Twenty Notable All-Female Bands
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All-female bands have a special place in music history. Over the decades, they have carved out a unique aesthetic and added a new sound to their musical landscapes. Here's a list of some of the twenty most iconic all-female bands. This list was originally posted on November 29th, 2017 to the ListJar Facebook page. Up front let's acknowledge bands suggested by ListJar readers on Facebook, bands every bit as worthy to be on this List as the bands that made the original List: Babes in Toyland, Kittie, The Shaggs, Cycle Sluts From Hell, Warlock, Cocktaillica, 7 Year Bitch, Famous Monster, Jale, Plumtree, Rock Goddess, and Phantom Blue.
The Go-Go's
Hailing from Los Angeles, California, the Go-Go's are among the most iconic American rock bands. They even have a documentary made about them. The Go-Go's began in 1978 and was unusually consistent with its members. The principal members were Belinda Carlisle as lead singer, Charlotte Caffey on lead guitar and keyboards, Kathy Valentine on bass guitar, Jane Wiedlin on rhythm guitar, and Gina Schock on drums. Together, the Go-Go's became one of the biggest all-female rock bands. They were the first all-female bands in rock to produce a number-one hit album, and they were formative to the new wave movement of the 1970s and early 19080s. During their first run, the Go-Go's released three albums: Beauty and the Beat, Vacation, and Talk Show. In 1985, the Go-Go's broke up so members could pursue solo careers. After a brief time apart, they reformed a couple of times, starting in the 1990s with the album God Bless the Go-Go's. The band remains sporadically active in the present.
ON AMAZON (#ad): Beauty And The Beat
The Bangles
Like the Go-Go's, the Bangles originated in Los Angeles, California. They began in 1981 after the Go-Go's were already quite successful. The Bangles founding members were Vicki Peterson, Susanna Hoffs, and Debbi Peterson on guitar and vocals. They also had Annette Zilinskas on bass and vocals. During their prime, they released several popular singles like "Walk Like an Egyptian," "In Your Room," and "Eternal Flame."
ON AMAZON (#ad): Ladies And Gentlemen... The Bangles!
The Runaways
The Runaways had a relatively short run, but they were beloved during their time, especially in Japan with the single "Cherry Bomb." In their short years together, they released four studio albums and one live album, which is quite industrious. The band was formed in 1975 by Sandy West, a drummer, Joan Jett, the guitarist, and singer and bassist Micki Steele. Joan Jett is probably the band's most famous member and went on to have an enormously successful solo career. Other notable songs were "Hollywood" and "Queens of Noise."
ON AMAZON (#ad): The Runaways
Sleater-Kinney
Although Sleater-Kinney originated later than the previous bands, critics consider Sleater-Kinney one of the most influential bands of the twentieth century. Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein formed in 1994 in Olympia, Washington. Tucker and Brownstein were both on guitar and vocals, and the band began as part of the riot grrrl movement. It was massively popular in the American indie rock genre. During its initial run, Sleater-Kinney dropped seven studio albums. After a brief hiatus, the band reunited in 2014 and dropped No Cities to Love and Live in Paris. In 2021, Sleater-Kinney released their tenth studio album and first self-produced album, Path of Wellness.
ON AMAZON (#ad): Dig Me Out
The Chicks
The Chicks are among the most recognizable all-female bands in America. They reached the peak of their fame under their former name, Dixie Chicks, but remain in the industry to this day. The Chicks are a country band formed by Martie Maguire, Emily Strayer, Laura Lynch, Natalie Maines, and Robin Lynn Macy. Macy left the band in 1992, so Laura Lynch took over as the lead vocalist. While the Chicks are most famous as a country band, they also have strong roots in bluegrass.
ON AMAZON (#ad): The Essential Chicks
Fanny
Fanny had a decade run, and they garnered a lot of critical acclaim during this decade. They had a unique style and ignored a lot of common tropes of other girl groups. The first three bands mentioned on this list, the Go-Go's, the Bangles, and the Runaways, all spoke highly of Fanny as an influence on their music. They were one of the first all-female rock groups to reach such huge critical and commercial success. Fanny was founded by June and Jean Millington, who were two siblings originally from the Philippines.
