Best female vocals in rock music

Vocalists who have made music history not only because of their looks, but also because of their gorgeous vocals. It's enough to hear the opening accompaniment to be able to say: this song is the bomb! And if it is also a female vocal? And indeed, in such masterpieces there is a frenzied energy and colossal drive. The hottest and most famous female songs that owe their sound to the beautiful half of humanity. Let's go!

Jefferson Airplane - Somebody To Love (1967)

The Great Society guitarist Darby Slick was the author of the single about doubts and loss of illusions, the original title of which, by the way, was Someone to Love. Shortly after the release in 1966 Grace Slick left the band, taking with him a couple of hits from the repertoire of the former team, in particular the discussed Somebody to Love, later included in Jefferson Airplane's album "Surrealistic Pillow". In the new sound, the hit became very popular and soon reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100. The single became No279 in the list of "500 Greatest Songs of All Time", according to Rolling Stone magazine.

Janis Joplin - Summertime (1969)

"Summertime" is an aria by George Gershwin, originally written for the opera Porgy and Bess (1935). Over time, it became massively popular and was repeatedly performed by famous jazz and non-jazz artists, including Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, Paul McCartney, and Joe Henderson. But many people learnt about this great piece thanks to Janis Joplin. Of course, her version is not a jazz standard: Joplin's voice endowed the aria with anxiety and drama. However, it is this sound that can rightly be called the most interesting and emotional. By the way, "Summertime" was the last song that the singer performed in public at Harvard in the 70's...

Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacher Man (1969)

The original sound of John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins' single "Son of a Preacher Man" was given a distinctive sound by British singer Dusty Springfield. Interestingly, famous female performers such as Merrilee Rush and Aretha Franklin flatly refused to take the song. The latter even commented on the disrespectful and immoral subtext for her, which, however, is not surprising for the daughter of a priest. The meaning of the song is clear without explanation. The song is sung on behalf of a young woman who has an affair with a priest's son in secret. Dusty Springfield was the first to make "Son of a Preacher Man" a hot hit on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song number 240 on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". In the same nomination the song was awarded 161st place, only according to New Musical Express.

Boney M. - Sunny (1966)

Sunny "Sunny" is one of the most frequently recorded and performed songs in world music history. The number of its cover versions exceeds a hundred. Many people know this song thanks to the performance of the legendary disco quartet Boney M., but they were not the ones who created the hit song. The real father of the hit is Bobby Hebb. He wrote the song during a difficult period when he needed a reminder of the sun more than ever. Before being released to the public, however, the song, created in a burst of insight, sat in the desk of a producer for about two years, to whom Hebb took it with a few dozen of his other creations. In 1966 Bobby Hebb managed to release a compilation album, where he included "Sunny" at the last moment. But soon, with the help of editors from Philips, the song was released as a single. Within a few months, "Sunny" was already number two on the list of favourite national hits. The song was ranked 25th in BMI's "Top 100 songs of the century".

Chris Norman & Suzi Quatro - Stumblin' In (1978)

This song is unbelievable! Many people start snapping their fingers and nodding their heads to the beat! The duet of Chris Norman and Susie Quatro is fantastic. Their voices merge into a single stream... The theme of the song is love. However, the composition does not sound tedious and tearful. It warms the soul and shows that life is a very interesting thing! It says that all of us unexpectedly can fall in love with the person we think about the least. The single reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and climbed to number 41 on the UK Singles Chart. For both Norman and Quatro, "Stumblin' In" was the apogee of career success. However, as far as Suzy is concerned, it is worth noting that this song was her first and last work to reach the US top chart. Today, the single is one of the most frequently included in romantic compilations of the 70s and 80s.

https://youtu.be/eL4WKABH4NM

ABBA - Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) (1979)

The song "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" is one of the most hit disco singles from the repertoire of the Swedish band ABBA. The hit was written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. The song was recorded in Stockholm at Polar Music Studios in the summer of 1979. The release, as planned, was in October 1979. Initially the band recorded another song, "Rubber Ball Man", but the disco rhythms of "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" seemed more suitable for the lead single, and "Rubber Ball Man" was left as a demo. It turned out to be the right decision! As a result, the single reigned at the top of the charts in Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, France and Ireland for a long time. In Austria, Great Britain and other countries "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" commanded the third position. In Japan, it became the most successful and popular single, reaching number 17.

