15 Sexy Female Rock Singers You Will Love
Ever since its beginning back in the 1950’s, rock music has appealed to the primal and sensual parts of our brain, producing sex symbols like Elvis Presley. With the sexual revolution coinciding with a large part of rock’s history, it’s no surprise that there are a host of sexy female rock singers through all eras of the genre’s history. Join me as I take you through a my list of some of the sexiest female rock stars the world has ever known.
Sexy Female Rock Singers (TLDR)
One sexy female rock singer from the 1960’s is Janis Joplin, whose soulful and sensual voice revolutionized rock music. For a modern option, Hayley Williams from Paramore is an attractive artist with a great punk rock attitude. And finally, Joan Jett and Lita Ford helped set the standard for women’s fashion in rock in the 70’s and 80’s.
1. Janis Joplin
From her time with Big Brother and the Holding Company to her legendary 1970 solo album Pearl, Janis Joplin revolutionized rock with her soulful and passionate singing. She was also a poster child for the sexual revolution of the hippie era, which makes her a perfect contender for this list.
Favorite Song by Janis Joplin: “Me and Bobby McGee” is a Kris Kristofferson original that Janis Joplin put her own unique stamp on and made her own. The entire Pearl album is worth hearing.
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2. Joan Jett
Joan Jett got her start with all-female punk group The Runaways and continued her career in the 80’s with a string of iconic solo hits like “I Love Rock n’ Roll” and “Crimson and Clover.” Her tough, no-nonsense image combined with her penchant for skintight leather have influenced countless women in rock.
Favorite Song by Joan Jett: “I Hate Myself for Loving You” is part of Jett’s late-80’s foray into big stadium hair metal, and it totally works. This is a big anthemic song I’ve always cranked up on the radio.
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3. PJ Harvey
Harvey kept the alternative riot girl energy alive in the 90’s with her powerful and angsty voice and her bohemian-inspired grungy look. Her raw and passionate 1993 album Rid of Me is a classic of 90’s rock, its stripped-down production making it fit in alongside classics from bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden.
Favorite Song by PJ Harvey: “Ecstasy” is the haunting closer that ends Rid of Me. It’s an overlooked gem.
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4. Lita Ford
Lita Ford got her start alongside Joan Jett in The Runaways back in the 70’s, adorning herself in the same skintight leather pants and leather jackets that defined women’s fashion in rock. In the 80’s, Lita chose a more hair metal form of expression, with big blonde hair and tons of bright clothing and spandex.
Favorite Song by Lita Ford: “Kiss Me Deadly” is a poppy, upbeat hair metal anthem from the 80’s. Lita looks fantastic in the music video and the song is a lot of fun.
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5. Hayley Williams
Fronting the huge 2000’s pop punk band Paramore for nearly twenty years now, Hayley doesn’t appear to have aged a single day. Aside from her looks, her voice has remained full of spunk, attitude, and power as she’s explored various styles of music and fashion throughout the years.
Favorite Song by Hayley Williams: “We Are Broken” from 2007’s Riot is a fun tune from Paramore’s earlier, lighthearted era.
6. Debbie Harry
Debbie Harry’s classic blonde hair and punk attire made her the embodiment of coolness in women’s rock fashion back in the 70’s and 80’s, and her iconic looks have also been a large part of great films as well. She’s a part of the culture at large, and her sensual voice and the great music of Blondie cemented her legacy more than anything.
Favorite Song by Debbie Harry: “Hanging on the Telephone” is one of my favorite power pop tracks from Blondie’s 1978 Parallel Lines album, which is a classic of the new wave era.
7. Grace Slick
Grace Slick’s low and sensual voice had so much power. She was the singer for Jefferson Airplane during an era when female rock singers were still in short supply. With the Airplane, she produced classics like 1967’s Surrealistic Pillow.
Favorite Song by Grace Slick: “White Rabbit” is one of the all-time great psychedelic rock anthems, and Slick’s voice is mesmerizing here.
8. Tina Turner
It’d be hard to write this list without mentioning the queen of rock n’ roll herself, Tina Turner, especially in light of her recent passing. Turner’s career spanned decades as she reinvented her sound and her stunning looks every single time.
