I’d Forgotten Skin must dig out Skunk Anansie’s albums again.
For most of my life I’ve had a dislike of solo female singers, never had a problem with female lead vocalists in groups.
However since joining this forum and deliberately widening my horizons I am beginning to appreciate them more and more
Not a comprehensive list but of the top of my head…
Beth Hart
Kate Bush
Nina Simone
Morgan James
Amy Winehouse
Floor Jansen (Nightwish)
Skin (Skunk Anansie)
1 Like
Some more I remembered I liked;
Nancy Wilson
Julie London
Chris Connor
Beth Gibbons
Roisin Murphy
Bessie Smith
Nina Simone
Dinah Washington
Billie Holliday
Debbie Harry
4 Likes
Many thanks again for all your suggestions. As there is a lull in entries, here is an up-to-date tally
Out of 731 names given, below is the chart of those names that came up more than once. Top 3 remain the same
| Order | Name | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kate Bush | 19 |
| 2 | Joni Mitchell | 16 |
| 3 | Amy Winehouse | 10 |
| 4 | Eva Cassidy | 10 |
| 5 | Tori Amos | 9 |
| 6 | Alison Goldfrapp | 8 |
| 7 | Bonnie Raitt | 8 |
| 8 | Ella Fitzgerald | 8 |
| 9 | Sandy Denny | 8 |
| 10 | Beth Hart | 7 |
| 11 | Diana Krall | 7 |
| 12 | Janis Joplin | 7 |
| 13 | Norah Jones | 7 |
| 14 | Aretha Franklin | 6 |
| 15 | Hannah Reid | 6 |
| 16 | Nina Simone | 6 |
| 17 | Adele | 5 |
| 18 | Alanis Morissette | 5 |
| 19 | Alison Krauss | 5 |
| 20 | Annie Lennox | 5 |
| 21 | Cara Dillon | 5 |
| 22 | Kate Rusby | 5 |
| 23 | Lucinda Williams | 5 |
| 24 | Mary Black | 5 |
| 25 | Melody Gardot | 5 |
| 26 | Natalie Merchant | 5 |
| 27 | Rumer | 5 |
| 28 | Suzanne Vega | 5 |
| 29 | Beth Orton | 4 |
| 30 | Bobbie Gentry | 4 |
| 31 | Carole King | 4 |
| 32 | Cowboy Junkies | 4 |
| 33 | Debbie Harry | 4 |
| 34 | Florence & The Machine | 4 |
| 35 | Karen Carpenter | 4 |
| 36 | Lana Del Rey | 4 |
| 37 | Laura Marling | 4 |
| 38 | Shawn Colvin | 4 |
| 39 | Stevie Nicks | 4 |
| 40 | Taylor Swift | 4 |
| 41 | Alison Moyet | 3 |
| 42 | Bat for Lashes | 3 |
| 43 | Beth Gibbons | 3 |
| 44 | Billie Holiday | 3 |
| 45 | Bjork | 3 |
| 46 | Christine & the Queens | 3 |
| 47 | Dido | 3 |
| 48 | Dinah Washington | 3 |
| 49 | Dua Lipa | 3 |
| 50 | Ese Okorodudu | 3 |
| 51 | Etta James | 3 |
| 52 | Everything But the Girl | 3 |
| 53 | Gillian Welch | 3 |
| 54 | Grace Jones | 3 |
| 55 | Heart | 3 |
| 56 | Helen Watson | 3 |
| 57 | Holly Cole | 3 |
| 58 | Jennifer Warnes | 3 |
| 59 | Julia Fordham | 3 |
| 60 | Kandace Springs | 3 |
| 61 | Madeleine Peyroux | 3 |
| 62 | Malia | 3 |
| 63 | Mary Chapin Carpenter | 3 |
| 64 | Minnie Ripperton | 3 |
| 65 | Patricia Barber | 3 |
| 66 | PJ Harvey | 3 |
| 67 | Sade | 3 |
| 68 | Sarah Jarosz | 3 |
| 69 | Sarah Vaughan | 3 |
| 70 | Skin (Skunk Anansie) | 3 |
| 71 | Thea Gilmore | 3 |
| 72 | Tina Turner | 3 |
| 73 | Tracy Chapman | 3 |
| 74 | Whitney Houston | 3 |
| 75 | Aimee Mann | 2 |
| 76 | Aldous Harding | 2 |
| 77 | Allison Moorer | 2 |
| 78 | Anita Baker | 2 |
| 79 | Annette Peacock | 2 |
| 80 | Ashley Monroe | 2 |
| 81 | Babe Ruth | 2 |
| 82 | Bebel Gilberto | 2 |
| 83 | Beth Nielsen Chapman | 2 |
| 84 | Blondie | 2 |
| 85 | Brazilian | 2 |
| 86 | Carly Simon | 2 |
| 87 | Cassandra Wilson | 2 |
| 88 | Christine Collister | 2 |
| 89 | Claire Martin | 2 |
| 90 | Cocteau Twins | 2 |
| 91 | Courtney Marie Andrews | 2 |
| 92 | Denise Johnson | 2 |
| 93 | Diamanda Galas | 2 |
| 94 | Eddie Reader | 2 |
| 95 | Eleanor McEvoy | 2 |
| 96 | Eliza Carthy | 2 |
| 97 | Fay Hield | 2 |
| 98 | Fever Ray | 2 |
| 99 | Fiona Apple | 2 |
| 100 | Gladys Knight | 2 |
| 101 | Heather Nova | 2 |
| 102 | Joan Armatrading | 2 |
| 103 | Joan Baez | 2 |
| 104 | Judie Tzuke | 2 |
| 105 | Julie Fowlis | 2 |
| 106 | June Tabor | 2 |
| 107 | Kd Lang | 2 |
| 108 | Kim Wilde | 2 |
| 109 | Lesley Duncan | 2 |
| 110 | Lizz Wright | 2 |
| 111 | Lorde | 2 |
| 112 | Lucy Ward | 2 |
| 113 | Madonna | 2 |
| 114 | Marianne Faithfull | 2 |
| 115 | Mazzy Star | 2 |
