Who runs the world? Girls.
March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate the trailblazers who changed culture. Let’s take a look at ten women in music who paved the way.
Aretha Franklin deserves all the R-E-S-P-E-C-T she can get. As the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Franklin redefined pop music. Blending gospel, jazz and R&B, she sold over 75 million records throughout her career and inspired numerous artists to come. She also toured with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., using her voice to fight for justice.
There is not a voice out there like Janis Joplin’s. Joplin burst into the late ’60s rock scene when it was almost entirely dominated by men. As frontwoman of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later a solo artist, she brought blues-rooted grit to massive festivals like Woodstock proving women didn’t have to be polished or quiet to run a stage.
After redefining ‘90’s hip-hop as a member of the Fugees, Ms. Lauryn Hill dropped a debut solo album that would go on to be named by many as the best album of all time. She made history with “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” becoming the first woman to win five Grammy Awards in one night.
Gloria Estefan made the world dance, in both English and Spanish. The frontwoman of Miami Sound Machine and an unstoppable solo artist, she brought Latin pop into the American mainstream. After surviving a near-fatal tour bus accident in 1990, she returned to the stage less than a year later, proving her resilience and bad-assery.
Before she was a star herself, Carole King was already shaping the sound of the 1960’s. As a songwriter in New York’s Brill Building, she penned classics for other artists such as James Taylor, Dusty Springfield and The Everly Brothers before emerging into the spotlight. Her solo album “Tapestry” dominated the charts and defined the singer-songwriter genre.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe was playing rock and roll before it even had a name. Known as the “Godmother of Rock,” she revolutionized sped up rhythm and blues, and laid the foundation for countless artists without receiving the credit she deserved. Rock music as we know it would not be around without Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Queen of salsa, Celia Cruz, was born in Cuba. Cruz soon became an international sensation with her powerful voice and vibrant personality, bringing the salsa genre to audiences worldwide. With a career spanning more than five decades, Cruz recorded over 70 albums and dominated in a genre that was predominately male at the time.
One of the most successful country artists in history, Dolly Parton is a cultural icon. Parton has sold over 100 million records, written countless hits, received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement award and made the world fall in love with her token style. Behind the scenes, she has donated hundreds of millions of her own money to various philanthropies and founded the Imagination Library to help childhood literacy.
Known by many as the “First Lady of Song,” Ella Fitzgerald is one of the most paramount voices in jazz. Fitzgerald changed the genre with her popularization of scat singing and her three octave range, and made history by becoming the first Black woman to win a grammy. She broke gender and racial barriers and performed worldwide, solidifying her legacy and influencing music forever.
Kate Bush was only 19 when she topped the UK charts with “Wuthering Heights,” instantly making herself one of music’s most original artists. Known for her theatrical performances and unique experimental sound, Bush pushed the boundaries of what pop music could be. Decades later, her music is still being rediscovered by younger generations on social media, proving her influence is still very much alive.
Music as we know it wouldn’t be the same without the ladies who broke boundaries and challenged the norms of their time. Appreciate and support female artists this month and every month.
