Female Rock Musicians
Throughout history, there have been many female rock musicians who have made significant contribution to the field. The list includes many familiar and great female rock musicians, such as Sheryl Crow, Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos, Celine Dion, Olivia Newton-John. The women featured in this list are from United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and many more countries.
Vote for Your Favourite Female Rock Musicians
Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.
1
Dolores O'Riordan
(Lead Vocalist and Lyricist for the Alternative Rock Band ‘The Cranberries')
Birthdate: September 6, 1971
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Ballybricken, County Limerick, Ireland
Died: January 15, 2018
Dolores O'Riordan went from being a church singer to becoming the lead vocalist of the Irish alternative rock band The Cranberries and a rock icon of the 1990s. She stunned her fans with her death as a result of accidental drowning due to intoxication at age 46.
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.
Birthdate: May 2, 1985
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hammersmith, London, England
4
Grace Slick(Retired Singer-Songwriter - Was A Key Figure in San Francisco's Early 'Psychedelic Music' Scene in the Mid-1960s)
Birthdate: October 30, 1939
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Highland Park, Illinois, United States
Grace Slick is a retired singer-songwriter. Slick played an important role in the psychedelic music scene that flourished in San Francisco during the mid-1960s. One of the earliest female rock stars, Slick played a key role in the development of rock music during the 1960s. She was named among the Greatest Women of Rock N Roll by VH1 in 1999.
5
Fiona Apple
(Singer-songwriter)
Birthdate: September 13, 1977
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: New York City, United States
6
Kirsty MacColl
(Singer-songwriter and producer who produced the song "Fairytale of New York" with The Pogues and who released pop hits like "They Don't Know.")
Birthdate: October 10, 1959
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Croydon, Surrey, England, United Kingdom
Died: December 18, 2000
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
PJ Harvey
(Singer-songwriter, Composer, Artist, Singer, Guitarist)
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.
9
Linda Perry
(Famous songwriter for stars like Pink, Gwen Stefani, Courtney Love, Kelly Osbourne, and Christina Aguilera)
Birthdate: April 15, 1965
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
10
Siouxsie Sioux
(Singer, Musician, Exotica, Songwriter)
Birthdate: May 27, 1957
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Southwark
11
Orianthi
(Australian Musician and Guitarist Known for His Association With Alice Cooper and Michael Jackson)
Birthdate: January 22, 1985
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Adelaide, Australia
Named one among the 12 Greatest Female Electric Guitarists by Elle magazine, Australian musician, singer and songwriter Orianthi Penny Panagaris began playing the guitar at the age of three and moved to acoustic by six. At fifteen, she began her professional career, concurrently focusing on songwriting and released her debut independent album at the age of 20.
12
Shirley Manson
(Actor, Singer, Guitarist, Musician, Model, Songwriter)
Birthdate: August 26, 1966
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Edinburgh
13
Amanda Palmer
(Singer, Street artist, Composer, Pianist, Musician, Playwright, Blogger, Songwriter)
Birthdate: April 30, 1976
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York City
14
Carrie Brownstein
(Singer, Guitarist, Actor, Writer, Musician, Blogger, Television actor)
Birthdate: September 27, 1974
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Seattle
15
Nancy Spungen
(Drug trafficker, Prostitute)
Birthdate: February 27, 1958
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: University City
Died: October 12, 1978
Birthdate: June 3, 2000
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Iloilo City, Philippines
17
Brittany Howard
(Musician)
Birthdate: October 2, 1988
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Athens, Alabama Athens, Alabama, United States
18
Imogen Heap
(Singer-songwriter, Singer, Record producer)
Birthdate: December 9, 1977
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Romford, London, England
19
Sandy Denny
(Legendary British Folk Rock Singer and Former Lead Singer of the Band ‘Fairport Convention’)
Birthdate: January 6, 1947
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: London
Died: April 21, 1978
English singer-songwriter Sandy Denny, considered a leading British folk-rock singer, performed as lead-singer of the famous folk-rock band Fairport Convention, and fronted it through many of its successful albums like What We Did on Our Holidays. Other notable works of Denny includes her solo-albums like Rendezvous; and her folk-duet The Battle of Evermore with Robert Plant for Led Zeppelin's album.