| 116 | Nancy Wilson | 2 |
| 117 | Neko Case | 2 |
| 118 | Pat Benatar | 2 |
| 119 | Patti Smith | 2 |
| 120 | Patty Waters | 2 |
| 121 | Phoebe Snow | 2 |
| 122 | Randy Crawford | 2 |
| 123 | Rhiannon Giddens | 2 |
| 124 | Rickie Lee Jones | 2 |
| 125 | RLJ | 2 |
| 126 | Róisín Murphy | 2 |
| 127 | Sara Bareilles | 2 |
| 128 | Sarah Mclachlan | 2 |
| 129 | Shelby Lynne | 2 |
| 130 | Sheryl Crow | 2 |
| 131 | Sinead O’Connor | 2 |
| 132 | Sophie Milman | 2 |
| 133 | Susan Janet Ballion | 2 |
| 134 | Susan Tedeschi | 2 |
| 135 | The (Dixie) Chicks | 2 |
| 136 | The Cranberries | 2 |
| 137 | Youn Sun Nah | 2 |
8 Likes
I enjoyed all the women listed by this post but for me my all time favorite is
Barbra Streisand. She makes my NAIM sing.
2 Likes
Awesome topic, thanks to all.
I really enjoy listening to female vocalists; many of my favourites have already been mentioned and listed. Alongside far too many names I’ve never had the pleasure of listening to…yet - a good project for 2021.
Here are some singers who currently get played more frequently than others; they either haven’t been mentioned yet, or only have a single recommendation.
Angélique Kidjo - Beninese singer-songwriter, actress
AURORA - Aurora Aksnes; Norwegian singer, songwriter, and record producer (single recommendation, so far)
Emma Bunton - Baby Spice! A guilty pleasure, I only have one album (Free Me) but it never fails to lift my spirits…it’s been played a lot this year!
Halsey - Ashley Nicolette Frangipane; American singer, songwriter (single recommendation, so far)
Joss Stone - English singer, songwriter
Katie Melua - Georgian-British singer, songwriter (single recommendation, so far)
Kosheen - were a British electronic music group fronted by singer-songwriter Sian Evans
KT Tunstall - Scottish singer-songwriter and musician
Laura Mvula - British recording artist, songwriter and composer
Morcheeba - English electronic band fronted by vocalist Skye Edwards (single recommendation, so far)
Paula Cole - American singer-songwriter
The Staves - English indie folk trio of sisters Emily, Jessica and Camilla Staveley-Taylor (single recommendation, so far)
Cheers!
5 Likes
If you have the energy… Start a separate thread and list the 137 names in a poll and each member can only vote for 1.
That would be more conclusive of the ‘Currently Played Favorite Female Vocalist or Group’ vs having long lists. I know that I played at least one album of over half the female vocalists listed above. My current favorite female vocalist or group happens to be one… granted that has changed over time and will mostly change again.
Thanks for taking the time to create the list…
1 Like
Linda Ronstadt
No 125 is that RLJ who has the lyric - How come he don’t come and PLP with me down at the meter no more?
I think that gives her 4 in total.
1 Like
Actually I found 5 - thanks for pointing that out. I have corrected my master copy. There have been a few like that which I have corrected, along with spelling differences, and no doubt I may have missed a couple more. Cheers
2 Likes
Well you’ve certainly done a great job and spent a lot of time on compiling the list.
But the end result is you have a great selection to explore.
2 Likes
Thanks, I’ll bear that in mind. I didn’t expect this thread to take off so well, and its hard to know when people are done. Just when it goes quiet for a couple of days, I get a few more entries straight after. Certainly food for thought for a later date , although I would hope Kate wins again 
Great comment - prompted me to pick it up on CD in the HMV on-line sale and a what a wonderful album. Not a Womble in sight.
1 Like
Great job @GadgetMan, interesting thread and a great reference to those wanting to expand their female vocalist repertoire.
Personally I am chuffed to see Eva Cassidy up there.
1 Like
me too!
1 Like
Where’s Yoko?
3 Likes
Exactly!
2 Likes
Yoko! Yoko! Yoko! Yoko! Yoko!
YOKO!!!
2 Likes
In bed…?
3 Likes