Female Singers

The band which is the main subject of moontheory.net, Moon Theory of course, was characterized by its female vocals, as sung by Kaeti O'Ghara. By the time the Moon Theory album was released, female singers were no longer a novelty, but there was a time of trailblazers on this field that opened up the doors for current female singers such as Alanis Morissette and Shirley Manson.

The Runaways were undoubtedly one of those pioneering acts. In a time where the rock'n'roll and punk scenes were dominated by males, this band pushed the envelope by not just having female singers, but by being an all-female group. Most of this band's members went on to achieve success as female singers in their own right, most notably Lita Ford and Joan Jett. The latter in particular also reached notoriety by being the first female singer to found her own record label, after being passed on by countless music execs. Her hits include original songs "Bad Reputation" and "I Hate Myself For Loving You", as well as covers "Love Rock'N'Roll" and "Crimson and Clover".

But when it comes to solo female singers, one name stands out among the rest for moontheory.net, that of Janis Joplin. Despite her rather strident female vocals and lack of apparent physical appeal, she managed to achieve a successful career during the 60's, before dying of a heroin overdose. Joplin and Grace Slick are often credited as innovators in the psychedelic rock scene. Slick sang lead female vocals in many legendary bands, including The Great Society, Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship and Starship. As the names suggest, they were all related in some way, and shared many band members. Her female vocals can be heard in such dissimilar hits as "White Rabbit", "Somebody To Love" and "We Built This City" and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now".

These are some of the most important American female singers, though nowadays many of the most notorious vocalists come from Europe, for instance Irish Dolores O'Riordan and Scottish Shirley Manson. Both first found fame and success fronting an otherwise male band, and they both have dabbled in solo efforts. Moreover, they both personify the rebellious attitude of forerunners The Runaways. Dolores sometimes bears a look and style reminiscent of her controversial fellow countrywoman Sinead O'Connor, while Shirley embodies the Scottish dark humor as presented in the movie Trainspotting.

The impact that female singers have had on the musical landscape is never more evident as it is during the Lillith Fair concert tour and traveling music festival, founded by Canadian artists Sarah McLachlan. Although it went into a hiatus after the 1999 version, it was brought back in 2010. Over the years, the event has been headlined by the biggest female singers in the industry, including but not limited to Jewel, Fiona Apple, Cardigans, Lisa Loeb, Sheryl Crow, Liz Phair, K's Choice, Sixpence None The Richer, The Bangles, and other major female vocals.