Top 20 Female Rockers/Performers/Singers/Musicians

[D_Davis]

Top 20 Female Rockers/Performers/Singers/Musicians

Just because I don't like Sleater-Kinney or Portishead doesn't mean I don't dig some female musicians. Now, granted, I am not a huge fan of many female musicians, but some of my all-time favorite bands and songs benefit greatly from a female perspective.

Part of my partial aversion to girl-bands has to do with something I was told by an A&R guy once. This guy told our band - in all seriousness - that we would have a better chance of getting signed if we had a girl in the band.

Lame.

And so, yes, this did fill me with some cynicism, but not completely. And while I don't flock to girl-bands, I do really like some. I also try to never, ever, EVER, like a band just because a girl in it is cute. I can't stand this.

Any how, let's get on with the list! I hope there are some surprises here...

(These are all modern performers, I am not including any old classic vocalists.)


20. Band: Concrete Blonde - Basist/Vocalist: Johnette Napolitano

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000000QFR.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Album: Bloodletting
Songs: Caroline, Darkness of the Light, Joey

Concrete Blonde were a staple of early-90s MTV, and one might have believed that their song "Joey" was the theme song for 120 Minutes because it was played so often. And rightly so, it is an awesome song - really awesome. It's full of emotion and raw power. The entire album is pretty dang awesome. It is well produced, and the songs have good lyrics. Johnette Napolitano's vocals are amazing, so deep and evocative, and she has great stage pressence.

Joey - video
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MIIlUHBNkEc

[Kurosawa Fan]

I used to have that album. I remember nothing about it. I'll have to watch that video and refresh my memory.

[Benny Profane]

I'm a total misogynist when it comes to the following:

Music
Fiction
Sports
Comedy

Don't like watching or listening to women doing any of those things. Exceptions to the rule, of course. But overall women are inferior to men in these areas for my tastes.

Your mileage may vary.

[D_Davis]

19. Band: The Sundays - Vocalist: Harriet Wheeler

http://www.leftoffthedial.com/sundays1.jpg

Album: Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic
Songs: Skin and Bones, Here's Where the Story Ends

The Sunday's first album was one of my most listened to tapes in high school. I loved their blend of folk, pop, and "college rock." While they didn't really offer up anything unique or highly creative, they were an incredibly solid band fronted by Harriet Wheeler, a singer with a great voice. Wheeler's vocals are just plain awesome. She kind of reminds me of the female Morrisey, although she's not as snarky and pompous. Her voice just brings a smile to my face, and this album offers up a high dosage of nostalgia for me.

Here's Where the Story Ends - video
http://youtube.com/watch?v=n35C0j3LLB0

[Spinal]

Most of the musicians in my personal top 20 would be female. I tend to prefer the sound of female rock vocals.

[D_Davis]

Most of the musicians in my personal top 20 would be female. I tend to prefer the sound of female rock vocals.

Yeah - I noticed this about you.

:)

[Kurosawa Fan]

Most of the musicians in my personal top 20 would be female. I tend to prefer the sound of female rock vocals.

I'm the same, though I'd say about half of my top 20 rather than most are female. For my money, there's nothing better than a powerful, emotive female singing voice.

[D_Davis]

18. Band: L7

http://misterguch.brinkster.net/l7.jpg

Album: Bricks are Heavey
Songs: Monster, Wargasm, Pretend We're Dead

L7 rocks - and they rock hard. I love the tone of their instruments, and I also appreciate that they strive to keep a solid melody front and center. These chicks got pretty huge in the mid-'90s, often cited as the premier female grunge band - they were a billion times better than Hole that's for damns sure. I got to see them play live once, and they were totally cool. Bricks are Heavy is the only album I ever really got into, but it's dang good, and Pretend We're Dead is a kick ass single.

Pretend We're Dead - video
http://youtube.com/watch?v=g-NNitijboI

[DSNT]

L7 was the tits (can I say that?)! I saw them at Lollapalooza one year as one of the opening bands and they rocked the place.

Curious if there'll be any overlap between this and our just concluded list.

[D_Davis]

L7 was the tits (can I say that?)! I saw them at Lollapalooza one year as one of the opening bands and they rocked the place.

Curious if there'll be any overlap between this and our just concluded list.

They have tits!

LOLZ

I saw them at Lollapalooza as well, and they were awesome.

There will be some overlap, although I am going to try to pick some different songs.

[transmogrifier]

My top 20 most played bands at LastFM:

1 Sonic Youth 1,002
2 Radiohead 745
3 PJ Harvey 724
4 The Fiery Furnaces 638
5 The Delgados 496
6 Electrelane 469
7 Sleater-Kinney 436
8 Deerhoof 416
9 R.E.M. 391
10 Talking Heads 362
11 Tall Dwarfs 351
12 Crowded House 300
13 mclusky 286
14 LCD Soundsystem 270
15 Can 245
16 Liars 242
17 Blonde Redhead 221
18 Thurston Moore 213
19 Mission of Burma 212
20 Blur

Though LCD barely counts, I guess.

Female musicians, uh, rock. L7, Breeders, Patti Smith, Stereolab, Young Marble Giants, The Slits, Pixies, The Big Sleep, Arcade Fire, Asobi Seksu, Elastica, The Evens, Neonbabies, Portishead, The Raincoats........

[D_Davis]

I haven't heard The Delgados mentioned in a long time.

I need to listen to them again.

[DSNT]

Sadly my top 20 at Last.fm has only one grrl band - Sleater-Kinney, unless you count MBV and Slowdive since they have girls. The only others in my top 50 are Blonde Redhead, Low, