Top 10 Best Female Metal Singers

When you think of metal music, the first thing that often comes to mind is aggressive riffs, pounding drums, and powerful vocals. But let's not forget about the incredible women who have shaped the scene with their unique voices and presence.

From symphonic metal queens to growling vocalists who can rival the heaviest of male counterparts, these female metal singers bring something truly special to the genre. They're not just part of the metal world, they're helping move it forward in their own way.

The Top Ten

Floor Jansen (Nightwish)

Floor Jansen (born February 21, 1981) is a Dutch singer-songwriter and vocal coach. She's currently the lead vocalist of Nightwish and was the founder and frontwoman of the band Revamp.
Jansen officially joined Nightwish in 2012, first as a live session member and then as a permanent member. She's... read more

I've never considered metal as a genre, but I had a second thought when I heard Floor sing.
Tarja lured me into it, but Floor made me love it.
Floor is just the absolute number 1. No one comes close.

Floor Jansen has the best technique and the most versatility out of any female metal vocalist. This woman exudes metal. She is not only the best female vocalist in the genre but also one of the best voices in metal.
Since After Forever disbanded, she's been working with her project "ReVamp." Both bands are worth checking out alone for Floor's voice. At the time of writing, there is also a very high possibility that she will become the third lead singer for Nightwish, and I very much hope that this happens. She deserves to be recognized by a wider audience because she is so fantastic at what she does.
Tarja Turunen (Tarja, Nightwish)

Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen-Cabuli (born August 17, 1977) is a Finnish singer-songwriter and soprano with a vocal range spanning approximately three octaves.
She studied singing at Finland's Sibelius Academy and Germany's Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe. She's best known as the former lead vocalist... read more

I can understand some preferring Floor, those with an affinity towards vocal power and raw emotion. However, there are many out there with that style of singing. It's the majority. Tarja is one of a kind. Her notes are precise and carefully implemented to the music. Perfection. That's why Nightwish cycled through 1,000 voices and were not satisfied until they settled on Floor. It doesn't get better than Tarja.

The whole thing with Tarja and Floor nowadays is really simple, actually. Tarja sings opera, and Floor sings metal. How can one even compare them?
But for what Tarja did to the entire metal industry, being the first to really bring a phenomenal, unique, and gorgeous opera voice never used before, which no one can best or even get close to, she should absolutely be proclaimed the one and only queen of metal. Her level of perfection in singing opera in metal is still unreachable to this day.
Don't get me wrong, Floor is an insanely powerful and wonderful singer. But her style of singing is far more common, although she is the best in her own right anyway. And yes, compared to those two, Simone Simons is extremely inferior. Sad but true.
Sharon Den Adel (Within Temptation)

Sharon den Adel is a Dutch singer and the lead vocalist of the symphonic rock band Within Temptation. Together with her partner Robert Westerholt, she co-founded Within Temptation in 1996. Den Adel's vocals are a defining element of the band's epic and cinematic sound, even though she has never received... read more

Best growling - Otep Shamaya (Otep)
Best opera metal - Lori Lewis (Therion)
Best new age metal - Amy Lee (Evanescence)
The most melodic and touching voice ever, who can sing whatever you want, even without any singing classes - Sharon Den Adel!
She is a very underrated singer, only because she doesn't pay journalists to call her "a Goddess," like some other singers do (like Tarja Turunen, whose husband pays for every interview and headline with such a ridiculous title, to make you feel like there is nobody else who sings even better!). I just hope that the voting is going to be fair once and for all, and that the really best singer is going to win!
Suzuka Nakamoto (Babymetal)

Suzuka Nakamoto, born in 1997 in Hiroshima, Japan, is known by her stage name Su-Metal in the kawaii metal band BABYMETAL. She is a Japanese idol, singer, and model represented by the talent agency Amuse, Inc. She has been a member of two musical groups formed by the company, Karen Girl's and Sakura... read more

Young singer but with true metal spirit. Their journey in this scene is really inspiring, trying and learning about metal for a long time. Great singer.

She's literally been on stage since she was in diapers and has shown at a young age an incredible command of the audience, a skill artists almost thrice her age have been known to achieve. Her voice has matured, especially now that she turned 20, and will only continue to improve from here on out. I'm not saying she's better than the others here, but she definitely deserves a higher spot on this list.
Simone Simons (Epica)

Simone Johanna Maria Simons (born January 17, 1985) is a Dutch singer-songwriter. She's the lead vocalist of the symphonic metal band Epica, which formed in 2002.
Simons is also known for her solo projects and collaborations with other metal bands. She holds a degree in fashion design and has... read more

Not only one of the hottest, but also one of the greatest voices in female-fronted bands, or any genre of female singing for that matter. Listen to Tides of Time. It's a beautiful ballad which brings out the best in Simone's vocals.

