Top 10 Best Female Fronted Rock Bands

What can I even say about Evanescence? Though Amy Lee is the sole founding member still in the band, I love everything they have done, including their new album Synthesis. They never fail to amaze me! Amy Lee is the most talented voice of the 21st century. Such a large range, so much power! She sings higher than any of us ever could (see: Weight of the World, right after the second chorus) while still maintaining that same level of power! No band will ever top Evanescence for me. Additionally, their spinoff, We Are The Fallen, is amazing too. Everything that comes out of them is great!

Amy Lee has voice that I love so much. It is so beautiful and special. She sings with so much passion in her songs that it gives me goosebumps. Her songs are so meaningful and I love the fact that her songs aren't just written for the sake of it, there is actually deep thought into it which makes it so unique. She has a voice that you could never get tired of. This is my favourite band that I could never imagine to let go of. Perfect. Her voice is my escape. Go Amy Lee!

Evanescence isn't just my best female band, it's my best band of all time. Between Amy lee's.. I can't even find the right words to say about her voice, it's ETERNAL, between her vocals, the deep and immortal lyrics, and the mix between soft and loud music, Evanescence woke me up inside.
It helped me survive through the real tough and tearful times, it saved my last breath. no matter how much words I add, it would never be enough to describe how flawless this band is.

Evanescence is by far the best band you could ever find out there! Not only are they my favorite female-fronted band, but they are my favorite band period. Amy Lee sings with such a distinct tone that is unmistakable and unique. Their lyrics are so thoughtful, and very deep and heartfelt. These lyrics can just help you go into your own little world sometimes.

In my opinion Paramore is the best. They're unique, versatile, their songs are really relatable and emotional without being whiny. Instead of just letting the entire song focus on a problem someone is going through they also offer solutions to the problem.
Honestly I don't think they are overrated at all, most people say that because Hayley is usually compared to Amy Lee. But not saying Evanescence is bad but without Amy not many people would care for them and most of their praise is due to her vocals. Reminder Amy is not the entire band (same with Paramore, Jeremy and Taylor are great too) Besides I think a lot of Evanescence songs are kind of similar to each other, but I'm not a huge fan I mainly know their popular songs.
Additionally the members of Paramore sound amazing live and are good role models. They don't ignore their fans and have shown their gratitude for the fans many times. Also they make mistakes but can own up to them and are generally positive people. They also ...more

Paramore deserve be where they are. They've worked hard for it, no I'm not saying there aren't bands that have worked harder or don't work hard but that doesn't change the fact that they made their way up here through hard work. They have brilliant lyrics and awesome beats and their songs are so real and relevant. They don't always have songs about specific events but emotions and feelings so it's easy to relate to. They're amazingly creative and unique (also no they aren't a No Doubt copy cat, they've never ripped them off)
Each album they've created is great in its own way. They've grown over the years and have been through hard times. And although they may not be the most mature and talented band in the world I still love them so much.
Besides the members and the fan base is actually pretty cool. Not saying there aren't annoying fans or that the members have never made a mistake but they're truly wonderful people.

Paramore is the best band that I've ever heard. I can relate to their music. Their song Brick By Boring Brick is literally my life in summary. They should have number one. They've worked so hard to get where they're at. They didn't give up whenever they departed with the Farro's, they kept strong and held it together. I don't think that they will ever give up. This band inspires me and I don't see anyone ever dissagreeing with me. Paramore is number one in my heart and always will be.

It took me a long time, several years, to really like Paramore. I used to tolerate them, then hate them, then accept them again, now I like them. I recently bought a hard copy of "Brand New Eyes", and that's what made me come to like them more. They're not the best, but even though Hayley Williams isn't the best lyric writer, at least she TRIES. They do have a few thoughtful songs, though.

Halestorm is one of the best live acts amongst active rock bands. The effort and energy they put into their concerts is amazing. The whole thing is pulled forward by crazy Arejay on drums while Lzzy brings out her incredible vocals. Yes, there are better female singers, but most of them can't do it live. Lzzy Hale does it live 200+ times a year with great consistency.
The group (and mainly Lzzy) haven't yet managed to properly capture their live brilliance on a studio record, even admitting the first record was overthought. The members repeatedly acknowledged this and are on it - less production and time, more roughness and rawness - for the next record. They would be a perfect candidate for an analogue, mic-to-tape record,
Finally, Halestorm's approach to fans is extraordinary. EXTRAORDINARY.

Lzzy Hale. A stunning songstress with and absolutely amazing range. Please, do not make the mistake of listening to just her studio albums. Don't limit yourself by just doing a Google search for live performances, either. *See note

She screams, she growls, she laments, she croons. She very obviously loves to sing, has the skill to do it in a variety of styles, and it shows in both live and studio versions. I have had to buy every one of their albums as soon as they release, and hope to do it for years to come.

