I’ve been obsessed with music since childhood. From rappers like Eminem to country stars like Carrie Underwood, I was exposed to various genres. At 13, I began listening to music while doing homework, one of the best decisions I ever made. I listened to all the genres my parents enjoyed along with others like pop and instrumental. In high school, I started listening to music in foreign languages, such as French, Spanish, and Italian.
My love for music is stronger than ever. As I live through my college journey, I continue to explore diverse genres while expanding my song collection. One genre that’s recently captured my attention is female rock, which almost sounds like an oxymoron. When we hear the term, “rock,” the first thing that comes to mind is Guns N’ Roses, Nirvana, Nickelback, and a bunch of other bands made up of male musicians.
Since the beginning, men have dominated the rock industry. However, there are women who made award-winning rock songs as well. Yet, not many people consider those songs or artists when describing rock, which I think is a major disgrace. The more I learned about female rock, the more I realized that many of us don’t associate rock with women.
Female Rock Roots
Female rock’s been around for decades, with the earliest songs hailing from the 1950s. Some might assume that female rock rose to existence after male rock. But truth is, it’s lived for nearly as long as male rock. Just like how there were influential male rockers in the 1950s and 1960s, there were eminent women rockers from that era as well.
Joni Mitchell is one of the most prominent figures from the 1960s and 1970s. She’s written many songs that demonstrate the early days of rock, one being “Woodstock.” Many people cite her work, declaring her 1971 album, Blue, to be the best.
In the 1970s and 1980s, more female rock groups began to form. A few well-known ones are Blondie, Fleetwood Mac, The B-52s, and Pretenders. They’ve released an array of hits that charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and 200, proving that women have a place in rock.
In the 1990s and 2000s, female rock continued to expand. Many more rock songs with female vocals were released, some hitting number one on the Billboard Hot 100. One of the greatest 2000s rock bands featuring women was Evanescence, which composed numerous stellar tunes, such as “Bring Me to Life” and “Going Under.”
Today, pop, country, and rap have taken over the music industry, dwindling rock’s popularity. However, there are women who still radiate the genre. One of my favorites is Maggie Lindemann, whose music is underrated yet fantastic.
Female Rock’s Underrepresentation
As I mentioned, people associate rock with masculinity. Of all bands in the Billboard’s 50 Best Rock Bands list, only nine feature women. In those nine bands, only a few have female lead singers. These disheartening statistics portray a strong patriarchy presence in rock. Despite women obtaining more career opportunities and rights, like suffrage and Title IX, they remain a significant minority in the genre.
This may not cross many minds, but women often have an incredibly powerful singing voice, especially in rock. Whenever I listen to Lindemann, I’m not just hearing dramatic percussion and guitar melodies, but I’m also hearing Lindemann’s outstanding vocals. Lindemann does an amazing job shaping her lyrics with emotion, tone, volume, and many other musical elements. The same can be said about Amy Lee, Evanescence’s lead singer. When listening to her music, I can really feel the emotions that she’s portraying. Her tone and volume shifts are also remarkable.
In my opinion, women are more proficient in singing rock songs than men. That’s not to say that Brian Johnson, Kurt Cobain, and the million other male rock musicians are horrible. However, in my experience listening to rock music, I feel like women do a better job articulating their songs’ emotions and messages than men. When listening to rock songs by male artists, I feel like the tone and melodies are static. In other words, they’re written simply to pump listeners with heavy guitar sounds and vocals.
The differences between male rock music and female rock music are very evident. As I mentioned, female rock is better than male rock. Despite this, female rock remains a clandestine wonder thanks to the patriarchy.
Female Rock Music to Listen To
There are an infinite number of female rock songs. The ones I mentioned earlier are amazing to listen to. However, there are many more hits worth adding to your Spotify playlist.
One of Lindemann’s greatest hits, this would make an outstanding theme song for an action-packed video game or television show. In the beginning, the song invigorates us with sweeping tempos and electric guitar beats. Throughout the song, Lindemann’s vocals are excellent, and the lyrics are absolute killer! I highly recommend listening to this song, especially if you’re looking for a lively, gripping female rock tune.
A 1990s classic, “Don’t Speak” is much more laid-back. However, it’s still a great female rock tune. The lyrics are cohesive, and the vocals blend in nicely with the background music.
Originally an Arrows tune, this was an immense global hit, dominating numerous music charts in 1982. It was also eighth in Finland, second in Belgium and Ireland, third in Switzerland, and fourth in France.
This is one of my favorite female rock songs. The lyrics are incredibly catchy, and it comes to show you that just because you’re a woman doesn’t mean you can’t be passionate about rock and roll.
Released in 1993, “Linger” received a lot of fame. It was eighth in the Billboard Hot 100 in the early 1990s. It was also fifth in Panama, third in Ireland, and fourth in Brazil.
Like “Don’t Speak,” “Linger” is more of a soft rock song. Its uplifting background music and warm vocals make it an exceptionally heartwarming tune. Every time I listen to it, it feels like I’m traveling down a road towards the sunrise, a symbol of hope, perseverance, and not giving up.
Female rock is more than rock featuring women; it defies the patriarchy and belief that the rock industry is comprised of men. For centuries, women have been suppressed to sexual attraction objects. Even though they have many more rights and freedom today, they’re still severely underrepresented in certain walks of life, including rock music. I hope this inspired you to develop an attraction towards female rock along with a desire to represent it and raise its fame!