10 Best Female Rock Stars

By: Lee Grayson

Break Studios Contributing Writer

A list of the ten best female rock stars includes several generations of women rockers. While some front, or fronted, rock bands, others stood alone as rock icons backed by a series of musicians. Many female rock stars play an instrument in addition to singing lead on songs, but several women front groups only as featured vocalists. The best female rock stars work with mainstream rock bands and several can rock with the heaviest male rockers.

Grace Slick. Jefferson Airplane called San Francisco home in the early 1960s, and Ms. Slick was the featured vocalists for free performances in public parks in Haight Ashbury and at concerts at the Fillmore West. After the Airplane broke up, this top female rock star moved on to form Jefferson Starship.
Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie. Fleetwood Mac combined the forces of these two female rock stars who not only composed the tunes, but sang and performed on keyboards and guitar. Although the group first hit the charts in the 1960s, both rockers perform as single acts, as well as with members of the original group.
Pat Benatar. Ms. Benatar asks audiences to "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" as a front woman who features leather pants or a mini skirt and plenty of black eyeliner. Her Grammys include recognition for "Heartbreaker," "Love Is a Battlefield," and "We Belong," all released in the late 1970s through the 1980s. Ms. Benatar's tunes went platinum seven times and gold three times, and she has nearly twenty "Top 40" singles to her name.
Tina Turner. Originally part of a duo with her former husband Ike, Tina Turner can belt a tune and dance her way onto any best female rock star list. This grandma still wears mini-skirts and spike heels and she asks the audience to rock and roll. Her signature song "Proud Mary" brings audiences to their feet encouraging her manic dancing.
Joan Jett. This best female rock star fronted the band The Runaways and later moved to a solo carrier in 1979 on Blackheart Records. She is known for the award-winning single "I Love Rock 'N' Roll" released in 1982 and as the rock black-leather clad front woman of The Blackhearts. As of 2010, Ms. Jett has still continued to tour.
Gwen Stefani. Rock songstress and fashionista Stefani fronts the band No Doubt. Her solo albums put the rocker out front beginning in 2004 with the singles "Hollaback Girl" and "Wind It Up."
Nancy Wilson and Ann Wilson. The Seattle-born ladies of Heart rocked the recording industry during the 1970s through the 1990s, but returned to the stage again with their group to support fund-raising efforts for flood victims in Haiti. This duo of female rockers not only sing but play electric guitar.
Chrissie Hynde. The rock group The Pretenders featured another leather-panted female lead singer. Ms. Hynde even wore sweat bands on each wrist to protect her wrists while doing some kick ass guitar strumming.
Annie Lennox. Ms. Lennox joins with David A. Stewart to makeup the rock group The Eurythmics. As lead singer for the duo, this female rock star is featured in the hit singles, "Here Comes the Rain Again" and "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)." She also recorded several award-winning solo albums.
Melissa Etheridge. Ms. Etheridge features live performances with blazing rock riffs and her voice packs a gravely punch. Her best known songs include: "I'm the Only One" and "Come to My Window."