And as good as she is, her drummer and brother Arejay, the guitarist Joe Hottinger, and bassist Josh Smith compliment and contribute equally. And I'd like to add flawlessly. I have yet to hear a single missed note, riff, lick or solo from any of them.

*If you do search for any of their live videos or performances, PLEASE make sure that you view one where the actual sound technician recorded the audio. You will miss out on 90% of what makes them so amazing in ...more

This band is INSANELY talented, though I don't why people complain about not having deep lyrics, there are songs such as What Sober couldn't say and Dear Daughter, which I think are quite deep. But even if that isn't there department they come up some amazing tunes that you can just tell are influenced by classic rock and can make any song rock, there covers blow. my. mind! Bad romance by Lady GaGa and Get lucky by Daft Punk are songs I could never see as rock and yet Halestorm can make them that way and have!
Not only can they make their own songs awesome they make other peoples good too!
personally (with no disrespect to Evanessece because they are fab too) I think they should be number one!

I used to obsess over their single "I Miss the Misery" when I first heard it. I thought, "Man, they must be a great band. " So, I started getting into them a little bit more, and I was disappointed. I didn't expect Lzzy Hale to be such an idiot. I guess that's why she spells "Lizzy" like that. She's a jerk, and really just stuck up snot. I do not know why I love their music so much, their lyrics are imbecilic, not my style, I hate the band itself, yet I love listening to them.

I have NEVER heard of 90% of the bands on this list. No Doubt were one of the shining stars of the 90's and are still kicking ass today! They have many different styles, but Tragic Kingdom was the first album to kick-start their careers. They are AMAZING and all these random bands are no match for Tom Dumont, Tony Kanal, Eric Stefani, Adrian Young, etc... And the queen herself, Gwen Stefani. Amazing music, amazing lyrics, amazing voice.

What is going on, something is wrong here. I have never even heard of most the bands on this list. No Doubt is one of the biggest and best bands of all time. No doubt has more top 10 charting songs then any other band on this list. They should be number 1. This actually makes me mad.

What the hell is wrong with you people? No Doubt is one of the most popular bands of all time. Gwen Stefani is one of the greatest front women in music industry. They are definitely number 1

Why are all the good bands down below?
No Doubt should be in the top 10, at least.
1. Evanescence 2. Florence + the machine 3. Paramore 4. No Doubt
No Doubt is NOT a ska band, by the way.

The Pretty Reckless has been my favorite band for five years. Taylor is an amazing performer and she is PASSIONATE about what she does. She lives and breathes her music, and is constantly inspired by the music around her.

Taylor Momsen has a great voice. It's so raw and original, for ex. There's no difference between her stage voice and recorded voice(just like Andy Biersack) and that's what I look in rock bands.
She sings both hardcore and slower music but personally I don't care, because I listen to TPR just to hear Taylor's voice.
I highly recommend you to listen to her too.

I dig the raw, emotional feeling behind this band's music along with Taylor's versatility - she has a range of styles and sounds. Whatever she's aiming for, she nails it in every song. Genuine talent.

Best Band.
Taylor is amazing as a singer and as a person. A role model in a way. She pretty much screams BE YOUR SELF.
Once you get past the catchy but repetitive going down theme you'll find some genuine songs with true meaning.

Stevie is who pretty much influenced all these other people on the list and she Has the most unique voice that bonds with the others In the band. Don't forget Christine though she is very underrated. Should be #1

Stevie nicks is the Queen of Rock and Roll she is probably the influence of the people on this list. People are just to stupid to realize their favorite isn't the best!

Seriously, how is it that arguably the most successful female-fronted band of all time isn't even listed, when One-Eyed Doll is?

Yeah this one's pretty obvious for me.

Nightwish is unbelievably astounding! Tarja's voice may have been better than Anette's, but at least Anette wasn't as greedy. Anette still has a very sweet-sounding voice. I know the fans favor Tarja over Anette, unlike me. If the fans would quit being so rude to Anette, maybe she wouldn't have left. They want Nightwish to not die, but it WILL die if they do that every time they can't accept a new lead singer. Tarja was fired for a reason, though. Anyways, Nightwish is good enough to rise all the way up to my #2 spot :) Even though I prefer Anette Olzon, my favorite song by them was sung by Tarja Turunen.

Unfortunately, Annette was replaced due to illness. She didn't leave because the fans were rude to her. Me thinks every time a female lead steals the spotlight from Marco, they end up replaced. However, Floor Jansen is with them, so it brings a new dynamic to which I'm interested in listening.

