Favorite Female Pop or Rock Artist

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Poll question: Favorite Female Pop or Rock Artist

[YellowRubberDuckie]

1. What about Sarah McLachlan? Nora Jones? Sheryl Crow?

They rock!
Duckie

[soleft]

2. Yeah, Sheryl Crow!

[billbuckhead]

16. Joni Mitchell is pretty much in class by herself.

When I was a teenager I was a freak for female singers&songwriters. Laura Nyro, Phoebe Snow, Bonnie Raitt, Minnie Ripperton, Wendy Waldman, Patty Smith, Linda Ronstadt, Emmy Lou Harris. If my memory serves me right, Warren Zevon's Excitable Boy album had Linda and Wendy singing backup together on "Excitable Boy" and then Bonnie was on "Meet me in L.A". Probably my favorite album is "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" or "Horses". Of today's singer-songwriters, I like Sara McLaughlin, Natalie Merchant and Dido.

[7th_Sephiroth]

53. Personally, i like the chineese singer

Faye Wong.

[leftofthedial]

3. Sheryl Crow

Though Carole King as a songwriter is hard to beat.

I also like Joni Mitchell, but she's gone a little "wacky" from time to time.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. Best Song By A Female Artist

is Diamonds And Rust... Hands down....


The lyrics are haunting....

[Birthmark]

4. Alannis Morrisette

<ducks behind large, bullet-proof object> Well, you asked.

[soleft]

14. I saw Alanis at Jones Beach year before last

She put on a good show. Loves to swing that hair.

[carpetbagger]

52. Alanis Morissette, if she hangs on for ten years.

Nobody could keep up the fire of Jagged Little Pill for long without going the way of Joplin and Cobain. Yet the alternative inevitably involves becomming a nightclub rendition/parody of the former self. I think she may have hit the middle between the two.

If I had to choose as of today, I'm completely torn. A number of early blues singers come to mind, but I can't bring myself to calling them "pop or rock" artists. For pure ability, Annie Haslam of Renaissance gets my vote, but on the other hand, the quality of the songwriting after about 1978 or so hobbles her candidacy. The Bangles were probably the most talented pop band to come out of the mid-80's, but I have a feeling that their talent is only remarkable for the talentless morass from which they sprung (1986 is the year I turned off anything more recent than about 1976, and I didn't return to current popular music until Pearl Jam and Nirvana broke).

So I'd have to go with one of the folk masters, probably going with Simon based on purely personal preference.

[joeybee12]

5. My "other" is Donna Summer

I would have also included on the list Diana Ross, Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand, Loreena McKennitt, Cher....

[tishaLA]

7. Oh.

It's just about white artists I guess

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. I Was Going To Put Up Tina Turner But I Didn't Want To Mix Up Genres

even though I think I did...

Donna Summer

Diana Ross

Aretha Franklin


are all great....

[phishhead]

8. On that list...

Janis Joplin. Easy.

But she definitely isn't my favorite. I'm not quite sure who is, actually..

[RandomKoolzip]

9. How about somebody from the last twenty years like Corin Tucker of

Sleater Kinney? What is it with the fogies here on DU?

Here's my list:

K. McCarty of Glass Eye/ solo work
Sue Garner of Fish and Roses and Run On
Penelope Houston
Lois Maffeo
Lydia Lunch
Lisa Kekula of the BellRays

Seriously, let's give some time to those artists born after 1950, okay? Plus you forgot Sandy Denny on your list. And where's Nina Simone, Ronnie Spector, Aretha Franklin, etc. You know, BLACK SINGERS?!?!

[Whitacre D_WI]

29. Ah, you know the BellRays...

Lisa was also in a band called "Now Time Delegation" with Tim Kerr (of Big Boys, Poison 13, Bad Mother Goose, Monkeywrench, Jack o'Fire, and Lord High Fixers fame). I think it was a one-shot deal, but I like the NTD album better than either BellRays (though both are very good).

[fizzana]

10. Janis lived it to the fullest and what a voice.

n/t

[NightTrain]

20. And she ripped off her style from 100 different blues and soul acts!

When it came to singing style, that woman didn't have an original bone in her body.

[childslibrarian]

11. Stevie Nicks

Rocks

[2bfree]

22. Stevie Nicks is a Goddess!

Why isn't she on the list? She writes her own music, has a successful career as a solo artist and is with an amazing band. I love her! I really like Lucinda Williams as well.

[Paragon]

13. Bree Sharp

[LynneSin]

15. Annie Lennox

I love her music, it's so powerful!!! And she has an incredible rich voice. She's got my voice!!

[Tikki]

17. Exene Cervenka

from 'X'.

[RandomKoolzip]

18. Ditto! And what a lyricist, too!

"Motel Room in my Bed," "We're Desperate," "I MUst Not Think Bad Thoughts," etc.

[Whitacre D_WI]

21. Someone clean to chew on...

A wife that no one likes
He called and they said
All of New York is a tow-away zone.
He paid sixty dollars
On 12th Street today
& now all our money's gone

You don't have to answer me
You don't have to call me back
Your phone's off the hook, but you're not

You hate my older sister
& burglarize her home
Your dirty invitation waits
Run over on my street
I don't care who you don't like
You don't have to answer me

You don't have to answer me
You don't have to call me back
Your phone's off the hook, but you're not

[catzies]

50. Another vote for Exene

GODDESS.

[rbnyc]

19. Kristin Hersh (nt)

[HEyHEY]

23. JOAN JETT!

And connie francis

[bikebloke]

24. Patricia Kaas

Well, her material in her last two disques has been weak, but on the strength of her first two she's my fave.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

25. where's debbie harry?

or chrissy hynde?