Birthdate: August 28, 1989
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: West Palm Beach, Florida, United States
21
KT Tunstall
(Musician and Singer-Songwriter)
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.
22
Laura Marling
(Brit Award-Winning British Folk Singer-Songwriter Known for Albums like 'Song for Our Daughter')
Birthdate: February 1, 1990
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: England
British folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling is noted for albums like I Speak Because I Can and Song for Our Daughter, which garnered her nomination for Mercury Music Prize. The latter and her sixth album, Semper Femina also earned her Grammy Award nomination for Best Folk Album. She has won the Brit Award for Best British Female Solo Artist in 2011.
23
Pamela Des Barres
(Musician)
Birthdate: September 9, 1948
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Reseda, California, USA
24
Lights
(Canadian electropop singer-songwriter best known for singles "Ice" and "Toes.")
Birthdate: April 11, 1987
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Timmins, Ontario, Canada
25
Santigold
(Singer-Songwriter Best Known for Her Song 'L.E.S. Artistes')
Birthdate: September 25, 1976
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Santigold is an American singer-songwriter renowned for her mezzo-soprano voice. She achieved popularity after the release of her critically acclaimed album Santogold in 2008. The same year, she was named the Best Breakthrough Artist at the NME Awards USA. In 2009, she won the Vanguard Award at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards. Santigold's work has influenced artists like Bob Evans.
26
Tammin Sursok
(Actress known for Pretty Little Liars (2010), Rules of Engagement (2007) and Crossing Over (2009))
Birthdate: August 19, 1983
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa
Tammin Sursok is an actress and singer whose portrayal of Dani Sutherland earned her the Logie Award for Most Popular New Female Talent in 2001. Sursok is also known for her singing skills; her debut studio album Whatever Will Be peaked at number 13 on the ARIA Charts. Apart from acting and singing, Sursok has also been campaigning against bullying.
27
Fefe Dobson
(Singer, Actor, Songwriter, Musician, Model)
Birthdate: February 28, 1985
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Scarborough
Birthdate: March 12, 1914
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
Died: July 15, 1958
Julia Lennon was a British woman and the mother of popular singer-songwriter John Lennon. Julia helped John learn musical instruments like the ukulele and banjo. She also played an important role in his life and was the inspiration behind some of John's popular songs like Mother and Julia. She was played by Christine Kavanagh in John's biopic In His Life.
29
Nina Hagen
(German Singer and Actress Known for Her Theatrical Vocals)
Birthdate: March 11, 1955
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: East Berlin, Germany
Nina Hagen is a German singer-songwriter and actress. She began her career as an actress and gained fame as a singer during the punk and new wave movements in the 1970s and 1980s. Her parents are also actors and singers. Hagen is a voice-over artist as well. She is involved in human and animal rights activism.
30
Gloria Jones
(Singer-Songwriter and Member of the 'Marc Bolan’s' Glam Rock Band 'T. Rex')
Birthdate: October 19, 1945
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Known as The Queen of Northern Soul, singer Gloria Jones soared to fame with the track Tainted Love. She also dated British rocker Marc Bolan and played the keyboard and sang for his band T. Rex. She was driving the car which met with an accident and killed Bolan.
31
Brooke Fraser
(New Zealand Rock Singer and Songwriter Best Known for Her Hit Single 'Something in the Water')
Birthdate: December 15, 1983
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Wellington, New Zealand
Brooke Fraser is a New Zealand singer-songwriter best known for her 2010 single, Something in the Water. Over the course of her career, Fraser has won several awards, including a Grammy for her song What a Beautiful Name. She has also won many New Zealand Music Awards. Also a philanthropist, Fraser was part of the 2012 charity song, Feel Inside.
Birthdate: January 22, 1940
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Passaic, New Jersey, United States
Died: June 10, 1982
33
Emily Haines
(Musician, Singer-songwriter, Singer, Pianist)
Birthdate: January 25, 1974
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New Delhi
Emily Haines is a Canadian singer and songwriter who is the lead singer, songwriter, and keyboardist of the rock band Metric. She is a member of the indie rock band Broken Social Scene as well and also performs solo. She is the daughter of the poet Paul Haines and was encouraged to pursue her musical passion from childhood.