Nightwish is so underrated, and even though Tarja was replaced with Anette, I personally like Anette better. It's a beautiful band, no matter who's singing.

Nightwish is more of a Symphonic/Gothic/Power/Folk Metal band. But I prefer them since they're my favorite band.

Dolores is the queen of rock and the band is unique and has it's personal vibe nobody else does.

People are dumb to think that any singer is better than the vocalist of Cranberries.

19 is definitely too low for The Cranberries. Best Music, best vocals and best lyrics

There is no competition in this world to this band.

Hole is awesome, their music is just perfect. And their stage presence >
I know most people hate Courtney but I think she's pretty awesome. I'm not saying I support everything she does or has done but I love how loud and opinionated and just wow Courtney

Courtney loved Kurt so much and the reason hole is so umderrated is because Nirvana fans wanted to blame her for Kurts death. Live through this is iconic. Celebrity Skin is just as good!

Too much Courtney hate. Live Through This is as good as Nevermind if not better.

Such an awesome band. Honestly one of the most badass bands to ever exist

Having recently discovered Within Temptation I have been working my way through their back catalog in reverse. I have been hearing & seeing many comments on how their older stuff is better. While I do not totally agree with this, I think they have just matured into the excellent band they are now. On saying that I can understand why when you listen to songs like Restless, Enter, Grace, Candles, Caged & Deceiver of Fools, Sharon's voice is so haunting and melodic. Then there is The Dance (a song that took me ages to get into) but now I can't get out of my head, absolutely stunning. Can't wait to see them live.

I have just discovered Within Temptation. How is this possible as a music lover that I have never come across them before? Is it because they come from the Netherlands and not the UK or USA and get ignored by the music press? This is real music, written & performed by talented musicians, so much better than the mind numbing dross that is played on radio in the UK. The band is amazing and Sharon den Adel is absolutely awesome. Listening to Sharon's angelic voice is like being enveloped in a fluffy cloud while being drizzled in warm honey. She is definitely the best female vocalist around at the moment, possibly best of all time.

Within Temptation must be the most underrated band in the history of popular music especially in the UK. The reason for this is because they do not get much radio air play, as for the past 10 years + people in the UK have been fed a diet of cheap throwaway plastic pop generated from reality television shows. I have been into music since the early 70's and I only discovered Within Temptation recently. I was blown away by how good they are, so much so that I have purchased their whole back catalogue. Sharon den Adel is definitely the best female rock vocalist since Ann Wilson of Heart. Her voice is as sweet as honey and she has such a huge stage presence that sometimes the other band members get overlooked. But look past the vocals (if you can) and see how good the band really is, as witnessed by the acoustic & live versions of their songs. To the people of the UK I say, wake up out of your Simon Cowell induced slumber and search for real music (it still exists). Within Temptation being ...more

As a 55 year old I have been into music since the early 70s. Over this time I have listened to and liked many different music styles and bands, but particularly Hard Rock and Metal. Thin Lizzy, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden in particular. A few years ago I heard a track on the radio and found it was from a band called Within Temptation. I looked on YouTube and discovered that they had been around for quite a while. I was surprised that I had not heard of them before that, probably because they are Dutch and get ignored by the US & UK media. Anyway I was hooked on their music and in particular the angelic voice of Sharon den Adel. I have purchased their entire back catalogue including the DVDs. From their first album Enter to Hydra I can honestly say I have not heard a bad song from Within Temptation. This is amazing as with all the other bands I listened to there were always some songs I did not like. Within Temptation are a really tight band and ...more

I know this isn't really related but it has struck me as interesting that there are so many female fronted bands but hardly any women in other positions in bands. Besides that though from what I have listened to Blondie were a really good band that I ought to check out more from.

In my oplnion great band and Debbie Harry and Blondie should be on the top of your list because the new groups are definite runner ups. And they are popular for awhile until the next fad group comes along. Check out how long Blondie was in the top place with super music and concerts.

Blondie and Debbie Harry set the bar high very early on and I think you'd find that everyone else who is on this list would agree that great deference is owed to her.

Are you guys serious #49, absolutely insane! Top 10 for sure, maybe even top 5!

Simone Simons definitely has a gift with her operatic voice. The beauty of her voice is just so... Different, unique... Something along that line. But it is unique in the good way. It isn't just a good voice, it's talent. Their music can be boring, but that doesn't mean I don't like it or that it's not good.

They are a metal band and still get high on the rock list! Proves just how epic they are!

Such power! Her note range is incredible and her music is creative and amazing.

