All news is attributed to the source from which it was received so that readers may judge the validity of the statements for themselves.
Have Joan Jett news to report? Email us at jettfc@aol.com, and please include the source of the information so it can be validated. Rock Icons: My list of the greatest females in rock from: calgarysun.com By DEAN PILLING, CALGARY SUN
Some would say that rock n' roll is an old boys club but I think that there has been a long list of great females throughout the years to come along and break the doors down on that theory.
Be it punk, glam, new wave or pop, there have been plenty of great women there to help shape the modern rock sound and pave the way for even more female artists along the way.
Although sex appeal does play a role in some of these artists success stories, beauty alone could never carry these women through the ranks of becoming a true rock icon.
Raw talent, charisma and attitude is what all of the women on this list have in common and have allowed them to become household names in the music world.
Last week I gave you my list of the top male frontmen in rock, this week I'll even things out and give you my list of ten women who deserve equal standing amongst the icons of rock.
10. Gwen Stefani
Long before Gwen Stefani was a pop star/fashion icon/television talent show judge, she was the lead singer for the So-Cal ska-rock band No Doubt.
Formed in 1986 by her brother Eric, No Doubt was inspired by the music of bands such as Madness, Fishbone and The Selecter. They released their self-titled debut album in 1992 but it wasn't until their third album, Tragic Kingdom, in 1995 that they would achieve mainstream success.
Stefani's platinum blonde hair, stunning good looks and wild fashion sense made her stand out amongst the guys in the band and that caused some tension as journalists and photographers would mainly focus on her for their articles.
After branching into solo projects with the likes of electronic musician Moby and hip hop artist Eve, Stefani released a full length solo album titled 'Love. Angel. Music. Baby' which would solidify her reputation as a truly talented solo artist.
9. Courtney Love
Love her or hate her, there's no denying that Courtney Love is one of the most outstanding female voices in 90's alternative rock music.
As lead singer/guitarist for the band 'Hole', she released four full-length studio albums including the critically acclaimed 1994 album 'Live Through This'. In addition to her musical talents, Love would gain recognition for her acting abilities with a Golden Globe nomination for her role in the 1996 film, 'The People Vs. Larry Flynt'.
Always controversial, the often outspoken Love has been instrumental with her influence on young female musicians and the Riot Grrrl feminist movement in particular.
8. Chrissie Hynde
Chrissie Hynde always knew that she wanted to play in a rock n' roll band. At the tender age of 22 she moved from her hometown of Akron, Ohio to London, England where she would befriend musicians like Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious from the Sex Pistols and Mick Jones from the Clash before forming a band of her own.
In late 1979, she broke onto the international music scene with her band The Pretenders and the hit single 'Brass In Pocket' taken from the band's self-titled debut album. As the only constant member of The Pretenders, Chrissie has since released 9 studio albums as well as numerous live and compilation recordings spanning a 30-plus year career.
As well as earning her reputation as a true rock legend, Hynde is also a well known vegetarian, social activist and active member of the animal rights group PETA.
7. Shirley Manson
As the resident red-headed goddess in the alternative rock band 'Garbage', Shirley Manson is best known for her incredibly powerful voice and rebellious attitude.
After releasing their highly successful debut album in 1995, Shirley became the band's main songwriter and helped move the band up the charts with the albums 'Version 2.0', 'Beautiful Garbage' and 'Bleed Like Me'.
Manson's songwriting talents and vocal style have been credited for inspiring a whole new generation of female artists including Katy Perry, Florence Welch and Marissa Paternoste of the Screaming Females, with whom she recorded a killer cover of the Bruce Springsteen & Patti Smith song 'Because the Night'.
6. Pat Benatar
Back in the 80's there probably wasn't a shopping mall in the western world that wasn't playing one of Pat Benatar's numerous top ten hits.
The four-time Grammy award winner broke onto the scene in 1979 with the album 'In The Heat Of The Night' and with the help of singles like 'Heartbreaker' and 'We Live For Love' would go on to become one of the most celebrated female musicians of the decade.