ON AMAZON (#ad): Charity Ball
Hole
One of the reasons Hole was so influential is that the members took a lot of inspiration from Los Angeles' punk rock music. Hole was an American alternative rock band founded by Courtney Love and Eric Erlandson. Love was the primary singer, and Erlandson played guitar. Over the years, Hole produced four studio albums throughout its two incarnations. Hole was one of the most commercially successful rock bands of all time that had a woman as the face of the band. Hole's first three albums Pretty on the Inside, Live Through This, and Celebrity Skin all dramatically influenced the music scene.
ON AMAZON (#ad): Live Through This
Girlschool
A British rock band, Girlschool holds the record as the longest-lasting all-female rock band. After over forty years, the band is still producing music. Girlschool started as a school band called the Painted Lady and eventually grew successful with Britain's new-wave heavy metal scene. They had substantial success with their first three albums and have established a dominant legacy in rock history with a worldwide cult following. The original members were Kim McAuliffe, Denise Dufort, Enid Williams, and Kelly Johnson. Kelly Johnson tragically passed away in 2007, and Enid Williams quit in 2019.
ON AMAZON (#ad): Play Dirty
Bikini Kill
In 1990, Kathleen Hanna, Kathi Wilcox, Billy Karren, and Tobi Vail formed Bikini Kill in Olympia, Washington. Bikini Kill was an American punk rock band that kick-started the riot grrrl movement and carved out a unique space for women in the music industry. Bikini Kill released two albums and a couple of EPs before disbanding in 1997. Since then, they've reunited for a few music tours in 2019 and 2022 but will not produce any more music.
ON AMAZON (#ad): Bikini Kill
Ace of Cups
An American rock band formed in San Francisco, Ace of Cups was one of the first all-female rock bands. Its founding members were Mary Gannon on bass, Denise Kaufman on guitar and harmonica, Marla Hunt on organ and piano, Mary Simpson on lead guitar, and Diane Vitalich on drums. All members, excluding Vitalich, sang lead vocals, and all members contributed to the songwriting. However, the band never made professional recordings of their own in their initial run due to several internal concerns among members. Overall, the band was very influential but did not reach much commercial success, which is one of the reasons the group eventually disbanded.
ON AMAZON (#ad): Ace of Cups
L7
Another all-female rock band founded in Los Angeles, California, L7 has two primary periods of activity during which they released seven studio albums. Their primary line-up was Donita Sparks on guitar, Jennifer Finch on bass, Dee Plakas on drums, and Suzi Gardner on guitar. All of these members also did vocals. L7 was uniquely associated with the grunge movement of the late 1980s and the riot grrrl movement. Perhaps their most famous song, "Pretend We're Dead," made it to the top 10 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart in 1992, and a documentary titled L7: Pretend We're Dead was released in 2016.
ON AMAZON (#ad): Slap-Happy
Indigo Girls
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers started making music together back in high school after knowing each other since elementary school. Eventually, they started playing as Indigo Girls at a bar in Emory Village when they were students at Emory University. They released nine albums with major record labels and are currently self-producing albums through their own company. Both Ray and Saliers identify as lesbian and have a long history of non-profit involvement with political and environmental causes.
ON AMAZON (#ad): Indigo Girls
Pussy Riot
One of the newer bands on this list, Pussy Riot is a performance art group and punk rock music band from Moscow. They are very concerned with Russian feminist protests, and the group was founded in 2011 by eleven women. The group has strongly criticized President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church in their lyrics and has included support for feminism and LGBT rights. Pussy Riot is also famous for its bold displays of protest, like staging a performance in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in 2012.