Barbra Streisand - Woman In Love (1980)

"Woman In Love" is the most successful song in Barbra Streisand's career. The song was written by Barry and Robin Gibba, members of the then famous Bee Gees, who, incidentally, were honoured for their work with the Ivor Novello Award in the category "Best Song Musically and Lyrically". The single achieved platinum status and became the singer's biggest international hit. "Woman In Love" has long topped top charts around the world, including the United States and the United Kingdom. The disc with the song sold out lightning fast with almost three million copies. Streisand sings about her warm feelings for her lover, with whom they will always be together, despite the difficulties and circumstances that arise.

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Blondie - Call me (1979)

The famous "Call Me" - the fruit of the American band Blondie's creativity, originally written as the main musical theme for the film American Gigolo. The lyrics and melody of the hit were invented by Debbie Harry in just a few hours, after which the song was recorded and produced by Giorgio Moroder himself. As a single it was released in the winter, in the early 80's. In a very short period of time the song reached the first line of the American, Canadian and English top charts, where it stayed for 6 weeks in a row. The hit, whose copies were sold out in millions of copies, received the status of gold, and by the end of 1980 was recognised as No1 by Billboard. A little later the single was included by the same magazine in the "100 Greatest Songs of All Time". In the list of "500 Best Songs..." the song is also included in the Rolling Stone version. In 1981, "Call Me" became a Grammy nominee for "Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo/Group".

Joan Jett - I Love Rock N' Roll (1981)

"I Love Rock 'n' Roll" is the loudest rock song of the last century, written by Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker in the mid-70s. The composition has been interpreted a thousand times by everyone from AC/DC to Britney Spears. The original sound given by The Arrows left the public indifferent, and the song itself never made it into any charts.

The situation changed dramatically only six years later. Joan Jett, ex-guitarist of The Runaways, did not miss the chance to pay tribute to the passionately adored single by including its cover version in the first album with her new band The Blackhearts. As a result, the single topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 7 weeks in a row, and the disc of the same name sold millions of copies at the speed of light, earning platinum status. "I Love Rock N' Roll" is included in the list of the top 100 songs of the twentieth century and was honoured 484th in the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time", according to Rolling Stone.

Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want To Have Fun (1983)

The smash hit "Girls Just Want to Fun" is the work of American musician Robert Hazard. But many know it as Cyndi Lauper's masterpiece, whose soul version was released in 1983. The song was the first single released by the singer from her debut studio effort She's So Unusual. Lauper's soul version was recognised as a true feminist anthem. The hit was successfully promoted to the masses with a captivating music video, which incidentally won a Grammy Award. "Girls Just Want to Fun" can rightly be called a powerful breakthrough in the singer's career. The song went to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and in late '83 - early '84 received the status of a worldwide hit. "Girls Just Want to Fun" was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

The Runaways - Cherry Bomb (1976)

A driving single written by Kim Fowley, manager of The Runaways, and Joan Jett, the band's guitarist. It was subsequently performed by their scandalous young lead singer Cherie Curry. She basically became the muse for writing the hit. The song speaks on behalf of an unruly underage girl who declares to the world that the "cherry bomb" is already here! The hit quickly captured the masses, for not only the frenzied beat, but also the talent of the band proved to be fantastic. However, Curry proved to be the weak link. Who would take the band seriously when their vocalist goes on stage in her underwear? The girl left the group in 1977, after the release of their third album. Once Joan Jett was asked why she thought the public did not perceive them, to which she replied: "it's all the fault of this cherry bomb in a corset".