Women in the music

The “Queen of Soul” was the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and sang at historic events in U.S. history.

• Édith Piaf

• Aretha Franklin

• Lakshmi Shankar

• Dolly Parton

She was the second artist on the cover of Rolling Stone, and the first female and Black artist to be on the cover of the famed magazine.

• Cher

• Madonna

• Whitney Houston

• Tina Turner

She is a country music royalty, recognized as having the most hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.

• Debbie Harry

• Selena

• Dolly Parton

• Whitney Houston

She has seemingly done it all—in music, movies, and on TV. Also, she’s been called the “Goddess of Pop”.

• Patti Smith

• Dolly Parton

• Cher

• Janet Jackson

She was a top-selling artist, in-demand actress, and one of Tejano’s most famous celebrities ever.

• Mariah Carey

• Jennifer Lopez

• Lady Gaga

• Selena

She became the definitive pop icon of the 1980s. Thanks in large part to her regular airplay on MTV, she became one of the biggest acts in the world.

• Madonna

• Debbie Harry

• Janet Jackson

• Taylor Swift

With one of the most memorable voices in music history, she crafted pop hits, chart-topping ballads, and rousing renditions of the national anthem.

• Ella Fitzgerald

• Marian Anderson

• Nina Simone

• Whitney Houston

She began her career as an R&B singer, became a producer, then broke out as a solo star in the late 1990s. Not bound by one title, she became the top-selling female rapper of all time.

• Lady Gaga

• Missy Elliott

• Beyoncé

• Janet Jackson

Beginning in 1996, they made sure the world knew the meaning of “girl power.” Boosted by the upbeat hit single “Wannabe,” they invaded America and took over radio, TV, and movies.

• Fifth Harmony

• The Donnas

• Spice Girls

• The Bangles

When she dropped her video for “Hello” in 2015, she amassed over 27 million views in one day, a new YouTube record.

• Adele

• Lizzo

• Beyoncé

• Lauryn Hill