As the first solo female artist to perform on MTV, and one of the most highly-played artists in the early days of MTV, Benatar's style helped inspired a generation but it would be her powerful voice and arena-rock hit songs that would allow her to stand the test of time and continue touring with her musical director/husband Neil Giraldo to this day.
5. Ann & Nancy Wilson
This powerhouse sister duo makes up the nucleus of the highly successful rock band Heart. I believe that Ann and Nancy Wilson deserve to be lumped into this list together as the band just would not have been the same without having them together as a team.
Guitarist Nancy's incredible fretboard skills blended perfectly with lead singer Ann's soaring vocals as they came together to become one of the top songwriting duos of the 70's and 80's. Beginning with the debut release 'Dreamboat Annie' in 1976, the sisters have seen their records in the Billboard Top Ten in four out of the last five decades.
In addition to the 15 full-length studio and numerous live albums with Heart, Nancy has become well-known for her work writing music for film and Ann as a successful solo artist. In 2013, Heart was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by fellow Seattle rocker Chris Cornell.
4. Stevie Nicks
Forever known by her beautifully mystical image, Stevie Nicks has seen much success as a member of 'Fleetwood Mac' as well as on her own as a solo artist.
After releasing her debut album in 1973 with then-partner Lindsay Buckingham, the duo joined forces with Mick Fleetwood and the gang where she helped to resurrect the band's struggling career with songs like 'Landslide', 'Rhiannon' and 'Dreams'. In 1981, armed with numerous demos that were not included on Fleetwood Mac albums, Stevie began a hugely successful solo career with the release of the album 'Bella Donna', which contained the hits 'Edge of Seventeen' and 'Stop Draggin My Heart Around', a duet with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
Stevie's appreciation for all things gothic and her trademark black outfits have always invoked rumours of an association with the Wiccan lifestyle but she vehemently denies being a part of any one religion. I'm sure that her role in the hit television series American Horror Story: Coven did nothing to dispel those rumours.
3. Janis Joplin
Known as 'Pearl' by those closest to her, Janis Joplin rose to fame as the lead singer of the psychedelic rock band 'Big Brother and the Holding Company' and later as a solo artist.
Her blues-inspired, raspy vocal style gave new life to songs like Big Mama Thornton's 'Ball 'n' Chain', Erma Franklin's 'Piece Of My Heart' and Roger Miller's 'Me & Bobby McGhee' and her soulful live performances made her the ultimate female voice of the psychedelic era.
After years of battling drug and alcohol addiction, Janis was, unfortunately, cemented as a member of the "27 Club" on October 4, 1970 as she was found dead in her Hollywood hotel room suffering an apparent heroin overdose. The album she was working on the time of her death, 'Pearl' was released posthumously and would go on to reach No. 1 on the Billboard charts.
2. JOAN JETT
She may sing about her bad reputation but in my opinion there is absolutely nothing bad about the 'Godmother of Punk', JOAN JETT.
From her beginnings as a member of the all-female band 'The RUNAWAYS' to her highly successful solo career that spawned numerous hits in the 80's and 90's, JOAN JETT has always played by her own rules.
Her biggest hit came in 1981 with a cover version of the Arrow's 'I Love Rock N' Roll' but she continues to prove her rock legend status and even filled in for the late Kurt Cobain as Nirvana was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. The powers that be must've been paying attention as she was inducted into the Hall of Fame the very next year.
1.Deborah Harry
The voice of one of the biggest acts to come out of the punk scene at New York's famed CBGB nightclub, Deborah Harry led her band Blondie to international success with their new wave hits in the 70's, 80's and 90's.
It would be impossible to talk about Debbie Harry without mention of how hypnotically beautiful she is but it's her incredibly edgy voice, talent as a songwriter and her awkwardly cool live performances that put her at the top of this list.
In addition to the No. 1 singles 'Heart of Glass', 'Call Me' and 'The Tide Is High', Debbie can also take credit for being the first to 'rap' on a song in the 1981 hit 'Rapture' from the 'Autoamerican' album.
With ten studio albums from Blondie, five solo albums, numerous hit songs, film and TV credits to her name, Debbie Harry is truly the epitome of what it takes to be a rock n' roll icon.
