Top 10 Female Rockers

From the beginning of rock music's inception, women have been at the forefront of making cutting edge, classic music. This is the list of the top ten female rockers, taken from my own music library.

10. Patti Smith

The Godmother of Punk, Patti Smith is an icon and has been writing and performing music for over thirty years. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, perhaps her best known album is also her first: Horses, while two of her best and best known songs are "Gloria" and "Because the Night".

9. Alanis Morissette

Alanis was known as just a squeaky clean pop star until she released her 1995 album Jagged Little Pill. It quickly became one of the biggest selling albums of the 90's, turning her into a rock star, and two of her songs, You Oughta Know and Ironic, into rock anthems.

8. Shirley Manson

Though perhaps now she's best known as a Terminator on The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Shirley Manson also fronted the mid-90's rock sensation Garbage. Their self titled debut album was released in 1995 and two of their biggest hits, "I'm Only Happy When it Rains" and "I Think I'm Paranoid" continue to receive radio play today.

7. Chrissie Hynde

Chrissie Hynde made a name for herself as the lead singer of The Pretenders. Their self titled debut album was a huge success when it released in early 1980. Some of their notable songs are "Brass in Pocket" and "My City Was Gone", which is perhaps best known as the theme to the Rush Limbaugh show.

6. Melissa Etheridge

Melissa Etheridge is a survivor and the ultimate rock star and needs no attention. A Grammy and Oscar winning singer/songwriter, one of her best album's is 1993's Yes I Am, which features such notable songs as "Come to My Window" and "I'm the Only One".

5. Pat Benatar

If "Love is a Battlefield", then Pat Benatar is a "Heartbreaker". One could fill an entire list with her classic songs like "We Belong", from her album Tropico, and "Hit Me With Your Best Shot".

4. Ann and Nancy Wilson

You can't have just one -the Wilson sisters are a set. Ann supplies the pipes, while Nancy rocks out on the guitar as the two sisters are members of the classic rock group Heart. Their album Heartless features such classics as "Dreamboat Annie", "Magic Man", and "Crazy on You", while a later song, "Barracuda" is a guitar anthem with an unforgettable riff.

3. Joan Jett

If you ever hear Joan Jett's voice you'll never forget it -she's an unforgettable original. A solo artist as well as a member of The Runaways and the front woman for Joan Jett and the Blackheart, she's most famous for the songs "I Hate Myself for Loving You" and "I Love Rock and Roll", the latter of which is found on the Joan Jett and the Blackhearts album, I Love Rock and Roll.

2. Stevie Nicks

Is it really possible that she wasn't a founding member of Fleetwood Mac? Stevie Nicks helped catapult the group to superstardom with the album Rumours, which features Stevie's singing and songwriting on such classics as "The Chain" and "Dreams". She's also had an extensive solo career with songs such as "Edge of Seventeen'.

1. Janis Joplin

Was there ever any doubt as to who could be number one? She may have lived only a short time, but Janis Joplin's influence is incalculable. Some of her notable songs include "Me and Bobby McGee" and "Mercedes Benz" and with Big Brother and the Holder Company she released the Cheap Thrills album, which gave birth to the classic girl rock anthem, "Piece of My Heart".