1 Poison Ivy (Guitarist) - The Cramps
One of the most underrated guitarist in punk (including males). This chick can play. My personal favorite female guitarists ever.
2 Julie Lanfeld-Keskin (Vocalist) - Sin 34
Hardcore punks first female vocalist. Sadly, she passed this year (2018) on April 5th. R.I.P.
3 Gaye Advert (Bassist) - The Adverts
4 Alice Bag (Vocalist) - The Bags
Maybe the first female punk vocalist from Southern California. Very inspirational.
5 Exene Cervenka (Vocalist) - X
Legendary punk musician with an iconic voice.
6 Wendy O. Williams (Vocalist) - Plasmatics
Possibly the most recognizable punk rock frontwoman. Fun,wild and dark. Unfortunately she committed suicide on April 6, 1998. R.I.P.
7 Kira Roessler (Bassist) - Black Flag
The best female bassist on this list. Replaced Chuck Dukowski in 1983. Bassist for the Slip It In, Loose Nut, The Process of Wedding Out, Live 84, Family Man (spoken word album), and In My Head albums.
8 Penelope Houston (Vocalist) - Avengers
Singer/songwriter for San Francisco punk band Avengers.
9 Eve Libertine (Vocalist) - Crass
One of if not the first female punk rockers to bring women's rights and feminism to punk.
10 Kathleen Hanna (Vocalist) - Bikini Kill
Personally not a fan of her or her band but I gotta give credit where it's due. She was a primary figure, and probably the most popular, associated with the whole riot grrrl scene.
The Contenders
11 Mia Zapata (Vocalist) - The Gits
Mia Katherine Zapata (August 25, 1965 – July 7, 1993) was the lead singer for the Seattle punk band The Gits. After gaining praise in the nascent grunge rock scene, Zapata was murdered in 1993 during the recording of The Gits second album. The crime went unsolved for a decade before her killer, Jesus Mezquia, was tried, convicted and sentenced to 37 years in prison.
12 Carrie Brownstein (Guitarist,Vocalist) - Sleater-Kinney, Excuse 17
Pretty good guitarist. Another primary figure in the riot grrrl scene.
13 Paula Pierce (Vocalists, Guitarist) - The Pandoras
14 Lorna Doom (Bassist) - The Germs
Original member of The Germs. An OG female hardcore punk musician.
15 Louise Wright (Bassist) - The Partisans
16 Julia Smut (Drummer) - Smut Peddlers
Pretty good punk drummer.
Gotta love the Smut
17 Dianne Chai (Bassist, Vocalists) - Alley Cats
18 Renee Wasted (Guitarist) - Blanks 77
Fun Guitarist.
19 Beki Bondage (Guitarist, Vocalist) - Vice Squad
20 Kim Shattuck (Vocalists, Guitarist) - The Muffs
Also played in The Pandoras and in 2013 replaced Kim Deal and played with The Pixies. R.I.P.
21 Brody Dalle (Vocalists, Guitarist) - The Distillers
Fun and talented.
22 Nina Hagen (Vocalist)
Catharina Hagen, better known by her stage name Nina Hagen, is a German singer-songwriter and actress born on March 11, 1955 in former East Berlin. ...read more.
23 Hayley Williams (Vocalist) - Paramore