We recently took VH1 to task for including some fairly undeserving — and a few just plain awful — acts on their countdown of the “100 Greatest Women in Music.” So, who do we think would have been more deserving? We’re so glad you asked! Although it’s lacking in many categories, female rockers were especially slighted. We’ve attempted to point out some of the most egregious snubs, keeping two rules in mind: 1. VH1 has limited itself to the past 20 years, so it’s only fair to follow suit. 2. It’s not realistic to expect a mainstream TV network to acknowledge the existence of performers as obscure as, say, Carla Bozulich — so, while we certainly think she’s great, she’s not on this list. See who we would have included after the jump.
Karen O
Along with bands like The Strokes and Liars, Karen O’s Yeah Yeah Yeahs rose to the top of the indie heap in the early aughts, renewing New York’s status as the global capitol of rock ‘n’ roll. The albums and three EPs later, the band hasn’t disappointed us yet — and an enormous part of their success and appeal can be chalked up to O’s magnetic, daredevil stage presence and slithery vocals. She isn’t just a frontwoman, though; she also collaborated with Carter Burwell on soundtrack for Spike Jonze’s Where the Wild Things Are, co-created an opera called Stop the Virgens, and has contributed to tracks by everyone from Trent Reznor and David Lynch to Johnny Knoxville. Can Miley Cyrus (#82) say that?
Comments (21)
Debbie Harry?
“Past 20 years,” Nemo.
Susan Tedeschi. Duh.
how about a list of the top ten last VH1 shows that were actually relevant?
TAKE BACK THE FAITH EVANS JAB!!! “Soon as I Get Home” “I’ll be Missing You” “Heartbreak Hotel” “You Used to Love Me” “Love Like This”
r&b hits. Best female r&b vocalist of the 90s
What the fuck are you people smoking? This Azealia bandwagon is crazy. She’s released a handful of songs and you’re comparing her to Faith Evans’ six Grammy nominations? Faith Evans has released a dozen life-changing singles including Gone Already, I Love You, Heartbreak Hotel, I’ll Be Missing You, Love Like This, You Used To Love Me, Love Is Blind, etc. She married Biggie ferchrissakes and won a Grammy for I’ll Be Missing You because she was missing him. Hundreds of millions of people know the song I’ll Be Missing You. Four million people know of Azealia Banks. And before propping this Azealia chick up any further, please take a look at her singing or whatever-ing live. She couldn’t even fight her way through 212 at Karl Lagerfeld’s private bday or any club. She forgets words, she just stands there, breathing is all over the place. It’s an insult to paying concert-goers.
It’s especially annoying when there are GREAT female MCs out there like Dominique Young Unique. This chick from Tampa has three mixtapes that are damn good. Glamorous- good. Domination- fucking awesome. Stupid Pretty- great.
You’re trying to blow up a chick who has a handful of decent to good songs while there are better female MCs out there with entire albums that fucking run. I’d take a demonstrated body of work over a handful of house anthems praised by lazy bloggers.
Ani DiFranco? Jenny Lewis? But then, can you really expect a compelling list from the network that brings you Mob Wives?
I saw this show expecting to see Beth Gibbons on the list. As soon as I saw a few names (I won’t mention) I knew she wasn’t going to make the cut but I watched anyways. What in the world is wrong with you people. If I remember correctly Portishead used to be on the list for an older version of 100 greatest something or other. The lists keep getting revised. Who in the world gets to pick the people on these lists anyways?
/rant
sigh. Neko Case is not Canadian.
@Greg but the New Pornographers are
Regine from Arcade Fire. She is awesome, just sitting in the backseat, trying to get away from the sprawl…
L7 & “Pretend We’re Dead”? Blech.
I’d include Beth Gibbons too and Peaches. And yes, Kathleen Hanna x 1000. Even though including Azealia Banks is absurd, I’ll support the Faith Evans dig because she’d definitively mediocre.
I’d add Edie Brickell, Bobbie Gentry, Kim Deal, Chan Marshall, and Elizabeth flippin Fraser to name a few!
I second Neko Case and Janelle Monae.
I love the White Stripes but I had to snicker when I saw Meg White on the list. That’s just silly.
This list was comprised of votes from VH1′s viewers, not from any group of people who know anything about music. And the order that the ladies appear is based on the amount of voted they got. This is pretty much what you can expect when you let the general public decide things, and I can guarantee that most people haven’t heard of half of the women mentioned here.
Well, she might not be as influential as she was over 20 years ago, but Debbie Harry has put out albums within the last 20 years [2008, 2004].
when i and my wife and 17 year old daughter heard this, our jaws dropped. any list that has ke$ha, miley, demi lovato, and many of the others on this. leaving out pat benatar, debbie harry, heart, joan jett, sheena easton (it was her song, sugar walls, that started the whole warnings on labels)diana ross, dionne warwick, aretha franklin, is a huge disgrace!
@major harris. actually, “sugar walls” was the number 2 song. the song that got the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) crusade going was “Darling Nikki” by Prince. Btw, Prince also wrote “Sugar Walls” by Shenna Easton.
Brody Dalle.
I 100% co-sign the majority of this list aside from Azealia Banks…she’s got a little more work to do but at least you guys didn’t say Kreayshawn -______-
FYI… Bikini Kill/Kathleen Hanna/riot grrrl didn’t pave the way for Hole, Babes in Toyland, etc… In fact, it’s actually vice versa. I dig Kathleen, but riot grrrl is post-Hole.
Kat Bjelland, please.
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