They're actually a metal band but this deserves to be higher up on this list

Ah, yes, now we're into classic rock. Joan Jett, the most amazing female rocker of the 20th century, I would say. Sadly, she's gone downhill this century. She's lost her mind-blowingly good voice. I miss the old days of her career. I'm glad she left The Runways to form her own awesome band. She's far more talented than Cherie Currie. So, in conclusion, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts may be one of the best rock 'n roll bands of all time.

It's really fun to listen their music because back then was amazing. I wanted to meet Joan Jett in person because she used to sing "I Love Rock 'n' Roll". It sounded like great. I love that.

Huh, seriously? 5th? Joan is the Queen of rock'n'roll, she should be up there at the top.
She's the best, I admire her so much both as a great rocker and as a woman. She's amazing and probably one of my heros.

I loved this bands songs even heifer I knew it was them!

Very few bands out there where I like every song on the albums. Garbage are the best, great balance between guitars, bass, keyboards/synths and drums. What I like about the vocals it that she is not squeeky 'high pitched' (this irritates me after 2, 3 songs in other bands). They invented a style, can be recognized instantly despite all songs being different.

Garbage should be in the top 10, they're one of the coolest 90's bands. They could be a part of the rock crowd and the pop crowd and had a very unique style. Shirley is one of the most iconic figures in music from her voice to her style.

Garbage. Musically, their music is the most unique and experimental compared to the other band on this list.

Without Flyleaf I wouldn't be the person I am today. I'm gonna be a happily socially over expressive guy for the rest of my life because Flyleaf taught me to follow my dreams and be who I am, because the people who keep you happy are the ones just like you, and how are they gonna find you when you wanna be somebody else?... So I Thought my favorite song by Flyleaf is such an inspiration to everything I do, with just interpreting the true meaning behind that and every other song they flow personally from the heart. It doesn't hurt too much to see Lacey Sturm move on, I mean it's been such a long journey for her and the members of Flyleaf that she even had her name changed. Not like I don't want her around when I first hear of her, besides the fact I would be going to every one of her concerts laugh out loud. Lacey rescued herself from her own insecurities and surely did the same for many people like me everywhere, and I'd totally have a major crush if I met her in person, even a ...more

Flyleaf is a Christian rock band that I favor over most Christian bands that are their style. Their lead singer just left, I know, and closed her being the lead singer with their 2012 album, "New Horizons". I wish she didn't have that heavy auto tune; I've heard her without it, she sounds good. I've never been crazy about them, but I'd like to see where they go with their next lead singer.

As much as I miss Lacey she has a good reason for leaving and I respect it. But just because she left doesn't mean we don't have 4 amazing rock albums to headbang to all day. I haven't heard anything from Kristen May other then some horrible cell phone recordings but I wish the best for her and many more epic rock albums to come.

Way too underrated. The only reason why Flyleaf isn't in the top five is because no one knows them. Please just listen to their Spotify and try to tell me they aren't a good band. :P come on people.

In my opinion, they tie with Blondie as the most influential and underrated female rock bands. Just listen to a couple of the Runaways' songs. They were rather ahead of their time

Ever heard of the song "Cherry Bomb"? That is the runaways.

Cherie Currie, Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Jackie Fox, and Sandy West. A band way ahead of their time. True legends

I actually came here to find some bands to listen to with Icon For Hire and Halestorm. No one I know has ever heard of Icon For Hire but many like Paramore; they're okay but I much prefer Icon For Hire. I'm not here to say that they're the best female fronted rock band ever, just that they're my favourite and well deserve to be high up this list.

Icon for hire isn't just your run-of-the-mill band. Their lyrics always have a deep meaning of their opinions and the musical aspect is like an onion. They have so many layers to create each song. Their heavy rock riffs to the candy pop tech sound makes them unique and hard to forget.

The lyrics, folks. THE LYRICS. They are without compare. Combined with a wickedly intoxicating sound, especially in their first album and now their self-launched "You Can't Kill Us", and this band is addicting.

I can't understand why Icon For Hire isn't any higher on the list. I literally can't think of one think that I dislike about them. They have amazing vocals, amazing music and cool and meaningful lyrics.

I, much to my chagrin, have only discovered this band very recently and I must say that Otep is extremely awesome. Personally, I enjoy music that gives you something to think about while your brain is being tossed back and forth Ina violent manner.

She has such a strong voice and the music is hardcore! Did I mention that the lyrics have very strong and important messages? I love Otep. It should really be higher on this list.

One of my favorite all time female lead bands!

Kathleen Hanna is the coolest women on the face of the earth.

I have more than one favorite but they have such a low rank! Badass band basically any Riot grl band is though.

Kathleen Hanna is seriously bad ass!

Grace Slick has a wonderfully sassy voice. Some classic tracks too.

Great songs and Chibi is wonderful.

Someone needs to update this list...TBM needs to be way higher, awesome band.