Women Composers

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 1 
Hildegard of Bingen
(German Writer, Composer, Philosopher and Mystic Considered to be One of the Best-Known Composers of Sacred Monophony)
Hildegard of Bingen
7
Birthdate: 1098 AD
Birthplace: Bermersheim vor der Höhe, Germany
Died: September 17, 1179

Hildegard of Bingen was a German writer, composer, Christian mystic, visionary, philosopher, polymath, and Benedictine abbess of the High Middle Ages. Apart from being the most-recorded composers of sacred monophony in modern history, Hildegard of Bingen is also widely regarded as the founder of scientific natural history.

 2 
Bjork
(Famous as the Lead Singer of Alternative Rock Band 'The Sugarcubes')
Bjork
6
Birthdate: November 21, 1965
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Reykjavík, Iceland

Bjork is an Icelandic singer, record producer, songwriter, DJ, and actress. She is best known for her association with the now-defunct yet popular band, The Sugarcubes. The bestselling Icelandic singer-songwriter of all time, Bjork was named in Time magazine's most influential people in the world list in 2015. Over the course of her illustrious career, Bjork has received several awards.

 3 
Enya
(Irish Singer and Musician Known for Pioneering Modern 'Celtic' and 'New-Age' Music)
Enya
6
Birthdate: May 17, 1961
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland

Known for her unique blend of Celtic and folk tunes, Irish singer Enya has been dubbed the Queen of New Age. The Academy Award-nominated singer is also a 4-time Grammy winner and soared to fame with tracks such as Only Time and Orinoco Flow. She is the best-selling Irish solo artist ever.

 4 
Joan Jett
(Founder of the Rock Band 'The Runaways' & Frontwoman of 'Joan Jett & the Blackhearts')
Joan Jett
7
Birthdate: September 22, 1958
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, United States

Joan Jett, also known as The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, is the frontwoman of Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, best known for their rendition of the Arrows song I Love Rock 'n Roll, which topped the Billboard Hot 100. Jett also released the hit Cherry Bomb with the Runaways

 5 
Chaka Khan
(Singer)
Chaka Khan
7
Birthdate: March 23, 1953
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois
Ten-time Grammy-winning funk/R&B/disco artist Chaka Khan, or the Queen of Funk, soared to fame as the frontwoman of the band Rufus. Known for her hit track I Feel for You, Khan has sold 70 million records and has ranked 17th on VH1’s 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll list.
 6 
Alanis Morisette
(Singer-Songwriter)
Alanis Morisette
10
Birthdate: June 1, 1974
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Ottawa, Canada

Alanis Morisette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter and actress. Renowned for her mezzo-soprano voice, Morisette has been named by Rolling Stone as the Queen of Alt-Rock Angst. A recipient of 13 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, Morisette has released several successful albums, including Jagged Little Pill, which was named in Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.

 7 
Tori Amos
(Musician and Singer)
Tori Amos
5
Birthdate: August 22, 1963
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Newton
Alternative rock singer Tori Amos is known for her songs that highlight issues such as feminism. Amos was the youngest to win a music scholarship to the Peabody Institute. She performed with the group Y Kant Tori Read before going solo. She is associated with RAINN, a sexual abuse helpline. 
 8 
Petula Clark
(One of the Longest Serving British Singers With a Career Spanning More than Seven Decades)
Petula Clark
6
Birthdate: November 15, 1932
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Ewell, Surrey, England

Petula Clark is an English singer, composer, and actress. She achieved immense popularity in the USA, for which she is often referred to as the First Lady of the British Invasion. Over the years, Petula Clark has sold over 68 million records worldwide. Some of her best known songs include Downtown, I Couldn't Live Without Your Love, and My Love.

 9 
Michel'le
(Singer-Songwriter)
Michel'le
7
Birthdate: December 5, 1970
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Compton, United States
 10 
Peggy Lee
(Singer)
Peggy Lee
4
Birthdate: May 26, 1920
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Jamestown, North Dakota, United States
Died: January 21, 2002
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 11 
PJ Harvey
(Singer-songwriter, Composer, Artist, Singer, Guitarist)
PJ Harvey
6
Birthdate: October 9, 1969
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bridport

Tinged with themes of female sexuality, the lyrics of PJ Harvey have redefined the place women occupy in rock music. While she was initially part of a musical trio named after herself, she later charted her own path as a solo musician. She is only artist to have earned the Mercury Prize twice.

