Top Ten Greatest Women in Rock Music

In a field where men were most likely to dominate, these ladies carved their names in the realm of Rock n’ Roll in a manner that’s almost impossible to erase. Who among these dames is worthy to be called the greatest female rockstar?

Fiona Apple

Some artists are driven by the pain of loss which made them songwriters. Fiona was believed to have drawn her creative energies from one traumatic experience. At age 12, she was raped outside the apartment she shared with her mother and sister.

She then developed an eating disorder, purposely slimming her developing body, which she regards as “some kind of bait,” so she may get back at those people who are similar to the one who scarred her forever.

Although she insisted that she doesn’t write songs about the trauma, her music easily resonates with other kindred spirits across all genders and across all kinds of people.

Popular songs: Criminal, Shadowboxer, Paperbag

Gwen Stefani

VH1 ranked her 13th on their “100 Greatest Women in Music” list in 2012. She embarked on career choices that encompass both being a solo artist and as lead singer of No Doubt – endeavors that allowed her to sell more than 30 million albums worldwide.

Inspired by pop music from the 1980s, her musicality was met with both critical and commercial success. She is the wife of Gavin Rossdale, the lead singer of alternative band Bush. These days, Gwen is still proving to the music world that women can be more powerful than men, as evidenced by her fame which is a lot greater than that of her husband’s.

Popular songs: Don’t Speak, Hollaback Girl, Underneath It All

Joan Jett

She did excellent work with the Blackhearts and with the Runaways – 2 of the bands that enjoyed fame benefits due to her noticeable talent. Joan has a mezzo-soprano vocal range, which compliments her “fempunk” persona which in effect, earned her the title, “The Godmother of Punk.”

She has been a feminist icon throughout her career while selling many albums that have been certified as either platinum or gold. Unstoppably grabbing awards throughout her career, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.

Popular songs: I Love Rock N’ Roll, Bad Reputation, I Hate Myself For Loving You

Sinead O’Connor

Brave and eccentric – these are the best words to describe her. Having pursued to be ordained as a priest though she was obviously a woman, she was brought to greater notoriety when she tore the picture of Pope Jon Paul II as she was declaring the pontiff to be an agent of Satan during one of her performances.

She was often believed to be lesbian due to her shaved-head appearance, though she was publicly known to be in a relationship with some famous men. These are what made Sinead one of the most recognized female rock icons, though she is without a doubt, one of the most controversial.

Popular songs: Nothing Compares 2 U, Song of Jerusalem, In This Heart

Debbie Harry

She’s widely known as the lead singer of a great rock band but apart from that, she had been inspired to put philanthropy as her top priority. She openly claims that the act of providing for less-fortunate people are important to her life, and that she is privileged of being able to get involved, with philanthropic work. In her memoir,

Debbie recalled being a tomboy, spending much of her childhood playing in the woods adjacent to her home in Hawthorne. Her personality of combining cool sexuality with streetwise style, became so closely associated with the group's name that many came to believe "Blondie" was the singer's name.

Popular songs: Heart of Glass, The Tide is High, Maria

Stevie Nicks

Like Joan Jett who was declared as a “Queen of Rock,” Stevie Nicks also carries the tagline with her and was believed to be the real deserving one that should be declared as such. As the lead singer of Fleetwood Mac, she is a multi-award winning singer-songwriter, with a style that has remained the same throughout her years in the spotlight.

Fashion-wise, she is known as still a “compelling image,” even though she is already in her 60’s. Because of her distinctive influence she is not only looked-up to by other female singers, but also my some male artists.

Popular songs: Landslide, The Chain, Edge of Seventeen

Amy Lee

We know her as the lead vocalist as well as the co-founder of Evanescence. What we may be unaware of is that she is also the American chairperson of Out of the Shadows, an international epilepsy awareness foundation. As a multi-awarded performer, she is very vocal about the fact that she is against women who often use sexuality to further their careers. Obviously, Amy is not just a plain rocker but is also an ambassador of a certain form of wellness.

Popular songs: My Immortal, Bring Me To Life, Going Under

Dolores O’Riordan

It can’t be disputed, she is the unstoppable force that led The Cranberries to worldwide success for thirteen years. The band’s success could be due to a lot of reasons but the strongest reason perhaps is due to her notable lilting mezzo-soprano voice laced with her strong Limerick accent.

She is not only a singer, but an instrumentalist and songwriter as well. Known by her bandmates and friends as a person who truly embodies the importance of familial relationships, Dolores is perhaps the most affectionate female artist, within the rock genre as well as outside of it.

Popular songs: Zombie, Dreams, When You’re Gone

Chrissie Hynde

Shortly before her band, The Pretenders rose to popularity, she had little idea what she sounded like. Her idea of being getting educated is by giving in to feelings like frustration, fear, anger, insecurity, loneliness, and perseverance. Such emotional outpourings are instrumental to her success.

While attending Kent State University's Art School as a youngster, she joined a band called “Sat. Sun. Mat.” Over the years, she would master her craft as a singer, guitarist, songwriter, and whatever else that would make her one of the most talented ever… even when pitted against talented men as well.

Popular songs: Brass In Pocket, Don’t Get Me Wrong, I’ll Stand By You

Avril Lavigne

Rocking and projecting distorted hymns are typically for boys, but this girl defied such a norm and earned for herself an enormous amount of success. Emerging as a skateboarding, sneaker-wearing female punk, Avril is a unique, rebellious breed — one that you may dislike a bit, but will eventually listen to, once you get to absorb her musicality and talent.

Although her years of experience in making music videos was to her advantage, She admitted her experience in singing removed any fear of performing on camera.

Popular songs: Skater Boy, Wish You Were Here, I’m With You

Who do you think among them should be ranked as number 1?