She writes awesome songs. Her voice and stage presence are amazing, and her headbanging is on point. Also, the band is obviously having a great time together when they perform.
They all love what they're doing. They've never done a bad album.

She is not as powerful as Floor vocally, but the emotion, beauty, and technical ability in her voice are astounding. Definitely the best.
Alissa White-Gluz (The Agonist, Arch Enemy)

Alissa White‑Gluz is a Canadian vocalist best known as the former lead singer and a founding member of the metal band The Agonist. She left the band in 2014 and then joined the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy as their lead vocalist. With Arch Enemy, she has released multiple well‑received... read more

Total badass. Her growls are brutal, and her cleans are excellent. She writes really good songs, too. Alissa was great with The Agonist but horribly underused in Arch Enemy.
Why get someone with a voice like that if all you want is half of what she can do?

She has an amazing voice and great stage presence. She makes the music video beautiful, and some of her choices in living on her own terms and not giving a damn about the world are perfect.
She complements the rest of the band (Arch Enemy) in all aspects.

From my point of view, Alissa should be ranked third.
Amy Lee (Evanescence)

Amy Lee, born Amy Lynn Hartzler, is an American singer-songwriter, classically trained pianist, and composer. She is best known as the co-founder and lead vocalist of the rock band Evanescence, which gained global fame with their 2003 hit Bring Me to Life.... read more

Amy Lee is in a category of her own. She doesn't have an operatic voice (Tarja is the best in that area). She is not and has never been a metal symphonic but a goth rock artist. I say 'artist' for a reason, because unlike many women here who only sing, she creates magical melodies. Her lyrics are pure poetry, unlike some fairy tale nonsense, and her voice is so full of emotions that no other performer can convey to an audience. So stop putting Amy Lee in any lists. She is one of a kind!

Her voice is great, but she doesn't sing metal. Learn this already.
Lzzy Hale (Halestorm)

Elizabeth Mae "Lzzy" Hale is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She's best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the hard rock band Halestorm, which she co-founded in 1997.
She's received Grammy Awards and is recognized for her powerful voice and commanding stage presence

Her range between a beautiful Amy Lee tone, as shown in "Break In," to her sexy raspy voice, as shown in "Mz. Hyde," makes her, in my opinion, the best female rock/metal vocalist.
And her stunning good looks just put the sugar on top!

I really love Lzzy. Her voice is awesome. She has the passion and power that music needs.
Anette Olzon (Nightwish)

Anette Ingegerd Olsson, known by her stage name Anette Olzon, is a Swedish singer. She was the lead vocalist of the Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish from 2007 to 2012. Olzon is also the singer for the Swedish classic rock band Alyson Avenue and the Finnish heavy metal band The Dark Element.

It's no big secret that I consider Tarja to be the best, both in Nightwish and in her solo work. However, I recently started listening to Anette, and I now understand how her other fans feel about her. "Seven Days to the Wolves" is, in my opinion, the best song I've heard her sing and perform.
The studio version of her singing it is so totally awesome that I can't even listen to it without breaking down into tears each time I hear it! I'm sorry, but it's just way too intense!
Furthermore, it breaks my heart to hear that she was kicked out of Nightwish. Throughout her time with the band, as I have commented before elsewhere, she gave it her all to do the best she could with her singing and performing. As I always say, at least she was trying! What really hurts is the fact that she was also pregnant at the time and, at one point, ill with the flu (I think it was stomach flu).
I could go on forever about this, but I believe I've said enough about it. I still respect Nightwish, of course, but that was truly a sad moment in my life and my time of listening to this band entirely. I love you, Anette Olzon! May your legacy never be forgotten!
Charlotte Wessels (Delain)

Johanna Charlotte Wessels is a Dutch singer-songwriter who was born in Zwolle, Netherlands. She is best known as the former lead vocalist of the symphonic metal band Delain. In addition to her work with Delain, she is also a member of the symphonic rock project Phantasma.

When a singer delivers a full load of emotions, more than you can handle. When a singer steps on the lines of songwriting and launches previously successful songs to new, indescribable heights. When a singer makes you cry listening to songs that are not meant to be soft and sensitive ballads, but powerful metal creations. When the fans break down with just a move of her eyes or a tiny facial expression, or get lost in a small dance on stage, then you know that this is the best singer in the world for you!

Oh, I love her so much. Recently found out she can growl! Already knew she qualified as a sonic weapon with that powerful voice, but add in songwriting and growling, and apparently, her impressiveness knows no bounds.

