Female Music Legends Who Shaped History — PICS

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March 5, 2018 1:46PM EST

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Female Music Legends Who Shaped History

Female Music Legends Who Shaped History — Music is powered by female voices, and without women, the music you know and love today – from blues to jazz to country to rock to punk to R&B to hip-hop – would not exist. Women continue to blaze trails and shatter records, making history (and HERstory) in the process. Take a look at some of the women who have defied barriers to define music, overcoming obstacles to become icons.

There are those icons who were taken from us much too soon. Many think of Amy Winehouse in terms of her tragic death, but the English singer/songwriter also set the stage for numerous musicians who rose to fame after her. Adele, Lady Gaga, and Lana Del Rey have all credited Amy as an influence or for paving the way for their careers. Amy’s ability to bridge genres, including soul, rhythm and blues, and jazz, will ensure that her music is heard by people of every age in any setting for the rest of time.

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Beyonce

Beyonce — Beyonce performs during her ‘On The Run II Tour’ in 2018. From her days in Destiny’s Child to her groundbreaking solo career — which led to both ‘Lemonade’ and a history-making headlining set at Coachella — there is no one like Beyonce.

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Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin — Janis Joplin is one of the most energetic and charismatic rock stars the world has ever known. She performed at the iconic Woodstock festival in 1969, and is generally recognized as one of the most famous female rock stars of all time. Janis was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.

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Selena Quintanilla-Perez

Selena Quintanilla-Perez — Selena is heralded as the Queen of Tejano music, and is undoubtedly one of the most influential entertainers ever. The singer/songwriter found success not only in music, but in the modeling, acting and fashion fields as well.

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Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston — Whitney Houston passed away in 2012, and the world hasn’t been the same since. An unparalleled vocal talent, Whitney was certified as one of the best-selling recording artists of all time, releasing seven studio albums and two soundtrack albums, all of which have been certified from diamond to gold. “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” “How Will I Know, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” “So Emotional,” and “I Will Always Love You” are just a handful of hit songs that this multi-talented performer shared with the world. Gone but never forgotten.

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Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday — Billie Holiday (1915-1959) was a jazz and swing singer, whose voice is still reverberating throughout history today. Her influence continues to be felt throughout R&B. Many of your favorite artists will say Billie is their favorite artist. Her work has become jazz standards, including “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm,” “Carelessly,” and her biggest selling record, “Strange Fruit.” It’s a song that, sadly, continues to have relevance to this day.

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Nina Simone

Nina Simone — Nina Simone is celebrated for her work both on and off the stage. An improvisational genius, Nina’s voice incorporated elements of classical, jazz, gospel, blues, and R&B. A highly prolific singer, Nina recorded numerous albums and released singles like a version of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put A Spell On You,” “I Loves You, Porgy,” “Ain’t Got No…I Got Life,” “Little Girl Blue,” and “Mississippi Goddamn.” The latter was her response to the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, her first civil rights song. She performed and spoke at civil rights meetings, making her an icon in the fight for equality, as well. She was unafraid to mix politics with art, fighting back at those who would dare tell her to ‘shut up and sing.’

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Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald — Ella Fitzgerald was the first music icon of the modern era. Dubbed the ‘First Lady of Song’ and the ‘Queen of Jazz,’ Lady Ella would be celebrated for her scat singing, her intonation, and her incredible voice. She was celebrated at the very first Grammy Awards ceremony, taking home Best Jazz Performance and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance during the 1958 ceremony. She has walked so others could run,

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Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift — Taylor Swift performing at THE 63rd ANNUAL GRAMMY® AWARDS, broadcast live from the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Sunday, March 14, 2021 (8:00-11:30 PM, live ET/5:00-8:30 PM, live PT) on the CBS Television Network and Paramount+. Photo: Screen Grab/CBS ©2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Megan Thee Stallion

Megan Thee Stallion — Megan Thee Stallion first started making waves in 2019 with ‘Cash Sh-t’ and her ‘Fever’ mixtape. She established herself as the next big name in rap with ‘Hot Girl Summer,’ a song whose title went viral months before its release. Meg cemented her role in hip-hop with the follow-up ‘Suga’ EP, with the epic ‘Savage’ track that was a rare highlight of 2020. She is a promising voice for the next generation of rap stars, leading the way on stage, on TikTok, and beyond.

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