Metropolis rock scene. Touting sexuality, model, and spunk, she was additionally answerable for a few of the most legendary hits of disco’s heyday, amongst them “Heart of Glass” and “Rapture.” Whereas Harry went solo for some time and Blondie has been on and off hiatus for years, the group just lately reactivated to tour in assist of their 2017 launch, Pollinator.
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1: Patti Smith
Punk poet Patti Smith wants no introduction. Her mixing of rock and poetry on her 1975 debut album, Horses, made her an iconic determine in rock, significantly the NYC punk scene. Generations of followers venerate her as among the best feminine rock singers of all time, whereas Smith has additionally develop into an creator lauded for her many literary works, particularly her memoir, Simply Children. Like so lots of the biggest rock musicians, Smith was inducted into the Rock And Roll Corridor Of Fame, and continues to be an icon for all aspiring musicians.
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