I love listening to tunes on my daily drive or when I study. One day, I’m listening to pop music, and the next I’m listening to heavy metal.
Just like your music taste, the music industry evolves. In celebration of Women’s History Month, here’s nine influential women who built the music industry we have today.
- Ella fitzgerald
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Ella Fitzgerald was an African American singer in the midst of the Jim Crow era. She simultaneously fought for equality while becoming a music icon.
She is crowned as the “Queen of Jazz” and “The First Lady of Song.” She backs up these titles with 14 Grammys and around 2,000 recorded songs.
Fitzgerald paved the way for other African American and minority artists to be heard in the discriminatory music world.
- Dolly parton
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Dolly Parton is a well known country singer with a passion for fashion. Parton bridged the gap between country-lovers and those who couldn’t stand the sound of it.
She has 25 hit songs on the Country Billboard Charts.
Parton has also supported various charities and humanitarian acts, with a recent one being a financial contributor for the creation of the Moderna vaccine against COVID-19.
- Aretha Franklin
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Aretha Franklin was an R&B legend. Franklin holds the title “Queen of Soul” and 20 Grammys celebrating her voice.
Not only can she sing, but she can write too. Many of her songs were written by herself, such as “Rock Steady” and “Spirit in the Dark.”
Franklin too was an activist in the civil rights and women’s rights movements. She donated much of her time and money to these causes, as well as quietly supporting others.
She was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame, forever solidifying her influence and incredible talent.
- Selena Quintanilla
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Selena Quintanilla was a Tejano artist loved by the Latin-American community. Quintanilla broke through the male-dominated Tejano music scene, being hailed as the “Queen of Tejano Music.”
She won the Tejano Music Award for Female Artists nine years in a row. She released both Spanish and English language albums and holds one of the best selling Latin albums in the United States.
Quintanilla has a day dedicated to her in Texas, April 16th, known as “Selena Day.” She was a beacon for Latinas living in the United States and opened the door for future female artists in the genre.
- Queen Latifah
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Queen Latifah is a singer and rapper, known for balancing between rap and R&B. She became the first to earn a gold certification on a solo female rapper album from Recording Industry Association of America.
Many of her albums focus on the struggles of urban life and women’s rights. Her songs sparked conversations around the objectification of and violence against women.
Latifah’s conversations about modern issues coupled with her immense skill is what makes her an icon today.
- Adele
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Adele is a pop-singer known for her emotionally moving pieces and vocal skill. Adele’s control and range of vocals hails her as an impressive performing artist.
Her album “21” became the world’s best selling album in the 21st century when it was released. This album made her the female artist to have the longest stay at the top of billboard charts, residing there for 24 weeks.
In 2012, Times Magazine named Adele as one of the most influential people in the world. Various magazines have named her as one of the artists of the 21st century, one going as far as saying of all time.
Adele’s skill and elegance within the pop industry brought a new sound into the mix, and keeps her at the forefront of this genre.
- Lakshmi Shankar
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Lakshmi Shankar was an Indian singer with a specialization in Hindustani vocals. She brought various themes of Indian music to the west.
With various performances in Europe and Northern America, Shankar exposed an audience to a genre of music uncommon in said areas. This paved the way for various Indian musicians and performers to break into an otherwise closed off market.
Not only did Shankar sing, but she composed music for a form of Indian classical dance called Bharatanatyam for a dance company in Los Angeles.
Shankar exposed many music fans to a new genre and created a space for other cultural music styles to be embraced.
- Madonna
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Madonna is a pop-star that rose to fame in the 1980’s. She is best known for breaking boundaries in the music industry with her expression and themes in her music.
Madonna reigns as the “Queen of Pop” and remains one of the most influential women within the genre. She brought themes such as sex, politics, and religion into her music in a controversial yet groundbreaking way.
Madonna is also known for owning her sexuality. Many female musicians followed suit, expressing themselves to reclaim their sexuality and negating objectification.
As one of the best selling female recording artists of all time, Madonna’s influence over the industry still holds strong today.
- Blackpink
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While not being an individual artist, Blackpink is an all-female K-pop group that helped bring the genre to today’s world stage.
K-pop has become all the rage in the United States, with Blackpink being one of the most popular groups. The group has garnered worldwide recognition and a massive fanbase.
With such a young career, these women are already turning heads. Their music videos for “How You Like That” and “Kill This Love” broke records for YouTube’s most viewed video in 24 hours. The group also holds Billboard Hot 100’s title of highest charting female-Korean act.
Blackpink is arguably one of the most recognized female K-pop groups, and has brought global attention to the South Korean genre.
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Do you have a favorite female artist? Let us know @HerCampusSJSU