34
Markéta Irglová
(Czech-Icelandic Singer-songwriter and Actress Best Known for Starring in the Film 'Once')
Birthdate: February 28, 1988
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Valasske Mezirici, Czechia
Marketa Irglova is a Czech-Icelandic musician, singer-songwriter, and actress. She is best known for starring in the 2007 Irish musical drama film Once, which earned Irglová numerous prestigious awards, such as an Oscar under the Best Original Song category for her song, Falling Slowly.
35
Bat for Lashes
(British Multi-instrumentalist, Singer, and Songwriter)
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.
Birthdate: November 16, 1981
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Gladstone Central, Australia
Award-winning Australian singer Kate Miller‐Heidke specializes in both contemporary pop and classical music. Apart from releasing multi-platinum hits such as Last Day on Earth, she has also composed the opera Rabbits and performed at various international music festivals. Her album O Vertigo! became the fastest crowdfunded project on Pledge.
37
Missy Higgins
(Singer-songwriter, Musician)
Birthdate: August 19, 1983
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia
Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins is known for her chartbusting singles such as Scar and Where I Stood. She has also performed at international events such as TEDx. Her hit album The Sound of White made it to the top 5 of the End of Decade Top 100 Albums Chart in 2010.
38
Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir
(Icelandic Musician and Lead Vocalist of the Band 'Of Monsters and Men')
Birthdate: May 6, 1989
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Gardur, Suðurnesjabær, Iceland
Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir is an Icelandic musician. She is the current guitarist and lead vocalist of a band named Of Monsters and Men. The band has released popular albums like My Head Is an Animal, Beneath the Skin, and Fever Dream. My Head Is an Animal was certified platinum and multi-platinum by many trade organizations.
39
Ximena Sariñana
(Actor, Singer, Jazz musician, Television actor, Film actor, Songwriter)
Birthdate: October 29, 1985
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Guadalajara
Ximena Sariñana is a Mexican actress and singer-songwriter whose debut album Mediocre earned her international recognition and a Grammy nomination in 2009. Ximena Sariñana is also known for her humanitarian efforts; in 2020, she took part in a charity single titled Resistiré México in an attempt to help those in need in Mexico.
40
Anouk
(Dutch Rock Singer Known for Explosive Rock Songs Like 'Nobody’s Wife' and 'R U Kiddin’ Me')
Birthdate: April 8, 1975
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: The Hague, Netherlands
Anouk is a Dutch singer widely regarded as the most famous rock singer in the Netherlands. She achieved popularity in 2013 when she represented her country at the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden with the song, Birds. Anouk is one of the most decorated singers of her generation; she has won several awards like TMF Awards and Edison Music Awards.
41
Alexz Johnson
(Singer-songwriter, Actor, Singer)
Birthdate: November 4, 1986
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: New Westminster
42
Bif Naked
(Singer-songwriter)
Birthdate: June 15, 1971
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New Delhi, Delhi, India
43
Natasha Shneider
(Actor, Musician, Pianist)
Birthdate: May 22, 1956
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Riga
Died: July 2, 2008
44
Laura Imbruglia
(Singer, Songwriter)
Birthdate: June 15, 1983
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Sydney
Australian indie singer Laura Imbruglia is better known as the sister of popstar Natalie Imbruglia, who once rocked the charts with her global hit Torn. Known for tracks such as Looking for a Rabbit, Laura has also written the web series Amateur Hour and appeared in the TV series Crash Palace.
45
Serena Ryder
(singer-songwriter)
Birthdate: December 8, 1982
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
47
Gin Wigmore
(Singer, Jazz musician, Songwriter)
Birthdate: June 6, 1986
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Auckland
Gin Wigmore is a New Zealand singer-songwriter best known for her raspy and high pitched voice. Over the course of her career, Gin Wigmore has received several New Zealand Music Awards and a couple of nominations for the prestigious MTV Europe Music Awards.
48
Sass Jordan
(Singer, Singer-songwriter)
Birthdate: December 23, 1962
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Birmingham
Birthdate: August 27, 1979
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Merville, British Columbia
Birthdate: December 24, 1984
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Poitiers, France