[tishaLA]

32. Oh heavens! It's "deborah" now....she's very uptown

[Whitacre D_WI]

26. Of course, the REAL answer...

Is Chrissy Hynde.

[ronzo]

44. You got it! ~ Chrissie Hynde

Chrissie kicks ass!

Of the choices given I had to vote for Joni...

[Dirk39]

27. Patti Smith Patti Smith Patti Smith

Love and admire her since I'm 13 ("now, I'm convinced that women like sex, let's start")! And rebellion, too. And rationality, too!
And she didn't make a fool out of herself as she got older... Seems that guys have much more problems, becoming older in that bizz.
Hello from Germany,
Dirk

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

28. shit! that's who i meant to say!

how could i forget?

[joeybee12]

30. You mean instead of Debbie Harry?

Debbie really broke barriers.

Besides, she's the godmother to Edina's gay son on AbFab!!!!!!!!

[Dirk39]

34. Yes, how the hell could you forget!

O.K., you're forgiven...
Dirk

[greendog]

31. Lucinda Williams!

[Rooktoven]

51. You got that right!!!

She's one for the ages.

[Lady Freedom]

33. Madonna!

Let's face it! She ROCKS!

[Skip Intro]

35. Ann Wilson of Heart ( honorable mention to Pat Benetar and Chrissy Hynde)

I like a lot of women artists, but she shines a little brighter, imho.

Great, great rock and roll voice.

And Chrissy Hynde (activist) and Pat Benetar rock as well.

and damn, I love Sheryl Crow, the chick from Concrete Blonde, Debbie Harry, L7...

But my Fave is Ann Wilson - sweet.

[Lady Freedom]

36. High Priestess of Rock!!!

Stevie Nicks!

[jus_the_facts]

37. Pat Benatar.........

...always liked her stuff!! Favorites ALL FIRED UP....Hell Is For Children....Hit Me With Your Best Shot...Fire And Ice....Promises In The Dark!!!! :)

ALL FIRED UP.....

Livin' with my eyes closed, goin' day to day
I never knew the difference, I never cared either way
Lookin' for a reason, searchin' for a sign
Reachin' out with both hands, I gotta feel the kick inside

CHORUS
All fired up -- now I believe there comes a time
All fired up -- when everything just falls in line
All fired up -- we live an' learn from our mistakes
All fired up, fired up, fired up -- *Hey*

Ain't nobody livin', in a perfect world
Everybody's out there, cryin' to be heard
Now I got a new fire, burnin' in my eyes
Lightin' up the darkness, movin' like a meteorite



Now I believe there comes a time
When everything just falls in line
We live and learn from our mistakes
The deepest cuts are healed by faith



:o :o :o :o NOW I BELIEVE...ALL FIRED UP!! :o :o :o :o

[Skip Intro]

39. we have very similar tastes, jtf

in music anyway, I've noticed that several times.

Some awesome guitar work in her songs too, especially the ones you mentioned. And her voice - great match.

I love the solos from Hit Me With Your Best Shot, and Hell Is For Children. She has a great rock voice.

"Just when you think you've got it down..."

A local station was playing some new music by her recently. Kinda came and went, don't know if there was a new album or what, but the tune was above average.

[jus_the_facts]

41. Hey.....yep we have agreed a lot about music......

.....Pat's awesome...the last album of her's I can remember was Gravity's Rainbow...which rocked!! I also like The Pretenders...as I saw your post after I'd posted....got really sick of "Back To Ohio" after Rush used it for his intro :puke: But really love "Brass In The Pocket" and "Middle Of The Road" :D

on edit.....and I LOVE LOVE LOVE HEART!! I recall you postin' to my thread I started a while back!! ;-)

[dajabr]

38. Natalie Merchant (nt)

[mitchum]

40. Patti Smith

[jus_the_facts]

42. Oooooo.......how could I forget Aimee Mann.....Skittles would kick my ass!

:D

Favorite song...when she was with 'Til Tuesday...



Voices Carry...


I'm in the dark, I'd like to read his mind
but I'm frightened of the things I might find
Oh, there must be something he's thinking of
to tear him away
when I tell him that I'm falling in love
why does he say
Hush hush
keep it down now
voices carry

I try so hard not to get upset
because I know all the trouble I'll get
oh, he tells me tears are something to hide
and something to fear
and I try so hard to keep it inside
so no one can hear

Hush hush
keep it down now
voices carry

he wants me
but only part of the time
he wants me
if he keeps me in line

Hush hush
keep it down now
voices carry

Hush Hush darling
She might overhear
oh, no - voices carry

he says shut up he says shut up
oh God can't you keep it down
voices carry

Hush hush
voices carry

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

43. Sheryl Crow

You're either old or not very current. None of those you've listed have done anything lately. Not that I'm so young myself. I'm 46 but I like to keep current.

Check out the latest issue of Rolling Stone. Just got mine in the mail today. The current feature is "Women Who Rock".

[seamarq]

45. Aretha!

[_Jumper_]

46. Michelle Branch

n/m

[BigMcLargehuge]

47. crikey, one dead

and the others all OLDER THAN MY MOM!!!!!

How about Tori Amos or someone not collecting social security.

[OneBlueSky]

48. there's Joni, and there's Aretha . . .

and then there's everybody else . . .

[lynndew2]

49. Melanie

She was and is an activist but also did songs for the musicality of em. She never grew to the fame of Joni or Judy but her songs were just as strong and self-written. I dont know of any recent stuff but the yahoo group still has many members and her songs were better then most.

[emad]

54. K D LANG! No one voting for KD?

She's my no 1 and only!