Great music by women

[IAmAmy]

This may not be the right place or forum for this thread but just in case: I feel music is far too dominated by men. What great songs are there by women? I know most of my favourite songs are by women, I'd love to hear more.

I thought That (ba da boom tish) might be you but didn't want to ask in case you were incognito!

I just couldn't remember my old log-in!

I'm sure we can all think of more mainstream examples of female artists who have songs written for them, produced for them etc and they are just the pretty bit at the front of stage, rather than their music being 'by' women

I'm sure there are loads more but off the top of my head, I don't think Frank Sinatra wrote his own material; Rod Stewart wrote some but by no means all of his material (Reason to Believe, First Cut is the Deepest, Sailing aren't his)

Does anyone seriously think either of them are not significant and major artists because of that? Why should a female interpretive singer be just "the pretty bit at the front of the stage "?

Or, as in the case of say Linda Ronstadt, who assisted the careers of many other songwriters by her interpretations , is she to be dismissed because, yes, she was (and still is) a beautiful woman?

I very much like this song:

ThatStewie

Yay!

Erykah Badu
Florence and the Machine
Lauryn Hill
Sheryl Crow

I love tons of their stuff, couldn't pick a favourite

Meredith brookes

Unless someone has mentioned her before

Unusual voice and very woman centered songs

Depends what kind of music you like but
Joan Baez would/should the on this list.

Also janis Ian - both would be regarded ad folk singers.

Otherwise
Siouxsie and the banshees - showing my age!
Pretenders

Billy Holiday if you like that type of jazz/blues.
Also Ella Fitzgerald but i guess you will know of these 2 anyway

Anything by Throwing Muses. Kristin Hersh is a genius.

Thank you for all the brilliant suggestions!

Ooh, Amy... Please tell me you haven't come across Annie Lennox? Sisters are Doing it for Themselves? Great feminist anthem.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=drGx7JkFSp4

Prawn I know of her but wasn't that familiar with her music, this is great!

I absolutely love this thread. I work from home and have a YouTube soundtrack going everyday. I'm going to work my way down the lists of bands on this thread!

I'm 42, and grew up on PJ Harvey and all the early 90s indie. It was very male dominated, but there were bands like Lush, Sleeper, Echobelly, Belly, Elastica, The Breeders. So I'm ashamed to say that I only, for the first time ever, listened to Horses by Patti Smith this week. Incredible. It sounds so so modern to me, yet it's as old as I am. So that's one to add to the list. Also been YouTubing punk girl bands - The Slits, X-ray Spex (Poly Styrene), Siouxsie and the Banshees. Has anyone read Viv Albertine's memoir? Brilliant. She has made more music again recently - punk for the mumsnet generation! Have a look. Really like Wolf Alice too.

PJ Harvey is the ultimate for me. She is incredible.

Anything by Joan Armatrading

tootsie I love PJ Harvey too! I'll look up the other bands you've posted about. Wolf Alice are definitely my favourite band, I've introduced my mum to them too

Lucky for your mum that she's got you to share bands with! My daughters are 8 and 10, their favourite songs at the moment are by The Vamps . I am looking forward to when they have some decent taste in music and I just hope they can discover all these amazing bands and artists for themselves (with maybe a little help from me)

Did anyone mention Sonic Youth? And I am loving Stevie Nicks and The Dixie Chicks at the moment. I can never get bored of Goodbye Earl.....

She and I definitely have similar taste! It won't be long until your daughters are discovering some great music I'm sure, especially with your gentle guidance

In folk music it is the women who lead the field: Kate Rusby, Nancy Kerr, Bella Hardy etc. etc.

I like Ella, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee. Yes, the older Jazz and Blues singers.

My favourite Opera singer atm is Elina Garanca, but also like the older greats like Maria Callas, Cecilia Bartoli.

Curve! How could I forget Curve. I think I like Wolf Alice because the music is very reminiscent of early 90s indie like Curve.

And L7. Thanks to the PP for reminding me about them!

Given that I must explore Curve next!

Can u just add
Natalie merchant
And
Imelda May