Unfortunately, for much of rock music's history, women were under-represented as most bands had had all-male members. Still, the years have given us our fair share of great female band leaders. In celebration of International Women's Day, I'll be counting down my top ten favorite female singers in rock and alternative music history. For this list, I've excluded singers who were/are known primarily as solo artists (sorry Janis Joplin and Sky Ferreira). However, the definition of a "frontwoman" is a loose one, as several of the singers featured on this list often had male companions at the mic, but would at least sporadically have a song to herself. Lastly, in addition to a description of each singer, I've embedding a track of theirs that I feel showcases their vocal prowess most successfully. And remember, as always, this is just my opinion. Let's dive right in.
10. Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill)
This ferocious punk-rocker was at the head of the Riot Grrrl movement, as her band Bikini Kill took a leading role in the counter-culture. Closely tied in with grunge, Riot Grrrl brought significant social change wherever it thrived, advocating for gender and sexual equality, and even facilitated the resurgence of feminism in the United States. Hanna's distinct snarl and tongue-in-cheek lyrics played a significant role in the genre's rise to prominence, and she may be the most politically significant person on this list.
