#97 8 Women That Influenced the History of Music

As we conclude the month of March, and subsequently ‘Women’s History Month’, we wanted to share with you just a few women in music that have both made history, and paved the way for other artists…

1) Dixie Chicks

Now known as ‘The Chicks’ - The Dixie Chicks trio are the highest selling female group of all time. They challenged people with their political stances and were outspoken about their beliefs; they have gone down in history for being some of the most controversial stars in country music.

2) Ella Fitzgerald

Described as ‘The First Lady of Song’ - Fitzgerald is renowned all over the world for her music. She has been described by many as the ‘Queen of Jazz’, and was noted not only for her voices’ ‘horn-like’ quality and 3 octave range, but for her impressive improvisational abilities and scat singing.   

3) Kathleen Hanna 

The lead singer of Bikini Kill was a feminist activist and writer using music as her vehicle for advocating women’s rights. She famously pioneered the Riot Grrrl movement which sought to create inclusivity for women not only on stage, but in the crowd too.

“Girls to the front!”

4) Nina Simone

Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon,  Nina Simone (as we know her) was an American singer, songwriter, arranger and civil rights activist. Her name change was an attempt to disguise herself from family members due to her choice to play “the devil's music”. Nina Simone’s striking contralto voice and strong songwriting has been idealized and referenced by many. 

5) Björk

Icelandic singer, songwriter, producer, actress and DJ has famously transcended boundaries through her multidisciplinary work and often, avant-garde, sound. She is known to many for her experimental and innovative approach to making music, which she constantly continues to develop and evolve to this day. 

6) Beyoncé

Queen Bey as she is known to many, is one of the world’s best selling recorded artists, with a groundbreaking 118 million records sold all over the world. In 2020 she was included in the Time’s ‘100 Women of the Year’ and has been said to be the highest earning black artist of all time.

7) Dolly Parton

Despite being born into a poor farming family, Dolly Parton has made a name for herself not only as a country singer, but an actress, businesswomen, producer and philanthropist. She pioneered the fusion of country and pop music, bringing this style further into the mainstream. She has more recently released the podcast "Dolly Parton's America". 

8) Carole King

Known for being the most successful songwriter of the latter 20th century, King was the first female to receive the ‘Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song’. She broke a record with her album ‘Tapestry’ for holding a Number 1 for 15 weeks; it is safe to say that King paved the way for female songwriters alike.