Best Rock bands with a female front
 

The thread about 3 member bands got me to thinking, what are the best rock bands featuring a female front (lead singer)? My list would be:
1) Big Brother and the Holding Company (have to be #1)
2) Jefferson Airplane (Starship)
3) Heart
4) Fleetwood Mac (I think between the two they'd qualify)
5) Blondie
6) Juliette & the Licks (yes I like them this much)
7) The Plasmatics
8) Bif Naked (Ok, group & her name)
9) Stone Poneys
10) 'Til Tuesday
Any thoughts?

Sleater Kinney

and Luscious Jackson when they were around were pretty righteous.

Def Heart!!!

One of the best female-fronted bands the last 10 years had to offer, imho.

i saw them open for alanis morissette when i was in high school.

i was pretty obsessed with alanis in those days after "supposed former infatuation junkie" came out -- and i was so blown away by Garbage that i found myself being a little bored during Alanis's show, when any other time I would have been wetting myself.

Embarassingly enough, Paula Cole is the best live show I've ever seen in my life -- but Garbage would probably be a close second at this point.

Rilo Kiley

I'm kinda partial to The Pretenders with Chrissie Hynde.

Paula Cole... blast from the past! I couldnt get past the hairy armpits though. So distracting. :eek:

LOVE LOVE LOVE Shirley!

Amy Lee needs some recognition. Great voice even if the band itsself is overrated.

Hole is another that deserves some mention. Not a truly gifted singer, but she phrases uniquely (Courtney Love).

I wouldnt exactly call 10,000 Maniacs "rock" but Natalie Merchant is instantly recognizable vocally.

Dolores o'Riordan of The Cranberries fame has one of the smoothest alto's in rock. Her tone is amazing but there's also grit when needed. A true sign of cross-over versatility.

Ann Wilson of heart just has amazing chops. With a slight rasp to a strong, husky alto, for unusually provative lyrics, she paved the way for many females.

Courtney Love---Hole....lol

I would adds the Yeah Yeah Yeah's as a new band going places with a female lead as well.

Sharon and Andrea Corr of the Corrs

Honorable mention to Veruca Salt, Portishead, and Plumb.

10,000 Maniacs deserve mention...I like Natalie better when solo though. Not a big Hole fan, I wonder if we would have even heard of her if not for her b/f? Again, I think both Bif Naked and Juliette Lewis do that type of music better! Someone mentioned the Pretenders and I agree, almost put them in my top 10.

I like Natalie's solo career better as well. Goes to show you dont need much range if you have an original and recognizable tone.

I actually like the Hole stuff that most of its hardcore fans would consider their attempt at "selling out". I happened to love Celebrity Skin.

Courtney Love was/is such a disaster that we would have known about her even if Cobain was never connected to her. She's managed to keep the flame going many years after his death wtihout much reference to it. And anyone who named their child Frances Bean deserves to be on tv somewhere.

Bif Naked is hot... Juliette Lewis... never got.

Pretenders are absolute rock royalty.

The Eurythmics dont really fit "rock" but how great is the legendary Annie Lennox??!!

With an amazing contralto that emotes so incredibly well, they def left a mark on many musicians and fans alike.

Somer, I'm with you on F Mac & Heart (remember seeing them w/John Parr opening up for 'em)

Oh yeah, and of course The Legwarmers (www.thelegwarmers.com) :)

Here's a little diddy from Mr.John Parr as a blast from the past for some of ya...(close your eyes and you'll swear it's Billy Squire)...naughty naughty!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTaySI8HXcY