The Outlook’s Top 5 Women Who Rock

There are few things I love more than a good rock band with a woman on lead. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the era of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and the Spice Girls’ “girl power” trend or maybe it’s just because I wish I was a rockstar. Either way I really love girls who rock, so why not share my top 5? They might not be on the level of Stevie Nicks and Joan Jett yet, but they’ll get there one day.

1. Gwen Stefani has more recently been in the spotlight for her pop career and her fashion line, but she is coming back to rock music with No Doubt. When the band went on a reunion tour in 2009, Stefani performed all of their high energy hits without missing a beat. It was like they hadn’t taken a break at all.

Stefani is what makes No Doubt different. The Orange County native is pretty, but tough (her arms rival Michelle Obama’s). Her voice sounds like no one else, which makes it perfect for the blend of rock and ska that No Doubt plays. Her style creates trends that extend beyond the world of music and into the world of Vogue. The boys of No Doubt definitely have talent, but Gwen Stefani is what makes people look at them. The fact that she can still do all of this after 20 years of playing music is pretty amazing.

PHOTO TAKEN from news.com.au

2. Grace Potter slides under the radar just a little bit with her band Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. The band has been around since 2002 and have been slowly and steadily gaining momentum since then. With her insanely amazing voice, it would be hard to not give her a place on this list.

The Vermont-native released her band’s fourth album in summer 2012 with “The Lion, the Beast and the Beat.” On her first three albums, Potter had a lot of southern overtones, but she finally ditched them on her latest album. The disc is a throwback to 60s and 70s rock, and if that’s what you’re into, it’s perfect. Her raspy voice is reminiscent of Janis Joplin, and her guitar licks are killer. The singer cites The Rolling Stones and Billie Holiday among her influences, and that shows in her music.

The band has been quiet for a while now, leading many to assume that a new album is in the works. No official announcements have been made, though.

 

3. Lzzy Hale is the frontwoman of Philadelphia band Halestorm. A lot of female-led rock bands tend to be relegated to pop radio (which isn’t always a bad thing), but Halestorm manages to consistently stay on rock stations far more.

The singer started playing piano when she was 5 years old, moved on to keytar in middle school and progressed to guitar at 16 years old. She has also been around longer than most listeners realize. She started Halestorm with her brother, Arejay, in high school. They released their first EP in 1999 and have since released five additional EPs and four full length albums. If that doesn’t show their dedication, playing over 250 shows a year certainly does. The band has been touring almost non-stop the last few years.

They currently are opening for Shinedown and Alter Bridge on their UK tour.

 

4. Taylor Momsen, of The Pretty Reckless, is basically the Courtney Love of the millennium. Most audiences know her as Cindy Lou Who in “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” or Jenny Humphrey in “Gossip Girl.” Needless to say, people were a bit shocked when Momsen started wearing lingerie on stage and talking about masturbation in interviews (she was 16 years old). There are a lot of reasons to find Momsen questionable, but her talent is not one of them.

Momsen has the raspy voice of Courtney Love, and she is pretty much what has been missing from grunge music for a while. Her voice only adds to a great trio of musicians behind her, which is surprising for a band that a label put together. Older musicians helped Momsen cultivate songs that sound completely different from the pop that most 16 year old singers do.

Momsen, now 20, is gearing up to release her second album. Like many rockstars, Momsen remains committed to raising eyebrows. She appears completely naked, holding only a snake and an apple in her latest music video for “Going to Hell.” She is currently headlining her “Going to Hell” Tour, which will stop in New York and Philadelphia in early November.

 

5. Hayley Williams is considered by some to be a pop star, but if you’d seen her live, you wouldn’t question her rock n roll capabilities. With Paramore, the Nashville native rocks out. There are no costume changes, dancers or backing tracks to be seen. It’s the music and the band’s energy that makes the show.

Williams got signed when she was 14, before meeting the four boys that would form Paramore. She brought the boys to her label, and Paramore released their first album when Williams was 16. The band released their fourth full length album this year, the first since the departure of Josh and Zac Farro. Like any smart woman after being left by a man (or two), Williams held her head high and announced that Paramore would start work on their next album. Paramore continued as a trio (with Jeremy Davis and Taylor York), seemingly, without any snags. Their self-titled album, released this summer, has done incredibly well. It was their first album to place at number one on the Billboard Top 200.

These women, despite their differences, have a lot in common. They prove that they can play with the boys and they have immeasurable talents. They’re rare in their genre, and they set an example for girls everywhere: Don’t let the boys stop you from having fun. That’s why they’re my top women in rock.