 12 
Diane Warren
(First songwriter in Billboard magazine to have seven hit)
Diane Warren
4
Birthdate: September 7, 1956
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Van Nuys, California, United States
 13 
Amanda Palmer
(Singer, Street artist, Composer, Pianist, Musician, Playwright, Blogger, Songwriter)
Amanda Palmer
4
Birthdate: April 30, 1976
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York City
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 14 
Marianne Jean-Baptiste
(Actress)
Marianne Jean-Baptiste
4
Birthdate: April 26, 1967
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: London, England, UK
Height: 5'1" (155 cm)
 15 
Wendy Carlos
(Musician)
Wendy Carlos
4
Birthdate: November 14, 1939
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA
 16 
Buffy Sainte-Marie
(Actor, Singer-songwriter, Visual artist, Record producer, Composer)
Buffy Sainte-Marie
5
Birthdate: February 20, 1941
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Piapot, Canada

Known for her music that showcases the issues of Native Americans, Canadian-American singer Buffy Sainte-Marie became the first person from any indigenous community to win an Oscar, with the song Up Where We Belong. She had also been blacklisted by many radio stations earlier due to her activism.

 17 
Beth Hart
(Singer-songwriter, Musician, Singer, Composer)
Beth Hart
4
Birthdate: January 24, 1972
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Los Angeles
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 18 
Susan Tedeschi
(Singer, Guitarist)
Susan Tedeschi
4
Birthdate: November 9, 1970
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
 19 
Joan Armatrading
(British singer-songwriter and Grammy and BRIT Award winner who has released popular singles like "Drop the Pilot.")
Joan Armatrading
4
Birthdate: December 9, 1950
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
 20 
Sheila Atim
(Ugandan-British Actress, Singer and Composer)
Sheila Atim
4
Birthdate: 1992 AD
Birthplace: Uganda
 21 
Clara Wieck Schumann
(Musician & Composer)
Clara Wieck Schumann
5
Birthdate: September 13, 1819
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Leipzig
Died: May 20, 1896

Clara Wieck Schumann was a German pianist, teacher, and composer. One of the most famous pianists of the Romantic era, Schumann changed the way concerts were conducted during her time and made a long-lasting impression as a pianist. She also influenced other pianists through her teaching; among her students were famous English pianist, Mathilde Verne.

 22 
Keren Peles
(Singer)
Keren Peles
4
Birthdate: March 11, 1979
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Yavne'el, Israel

Keren Peles is an Israeli pianist, singer-songwriter, and poet. Over the course of her songwriting career, Peles has contributed immensely to the success of other popular singers like Shiri Maimon and Miri Mesika by writing the lyrics of some of their hit songs. She has also found success as a singer as many of her albums have been certified gold.  

 23 
Amelia Warner
(Actress and Composer Best Known for Her Stunning Soundtrack for the 2017 Film ‘Mary Shelley')
Amelia Warner
4
Birthdate: June 4, 1982
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Birkenhead, Merseyside, England

Amelia Warner is a British musician and composer. She is best known for her work as a composer in a movie titled Mary Shelley for which she was honored with the Breakthrough Composer of the Year award at the International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA) Awards in 2018. A former actress, Warner has also appeared in films like Æon Flux.

 24 
Toni Tennille
(Singer-songwriter)
Toni Tennille
3
Birthdate: May 8, 1940
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Montgomery, Alabama, United States
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 25 
Tarja Turunen
(Finnish Heavy Metal Singer-Songwriter & Co-Founder of the Symphonic Metal Band 'Nightwish')
Tarja Turunen
5
Birthdate: August 17, 1977
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Kitee, Finland

Tarja Turunen is a Finnish singer-songwriter and an exponent of heavy metal. She is credited with co-founding the popular symphonic metal band Nightwish, where she peformed as the lead vocalist. The band's symphonic metal style, which was referred to as opera metal, inspired several other bands and performers.

 26 
Carole Bayer Sager
(Songwriter, Singer, Composer, Lyricist)
Carole Bayer Sager
3
Birthdate: March 8, 1947
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New York City
 27 
Linda Perry
(Famous songwriter for stars like Pink, Gwen Stefani, Courtney Love, Kelly Osbourne, and Christina Aguilera)
Linda Perry
4
Birthdate: April 15, 1965
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
 28 
Jackie DeShannon
(Singer-songwriter)
Jackie DeShannon
3
Birthdate: August 21, 1941
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Hazel, Kentucky, United States
 29 
Hildur Guðnadóttir
(Icelandic Composer and Musician)
Hildur Guðnadóttir
3
Birthdate: September 4, 1982
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Reykjavík, Iceland

Hildur Guðnadóttir is an Icelandic composer and musician. A classically trained cellist, Guðnadóttir has recorded with popular bands like Throbbing Gristle, Pan Sonic, Stórsveit Nix Noltes, and Múm. Hildur Guðnadóttir is best known for her work in films like Joker, for which she received the Academy Award under the Best Original Score category.