Favorite Song by Tina Turner: “Proud Mary” is an old classic by Creedence Clearwater Revival that received the Tina Turner treatment and ended up being almost as successful as the original.
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9. Dolores O’Riordan
Another great female rock singer who unfortunately passed in recent times is Dolores O’Riordan of Irish rock group The Cranberries. Her tranquil yet powerful vocals defined the sound of The Cranberries and propelled them to stardom in the 90’s.
Favorite Song by Dolores O’Riordan: “Zombie” might not be as known as “Linger,” but to me it’s The Cranberries’ greatest hit and overall song. O’Riordan sounds amazing here.
10. Shirley Manson
As the iconic redheaded vocalist of 90’s alternative rockers Garbage, her sexy and sensual voice helped define the group, along with her wry and self-deprecating lyrics that fit the cultural zeitgeist of 90’s slackerdom and angst. Their debut album is a classic, and Manson remains their most iconic and recognizable member.
Favorite Song by Shirley Manson: “Only Happy When It Rains” is a unique rock song from Garbage’s debut. Manson displays a lot of vocal range here.
11. Stevie Nicks
This list simply wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Stevie Nicks, whose witchy fashion sense and gorgeous blonde hair continue to influence countless women in and outside of rock music decades later. Her soulful voice was the anchor of beauty in Fleetwood Mac’s music, featured on countless hits throughout the band’s discography.
Favorite Song by Stevie Nicks: “The Chain” from 1977’s Rumours is a haunting and ethereal track that showcases Stevie Nicks’ great singing voice and natural sensuality and sex appeal.
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12. Dorothy Martin
Probably the youngest entry on this list, Dorothy Martin fronts her eponymous band simply called Dorothy. She takes stylistic cues from several female rock legends mentioned so far, and she wears the leather and eyeliner well. Her band plays charged up hard rock music with a metal edge.
Favorite Song by Dorothy Martin: “Big Guns” is a track from Dorothy’s most recent album Gifts from the Holy Ghost. It’s a fun track in the style of AC/DC, and it’s cool seeing the younger generation keep this type of rock alive.
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13. Donita Sparks
Donita Sparks might be more famous for her infamous “tampon incident” during a live show, but she and the other gals in L7 wrote some of the best and rawest punk rock of the 90’s. Donita Sparks, as well as the other members of the band, all had a ragged and grungy look that was perfect for the time period and perfect for the raw music L7 produced.
Favorite Song by Donita Sparks: “Pretend We’re Dead” is a great poppy hard rock song with unique distorted guitar, and it’s infectiously catchy. Songs from L7’s great Bricks Are Heavy album were popularized in movies like Serial Mom, so this is a song you might know without realizing you know it.
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14. Kate de Lombaert
Kate de Lombaert is a name that won’t be familiar to most of you readers who aren’t already obsessed with obscure classic heavy metal, but if you’re looking to get your old school metal fix with a female vocalist, you have to check out Belgium’s Acid. They never got famous and only released a few albums in the 80’s, but Kate’s powerful and gnarly voice helped set the band apart from their male competitors.
Favorite Song by Kate de Lombaert: “Prince of Hell and Fire” from Acid’s 1983 album Maniac is awesome. Much like the other tracks here, the music has elements of bands like Judas Priest and Saxon, and Kate’s vocals are like a banshee, combining elements of Rush’s Geddy Lee.
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15. Kate Bush
Although it would be a gross error for me to refer to Kate Bush as “just” a female rock singer, she’s a worthy contender for the list due to the wide range of sounds she’s produced.
Every single video, every single public appearance, every single album—Kate had an entirely different fashion sense all the time, often appearing to play the characters in her songs. She was a huge influence on countless artists and continues to be one.
Favorite Song by Kate Bush: “James and the Cold Gun” is not my all-time favorite Kate song, but it’s an underrated rocker you have to hear. This over-the-top rock tune tells a thrilling crime drama and Kate’s theatrical voice fits perfectly over the Queen-inspired rock of the music.
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Women have had a crucial place in rock’s history since the beginning, but it seems like only in recent years have some of the sexy female rock singers finally gotten their rightful due.
Hopefully this list will introduce you to some unsung female greats of rock while also reminding you of some of the well-known legends who changed rock history forever.
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This article was written by Avery and edited by Michael.
