Top 10 Greatest Female Singer/Songwriters of All Time

Joni just happens to be a genius and uses that special gift in the arts to explore and express her thoughts on the things in life that are important to her. Somehow, magically, we, her audience, in turn, self-identify and internalize her words into our own lives. She will always have a special place in my heart like no other female songwriter or artist can.
The other nine on this list and the contenders put together don't have the musical depth, breadth, and imagination Joni has before she even wakes up. The same is true of the poetic quality of her lyrics. She is an artist - the rest are commercial constructs with varying degrees of backing, making them seem to be what we see them as.

Just the best writer/performer, closely followed by Carly Simon. And where's Diane Warren on this list?
The most important female singer/songwriter of our time!
Beautiful music. My favorite female songwriter-singer.

Lyrical genius. Her words have the ability to make and break someone mentally. Personally, I feel that folklore and evermore depict the zenith of her songwriting skills. Both are such lyrical masterpieces. She is one of the greatest and most intellectual songwriters of modern times.
Outstanding songwriter! The emotion she captures through her words is amazing. They're so deep and meaningful, and if people would listen, they would realize it's not all about her ex-boyfriends. It's much deeper. She should be No. 1, but all the women on the list are also amazing and talented!

Her voice and songwriting - that's raw talent right there. Give her a microphone, and her sound and words will have you swept away into a spiritual and emotional journey.
The greatest songwriter of all time, man or woman! Both beautiful and brilliant! Her voice is pretty damn good too! Love, love Stevie!
Every man's dream woman from the mid-seventies through the mid-eighties. I remember when real women walked the planet with style and grace.

Maybe Patti Smith can top a list for once!

She was soulful, brilliant, cutting edge, and phenomenal. Gone way too soon!

There is nothing cheap about Dolly's words and lyrics. Dolly's songs touch the heart and will be around forever. While Dolly writes a lot of songs about women, she also writes about growing up in the Appalachian Mountains, faith, family, work, and fun (e.g., Two Doors Down).
Dolly's songs are about life and are relatable to ordinary people. These songs, along with her melodies and music, cross gender, ethnicity, and age! Dollywood is more than a theme park!
Dolly Parton is an incredible showwoman, singer, and songwriter. Her music is a part of our history because it tells stories about growing up and living in Appalachia. She is amazing.

Extremely honest, witty, even a bit brutal, but always catchy songwriting with a sexy, unique voice. Carly is the most underrated female pop singer of the '70s and '80s. She seems to have always been overshadowed by her peers - Joni, Carole, and Linda.
Carly is a powerful, original talent, but she is also humble and down-to-earth. God forbid! No wonder she didn't receive the recognition she deserved.

Only Joni Mitchell is Kate's peer among female singer-songwriters. The depth of meaning and emotional impact of so many of her songs, the gorgeous music, and her amazingly expressive voice are inimitable.
On top of that, she is one of the first artists to seize control of her music from her label and is a pioneer in video and live performance excellence. No one is as influential across genres, from Big Boi to Björk, from Solange to St. Vincent, from Tori Amos to Lady Gaga, and many more.
The most original, intelligent, and creative singer-songwriter of all time - male or female. Not just an incredible talent in this field, either. She excels as a dancer, choreographer, pianist, producer, and director. Also, despite her protestations to the contrary, she can act.
Finally, Kate is a modest woman who obviously cares far more for her family than she does for fame. What more can be said? Kate is in a different league from all the others.

The Newcomers



She has written all her songs except for the covers. And by the way, many of the singers who haven't written even one song are above this lady who wrote 17 #1 hits!
Mariah is the greatest of them all - singer, songwriter, producer.
She has more #1s than probably this entire list combined!

She offers something different in a male-driven area of music.
Number 3, behind Joni and Carole.

We will never know how brilliant she could have been, but she still earns my vote.
Wow. She should totally be higher on the list. Her wordplay and her voice are amazing.





Adele is the best singer-songwriter of all time, and it's not even close. Joni Mitchell? She has a self-described "helium voice." Bob Dylan? Again, songwriter - yes. Great singer - not exactly. Adele excels at both, and she has the record-setting album sales and Grammy wins to back it up too.

Ann and Nancy are probably the most dynamic singer-songwriters ever. They should follow the beauty and class, respectively, of Joni Mitchell and Carole King in the #3 spotlight. No women have ever rocked harder than them, though Tina Turner certainly has her place in history alongside the Wilson sisters.


Everything about her is amazing: her voice, her personality, and her ability to be an outstanding songwriter. It's incredible how she never runs out of ideas, writing many famous songs for others (e.g., Chained to the Rhythm, Diamonds, Flashlight, Quit, to name a few) and releasing over five pop albums herself that contain many great songs. Her songs all have a unique style, yet they are not too similar to each other. She is like a songwriting machine, I will say. Not many songwriters can match her level.


On the start of her career, she performed at an event called the Lollapalooza Festival during 2007 whereby a record label company Interscope found her due to her performance... read more
Why is this legend not on the list? Are you simply going to ignore the very intelligent lyrics from Bad Romance, Poker Face, and LoveGame? Or the heartwarming ballads like Speechless, The Edge of Glory, and You and I? Vote for her!
Definitely top 3. Modern pop singers should be ranked based on the amount of records sold: 1. Taylor Swift, 2. Lady Gaga.

The voice, the piano skills, the great songs - you believe every word she sings.