 30 
Tal Wilkenfeld
(Musician)
Tal Wilkenfeld
3
Birthdate: December 2, 1986
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia

Tal Wilkenfeld is an Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She developed an early interest in music and graduated from Los Angeles Music Academy College of Music. She is the bandleader of her own bands and has also performed in collaboration with artists including Jeff Beck, Herbie Hancock, Prince, and Mick Jagger. She is a regular practitioner of meditation. 

 31 
Joan Osborne
(Singer, Singer-songwriter, Composer, Record producer)
Joan Osborne
3
Birthdate: July 8, 1962
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Anchorage
 32 
Melody Gardot
(Singer-songwriter, Jazz musician, Singer, Composer, Pianist)
Melody Gardot
3
Birthdate: February 2, 1985
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New Jersey
 33 
Banks
(Singer)
Banks
4
Birthdate: June 16, 1988
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Orange County, California, US
 34 
Kari Jobe
(Singer-songwriter, Singer, Composer)
Kari Jobe
3
Birthdate: April 6, 1981
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Waco
 35 
Gillian Welch
(Singer-songwriter, Singer, Guitarist, Composer)
Gillian Welch
3
Birthdate: October 2, 1967
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States
 36 
Ayumi Hamasaki
(Singer, Seiyū, Songwriter, Model, Actor, Singer-songwriter, Composer, Lyricist, Poet, Record producer)
Ayumi Hamasaki
4
Birthdate: October 2, 1978
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Fukuoka

Japanese pop icon Ayumi Hamasaki had started a TV career after moving to Tokyo at 14. She later gained fame with her dance hits and ballads. Also known for her dramatic costumes and videos, The Empress of J-pop has been rendered totally deaf in one ear, owing to a ear infection.

 37 
Paula Cole
(Singer, Musician, Singer-songwriter, Record producer, Composer)
Paula Cole
3
Birthdate: April 5, 1968
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Rockport
 38 
Lisa Coleman
(Musician)
Lisa Coleman
3
Birthdate: August 17, 1960
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Los Angeles, United States
 39 
Evelyn Glennie
(Composer, Percussionist)
Evelyn Glennie
3
Birthdate: July 19, 1965
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Aberdeen
 40 
Alka Yagnik
(Actor, Singer, Composer)
Alka Yagnik
5
Birthdate: March 20, 1966
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Kolkata

Alka Yagnik is an Indian playback singer. One of the most popular female playback singers in Bollywood, Yagnik has won a record seven Filmfare Awards and two National Film Awards in an illustrious career spanning more than 40 years. Alka Yagnik has also won other prestigious awards, such as Bollywood Movie Awards, Global Indian Film Awards, and Zee Cine Awards.

 41 
Fanny Crosby
(Poet)
Fanny Crosby
3
Birthdate: March 24, 1820
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Brewster, New York, United States
Died: February 12, 1915
 42 
Sam Brown
(English Singer, Songwriter and Musician)
Sam Brown
3
Birthdate: October 7, 1964
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Stratford, London, England
 43 
Tanita Tikaram
(Singer, Composer, Songwriter)
Tanita Tikaram
3
Birthdate: August 12, 1969
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Münster
 44 
KT Tunstall
(Musician and Singer-Songwriter)
KT Tunstall
4
Birthdate: June 23, 1975
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Edinburgh

KT Tunstall is a Scottish musician and singer-songwriter. She came into prominence in 2004, when she performed Black Horse and the Cherry Tree in a music TV show called Later... with Jools Holland. KT Tunstall is the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the European Border Breakers Award, Ivor Novello Award, Scottish Style Award, and Brit Award.

 45 
Mía Maestro
(Actor, Singer, Composer, Songwriter)
Mía Maestro
3
Birthdate: June 19, 1978
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Buenos Aires

Mía Maestro is an Argentine singer, songwriter, and actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Lulu in the stage production of Frank Wedekind’s Pandora's Box, for which she was honored with an ACE Award. Mía Maestro has also played important roles in popular films like The Twilight Saga and Frida.

 46 
Martha Wash
(Musician)
Martha Wash
3
Birthdate: December 28, 1953
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: San Francisco, USA
 47 
Yuki Kajiura
(Musician)
Yuki Kajiura
3
Birthdate: August 6, 1965
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
 48 
Bat for Lashes
(British Multi-instrumentalist, Singer, and Songwriter)
Bat for Lashes
3
Birthdate: October 25, 1979
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Brighton

Bat for Lashes is a British multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. She is best known for releasing albums like Fur and Gold, The Haunted Man, and Lost Girls. Bat for Lashes is the recipient of an ASCAP Award, Ivor Novello Awards, and UK Asian Music Award.

 49 
Lisa Fischer
(Vocalist)
Lisa Fischer
3
Birthdate: December 1, 1958
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
 50 
Phoebe Snow
(Singer-songwriter)
Phoebe Snow
3
Birthdate: July 17, 1950
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New York City, U.S.
Died: April 26, 2011