The Newcomers

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Viktorie Surmøvá (Surma)
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Lacey Sturm (Flyleaf)

Lacey Nicole Sturm, born Lacey Mosley on September 4, 1981, is an American singer and songwriter originally from Homestead, Florida. She was raised in Arlington, Texas, and became known as the co-founder and lead vocalist of the alternative rock band Flyleaf.... read more

The Contenders

Doro Pesch (Doro, Warlock)

Doro Pesch is a German hard rock singer who began her career in Düsseldorf in the early 1980s. She first gained recognition as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Warlock. After the band disbanded, she launched a successful solo career and is regarded as a pioneer for women in heavy metal.

From Born to Bleed to Constant Danger... do you need more proof? SHE is the Queen and should be No. 1. Someone strip the singer of crappy metal from here!

Doro has a quality to her voice that is really second to none. Not the sort of over-the-top "operatic" quality that a number of female metal singers have, but a power and intensity to her clear voice that few can match.
One of the pioneers, and still unrivaled.

Saw her in concert for the first time this year, and she gave so much energy. You can tell she loves what she does.
Doro is the best.
Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil)

Cristina Adriana Chiara Scabbia is an Italian singer and lyricist, best known as one of the two vocalists in the Italian gothic metal band Lacuna Coil. She joined the band in the mid-1990s and has remained a central figure in its success. Scabbia is also known for her guest appearances on songs by other... read more

She's an amazing singer. She has a special voice. When I heard her for the first time, I was amazed.
Two words: Angelic voice.

Her pure, powerful voice mixed with the roughness of the rest of the band touches my soul.

Best voice ever, powerful and high at the same time. She is the Metal Queen! Amazing girl.
Angela Gossow (Arch Enemy)

Angela Nathalie Gossow is a German vocalist, best known as the former lead vocalist for the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. She joined the band in 2000 and was one of the few women to front a death metal band at the time. Gossow stepped down from vocal duties in 2014 to become the band's... read more

Her growling was brutal. She was one of the best. Too bad she retired.
Though the new Amaranthe song she guested on shows she hasn't lost it.

Why is she so low? I mean, #15 is too low for her.
Vibeke Stene (Tristania)

Vibeke Stene is a Norwegian soprano and songwriter. She was the lead vocalist of the gothic metal band Tristania from 1996 until her departure in February 2007. During her time with the band, she recorded five studio albums and performed at major metal festivals.... read more

I've been listening to Tristania since 2007. While I am mostly a fan of Xandria and Nightwish these days (and just recently totally impressed by Draconian), I feel it is time for me to express my thoughts and feelings about Vibeke. She is AWESOME!
Sanguine Sky and World of Glass are by far my two favorite songs featuring her singing. There is truly something about her, something in her voice, that I don't quite fully understand, but... I mean, she is, in all honesty, magical in one way or another. I wish her and this astoundingly unique band the best of luck and fortune! Thanks!

I have spent many years listening to metal. Bands come and go. There are many female singers with beautiful voices, but no one is quite like Vibeke. She's powerful as a soprano, with a melancholic expression.
Her voice adds a very special color to each song of Tristania. Why did you leave us, Vibeke? No one is like you. Bless you for your emotional legacy!
Tatiana Shmaylyuk (Jinjer)

The hardest part of describing Tatiana Shmaylyuk's vocal skills is reassembling one's mind after her incredible transitions. Add undeniable style and depth of intelligence to her writing, and she stands as one of the greatest metal vocalists ever. In fact, Tatiana puts the very existence of gendered lists like this one into question. In a male-dominated genre, it's easy to resort to looks when considering women. Tati is such a skilled musician that, while watching a Jinjer set, you honestly forget everything else. You might even think she's the most stunning being to walk the Earth since Aphrodite left the clamshell.

I mean, Tarja, Simone, and Floor are all great, but Tatiana has a very unique clean singing voice, and her extreme vocals are unbelievably heavy and brutal. In my opinion, she's one of the best metal vocalists, period.
Heidi Parviainen (Amberian Dawn)

Heidi Parviainen is a Finnish lyric soprano, best known as the former lead singer of the Finnish symphonic metal band Amberian Dawn. She performed with the band from its formation in 2006 until 2012. Parviainen later founded her own symphonic metal project, Dark Sarah.

Heidi really does have a beautiful voice. I really like sopranos, but here, especially.
I don't think anyone really compares.

She is my favorite, along with Simone. But she's a mezzo, not a soprano.

An angelic operatic voice. For me, she is the best full soprano singer in the metal/rock scene nowadays.
Noora Louhimo (Battle Beast)

Her voice is pure power! To me, Noora is the best female metal singer out there! Just listen to "Kingdom," "Black Ninja," or "Out of Control" - the list goes on and on. She has such a unique timbre, and the edginess of her voice has blown me away.
She can also pull off jazzy and mellow pop vocals, which shows her versatility is outstanding.

Mind-blowing, powerful voice, incredible vocal range, and versatility. She has everything a truly talented singer should have.

