This is Women's History Month, so I decided to create a Top 20 List of the best female artists of all time (not in any order)!
1) Aretha Franklin: The "Queen of Soul" has influenced every female singer that has come after her. Taking her background in Gospel, she helped to form the genre of Soul. She is unmatched as a vocalist and songwriter!
I Say a Little Prayer for You
Day Dreaming
A Rose is Still a Rose w/ Lauryn Hill
Chain of Fools
2) Chaka Khan: The "Rhythm and Funk Queen" herself! From Whitney Houston to Mary J. Blige, many have covered her songs and mentioned her as an influence. Khan has trained her voice so well that she can bend the notes in her vocals like a trumpeter can bend his notes. She is definitely one of my favorites!
Sweet Thang w/ Rufus
Through the Fire
Ain't Nobody
Will You Love Me
3) Mariah Carey: With an eight-octave voice (full range), there is hardly anything that Mariah Carey cannot sing. She can either go really low or sound like she is making bird calls. The beginning of her career was the best as she wrote songs that were beautiful and artistically done. Now, it seems as if she wants to be half-naked and sing pop fluff. Go back to your roots, Mariah, PLEASE!!!!
Butterfly
Vision of Love
My All
Emotions
4) Whitney Houston: Before she married Bobby Brown and slowly let him almost ruin her career, Whitney Houston was up there with the greats like Aretha. She still has the voice that everyone loves and I cannot wait until she comes back officially. Whitney: "I Will Always Love You!!!" (Ha, Ha, Ha)
I Have Nothing
Saving All My Love
I'm Your Baby Tonight
Exhale (Shoop Shoop)
5) Janis Joplin: Known as the "Queen of Blues-Rock," Janis Joplin was one of the first women to open the doors for women to "rock n roll." Instead of wearing dresses and trying to sing like a lady, Janis wore jeans and tie-die shirts and howled and wailed like the rest of the mail singers out there!
Mercedes Benz
Take Another Piece of My Heart
Cry Baby
Me and Bobby Mcgee
6) Tina Turner: Continuing the tradition of rocking females, Tina Turner (along with Ike, boo!) used her gritty and low voice, spastic and energetic dance moves and great legs to become an icon. She once again proved that a woman can wild out just like a man!
Simply the Best
Missing You
I Don't Want to Fight
Proud Mary w/ Ike (Boo, Ike!)
7) Celine Dion: Her powerful vocals can bring anyone to tears! Very few pop singers have been able to match up with Celine when it comes to her amazing virtuosic vocals and stands strong on her emotional and sentimental nature (despite what critics may say!)
Because You Loved Me
Power of Love
Coming Back to Me Now
Beauty and the Beast
8) Judy Garland: In the age of "Tin Pan Alley," Judy Garland was the "Queen of the Musicals." Starting with The Wizard of Oz, Garland filmed several musical films that have become legendary.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Get Happy
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
9) Janet Jackson: Next to Madonna, she is one of the most successful singer-dancers of all time. She may not have a great vocal range, but she is innovative in her songs, fashion style and choreography. For Chrissake, she is Michael Jackson's sister!
Feedback
Son of a Gun w/ Missy Elliot
Got Till It's Gone
I Get So Lonely
10) Lauryn Hill: From the Fugees to a solo album, Lauryn Hill was destined for critical and commercial success. Lauryn opened the doors for a person to be a skillful rapper and a soulful singer! However, after her album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, she just disappeared (I heard she went a little cookoo). I hope she gets her act together an comes back offically, too, because she was one of the best out there!
Doo Wop (That Thing)
Everything Is Everything
Lost Ones
Ex-factor
11) Missy Elliot: Following Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliot was innovative in the genres of Hip-hop and RnB. Working with Timbaland, she created a style of her own that was so creative and original that you could feel the brain oozing out of your ears (sorry to be disgusting, but it is true!)!
The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
Hot Boys w/ Lil' Mo, Nas, Eve, etc.
All In My Grill w/ Nicole Wray and Big Boi
Gossip Folks w/ Ludacris and Ms. Jade
12) Joni Mitchell: The Pop-folk singer is one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time. She has influenced so many styles from RnB (listen to Janet Jackson's "Got Till It's Gone) to Jazz to Alternative Rock (listen to Counting Crows "Yellow Taxi").
Big Yellow Taxi
Both Sides Now
Carey
A Case of You
13) Alanis Morissette: As part of the end of the grunge era, the Canadian singer's Pop-rock vocals and witty lyrics made her album, Jagged Little Pill, the best selling album by a female in the U.S. Although her success has dimmed over the years, she is the line of influential female rock singers.
Ironic
You Oughtta Know
Hand in My Pocket
Head Over Heals
14) Carly Simon: Keeper of one of the biggest musical mysteries of all time, Carly Simon still will not say publicly who was "so vain, you probably think this song is about you" (I say it is either Warren Beatty, Mick Jagger or Jame Taylor). Like Joni Mitchell, she is known as one of the best singer-songwriters of all time (and married to James Taylor!).
You're So Vain
You Belong to Me
Coming Around Again
Haven't Got Time/ Anticipation/ That's The Way
15) Etta James: Ms. Blues herself has delved into several other musical styles, such as Soul, R&B, RocknRoll, Gospel, Pop and Jazz. Although she is best known for the song "At Last," her talent is better heard through a wide variety of songs she has recorded and her sassy personality.
I'd Rather Go Blind
I Just Wanna Make Love to You
All I Could Do was Cry
Sugar on the Floor
16) Ella Fitzgerald: The "Queen of Scat," Ms. Ella was able to give a jazzy twist to any Pop standard. Not only that, she popularizes the form of scatting, basically making up gibberish off the top of her head and making it sound good!
Sentimental Mood
Blue Moon
One Note Samba
Cheek to Cheek w/ Louis Armstrong
17) Billie Holiday: She did not have a wide range in her vocals, but Billie Holiday was able to give an intimate and sentimental feeling to any of her songs. She proved that you did not need to have a great voice, but you still needed "soul."
The Very Thought of You
Easy Livin'
Pennies From Heaven
These Foolish Things
18) Madonna: Even though I cannot stand her, and I find her obnoxious and trying to get attention all the time, I have to give her respect as a great performer. As one of the highest-selling females of all time, there are songs, especially her earlier songs, that are both catchy and creatively done.
Vogue
Borderline
Papa Don't Preach
La Isla Bonita
19) Diana Ross: The "Pop Diva" went from the front of the Supremes to a solo career. Her voice may not be virtuosic, but she works with what she got!
Upside Down
Love Hangover
Missing You
Love Child
20) Mary J. Blige: Last but not least, the "Queen of Hip-hop Soul" was able to successful blend the vocal style of Soul music with Hip-hop beats. She has only been around for about 20 year, but she is a legend in her own right and influencing other singers like Keyshia Cole and Ciara.
One Love w/ U2
Just Fine
You Are My Everything
A Dream
No comments:
Post a Comment