ON AMAZON (#ad): Read and Riot: A pussy riot guide to activism [Book]
Cake Like
An all-female indie rock band, Cake Like had a unique style because its founding members were utterly new to playing music. Their founding members were Kerri Kenney as bassist and lead singer, Nina Hellman as vocalist and guitarist, and Jody Seifert as the drummer. Most of their songs feature an erratic guitar-rock with very poetic lyrics. Comparatively, the band was only together for a short time before disbanding when Kenney moved to Los Angeles, California, and all its members pursued different paths.
ON AMAZON (#ad): Bruiser Queen
The Donnas
In 1993, Brett Anderson, Allison Robertson, Torry Castellano, and Maya Ford formed the Donnas. All members were in Palo Alto, California, and they drew a lot of inspiration from other musical artists. Many of these artists, such as the Runaways and Girlschool, are featured on this list. Other artists were famous bands of the time, like Kiss, AC/DC, and the Ramones. The Donnas gained popularity because of their high-spirited and cheerful rock-and-roll songs, which contrasted with the angrier rock sounds of the era.
ON AMAZON (#ad): American Teenage Rock 'N' Roll Machine
The Pandoras
A garage punk band from Los Angeles, California, the Pandoras were one of the first all-female rock bands to be signed. They rose to notoriety by gaining intense interest in the Hollywood garage rock and Paisley Underground scene. Papers would constantly talk about the band. Its founders were Paula Pierce and Kim Shattuck, who have both tragically passed.
ON AMAZON (#ad): It's About Time
Vixen
Vixen was formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and was an American rock band. Although they began in 1973, they were most successful in the latter years of their first incarnation, starting in 1987. During their peak, the band had Jan Kuehnemund on lead guitar, Share Ross on bass guitar, Roxy Petrucci on drums, and Janet Gardner on lead vocals and rhythm guitar. Their first album, Vixen, was released in 1988 and made the 41st spot on the Billboard 200, while their second album, Rev It Up, was also acclaimed and reached number 52 on the same chart in 1990.
ON AMAZON (#ad): Rev It Up (1990)
Klymaxx
One of the few female pop and R&B bands of its time, Kylmaxx was started in Los Angeles, California. Its most famous line-up features Bernadette Cooper, Cheryl Cooley, Robbin Grider, Lorena Shelby, Joyce Irby, and Lynn Malsby. Bernadette Cooper was the first founder and served as the band's producer, drummer, and vocalist. She was the band's figurehead, especially when they released their first two albums, Never Underestimate the Power of a Woman and Girls Will Be Girls. The band finally attained national acclaim in 1984 with their album Meeting in the Ladies Room.
ON AMAZON (#ad): Meeting in the Ladies Room
The Breeders
Formed by twin sisters Kim and Kelley Deal, the Breeders' original line-up also featured Josephine Wiggs and Jim Macpherson. When she was recruited, Kelley had famously never played the guitar. The band launched its first album, and while it wasn't a success financially, it gained praise among the indie rock community. Kurt Cobain, a famous member of Nirvana, said that this album was one of his favorites, which shows how much critical acclaim it received. Over their lifetime, the Pixies have gone through several break-ups and reformations. They reached commercial success with their album, Last Splash, in 1993 when alternative rock was becoming very popular. The song "Cannonball" was wildly popular from this album, but after its debut, several band members went through personal issues that forced the band into a break. The band later reformed and continued to produce music. Kim and Kelley Deal got the most popular line-up back together for a reunion in 2013. They remained together and released their fifth album, All Nerve, in 2018.
ON AMAZON (#ad): Last Splash
Savages
An English rock band formed in London, England, the Savages dropped their debut album in 2013. This album, Silence Yourself, was incredibly successful and loved by critics. Silence Yourself reached the 19th spot on the UK Albums Chart in 2013 and made the 5th spot on the Irish and UK Independent Albums Chart. Two prominent members of this band are the guitarist Gemma Thompson, who came up with the band's name after being inspired by books like Lord of the Flies, and the singer Jehnny Beth. The band produced its second album, Adore Life, which dropped in 2016. While the band hasn't broken up, they have not made any new music since then because members are focusing on their solo projects.
ON AMAZON (#ad): Adore Life