Researched at least all top 20 on this list.
I vote for Noora.
Why? Watch her live. You will know, with no explanation needed.
Elize Ryd (Amaranthe)

Elize Ryd is a Swedish singer-songwriter, dancer, and composer. She is best known as one of the three vocalists of the melodic metalcore and power metal band Amaranthe. Ryd has also participated in various collaborations with other artists in the metal genre.

Probably the most beautiful voice, not only in metal but just in general. She has excellent voice control and a super clear voice. I'm afraid that the only reason she isn't ranked much higher is because her band, Amaranthe, isn't as famous as Nightwish, Arch Enemy, Lacuna Coil, etc.
Although I still love those other singers too.

She is young and not well known, but once you have heard her singing, you will never forget it. Elize has a very beautiful voice. She sounds like an angel but at the same time can deliver a very strong vocal performance.
Liv Kristine (Leaves' Eyes, Theatre of Tragedy)

Liv Kristine Espenæs, better known as Liv Kristine, is a singer and songwriter who has performed and composed songs mostly for various subgenres of heavy metal music. She is best known as the former lead vocalist of the bands Theatre of Tragedy and Leaves' Eyes. Liv Kristine has also released several... read more

Leaves' Eyes is a truly awesome band! Hell to the Heavens is one of the most awesome things I have ever seen! Those men have no right to persecute her! I am a practicing witch, and I personally find this offensive. Many women were ruthlessly killed in the Middle Ages for no good reason at all!
I love you, Liv Kristine!

Her voice is operatic, melodic, and perfect for symphonic, Gothic, doom metal! Nice voice and very beautiful!

Definitely deserves a spot in the top 3.
Anneke van Giersbergen (The Gathering, Agua de Annique)

I have never in my life seen a live performance like that of Anneke, and I never will. If possible, I think the notes were more on key than on the record. Fantastic presence and amazing control.
There is no one like her, no matter what you say. She moved me to tears up on that stage.

Best female singer ever. There is incredible resonance, pitch, tone, and power in her voice. Her singing on "Travel" can make everyone cry.

The goddess of music. There are a lot of fantastic vocalists on this list, but Anneke is head and shoulders above all of them.
Lisa Johansson (Draconian)

Yes! She is back and singing with all the experience and emotion she has kept for years. I think she's singing better than before! For God's sake, put a picture of her here!

Should be number 1 in my opinion. The most beautiful, angelic voice I have ever heard.
It's a shame she left Draconian, but she'll always be my number 1.

Very dramatic, angelic, and versatile voice. She should actually be part of the top list.
Dianne van Giersbergen (Xandria)

Dianne van Giersbergen is a Dutch dramatic soprano, singer-songwriter, and vocal coach. She founded the progressive metal band Ex Libris and served as the lead vocalist for the German symphonic metal band Xandria from 2013 to 2017. She left Xandria due to stress and health-related concerns but remains... read more

The simple fact that Dianne is not number 1 shows that the ranks in this list are just about who is best known and most popular. If all these singers were judged by an independent professional jury with no pre-knowledge of the contestants, Dianne would always be number one.

She's the best live singer. And she knows her stuff too! She studied music and singing for 7 years and, for her Master's, wrote about the vocal connection between metal and classical music.

It's rather impossible to see this name at number 61!
Amanda Somerville (Trillium, Avantasia)

Amanda Somerville (born May 10, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and vocal coach. She's known for her solo work and her extensive collaborations with European symphonic metal bands.
Somerville has contributed vocals, songwriting, and production to projects with bands like Epica, Kamelot... read more

A magnificent voice, powerful and melancholic. It's a shame that she has not had a band to sing to the world, one of the most underrated voices in the metal scene!

Any metal fan who doesn't get a chill down their spine when Amanda sings is not a true metalhead.
Manuela Kraller (Xandria)

Manuela Kraller is a German soprano singer from Ainring. She is best known as the former lead singer of the German symphonic metal band Xandria, a role she held from late 2010 until late 2013. She was also one of the soprano vocalists in the German symphonic metal band Haggard.

Manuela is not only an awesome singer, but a performer in general, right down to her costumes and everything. I haven't seen her perform live before, but from her videos alone, I can honestly say that she is truly a sight to see! Valentine was particularly intense. With so many good female singers in metal out there these days, it is hard to decide which ones are your favorite, but she certainly is way up on the list if you ask me!

The only one with a bit more power in the voice than Floor Jansen is Manuela. Even her voice is more flexible than Tarja's for singing metal. Just hear Blood on My Hands!
On the hottest side, she is the only one that matches Simone!
Nitte Valo (Burning Point)

Superb power and pitch-perfect while maintaining her own unique tone.

This lady rocks! Such a voice that never leaves you cold!

Best there is. What a strong voice.