Top 10 Best Female-Fronted Punk Rock Bands
Punk has never been a boys-only clubhouse, no matter how often history tries to act like it was. When you get into the best female-fronted punk rock bands, you hear women turning grit, rage, humor, and swagger into something impossible to tune out.
These bands do more than keep up with the noise. They take control of it. You get voices that can slash through a wall of guitars, flip defiance into an art form, and bring a point of view that gives punk even more bite.
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One-Eyed Doll (Kimberly Freeman)
Goth-punk. Fun and quirky. Raw punk beats from a two-piece band.
Kimberly Freeman is awesome!
Love, love, love One-Eyed Doll!
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The Dead Deads (Meta Dead)
Should most definitely be on this list!
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Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (Joan Jett)
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The Runaways (Cherie Currie)
The Runaways were an American all-female rock band that recorded and performed from 1975 to 1979. The group included key members such as Joan Jett, Cherie Currie, Lita Ford, Sandy West, and Jackie Fox. Although short-lived, they became a significant influence on later female rock musicians.
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Dead Sara (Emily Armstrong)
Saw them in concert recently. A whole lot of fun!
Simply said. Awesome!
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The Bags (Alice Bag)
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The Distillers (Brody Dalle)
Probably the most hardcore female-fronted band out there.
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SIN 34 (Julie Lanfeld)
First female-fronted hardcore punk band. R.I.P. Julie Lanfeld-Keskin.
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Hole (Courtney Love)
Hole was an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1989 by singer and guitarist Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson. The band gained fame with its albums Live Through This and Celebrity Skin. Hole became known for its blend of punk and grunge influences and Love's... read more
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The Pandoras (Paula Pierce)
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Legal Weapon (Kat Arthur)
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Naked Aggression (Kirsten Patches)
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X (Exene Cervenka)
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The Gits (Mia Zapata)
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The Nearly Deads (Theresa Jeane)
Very fun to see in concert!
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X-Ray Spex (Poly Styrene)
There are so many great ones on this list, but Poly Styrene is just the best.
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Plasmatics (Wendy O. Williams)
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Nina Hagen Band (Nina Hagen)
Nina Hagen Band was a German punk rock group formed in 1978, consisting of vocalist Nina Hagen, keyboardist Reinhold Heil, drummer Herwig Mitteregger, guitarist Bernhard Potschka, and bassist Manfred Praeker. They disbanded in 1979 after releasing two albums due to personal and creative conflicts between... read more
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Avengers (Penelope Houston)
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Blondie (Debbie Harry)
Blondie is an American rock band founded by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American new wave and punk scenes of the mid to late 1970s. Their hits like Heart of Glass, Call Me, and Rapture helped them cross over to mainstream success.
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The Slits (Ari Up)
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Bikini Kill (Kathleen Hanna)
Bikini Kill was an American punk rock band formed in Olympia, Washington, in October 1990. The group consisted of singer and songwriter Kathleen Hanna, guitarist Billy Karren, bassist Kathi Wilcox, and drummer Tobi Vail. Bikini Kill is widely credited with spearheading the riot grrrl movement of the... read more
This should be first. This band literally invented riot grrrl and started a movement that gave a voice to female leads everywhere.
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Patti Smith Group (Patti Smith)
The Patti Smith Group was a rock band formed by Patti Smith in 1974. It initially featured guitarist and rock archivist Lenny Kaye and later included Ivan Kral on guitar and bass, Jay Dee Daugherty on drums, and Richard Sohl on piano. The group became known for its fusion of punk rock and poetry, and... read more
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Sleater-Kinney (Corin Tucker)
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The Lunachicks (Theo Kogan)
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Vice Squad (Beki Bondage)
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The Muffs (Kim Shattuck)
The lead singer sang the girl's part in Lori Meyers on Punk in Drublic.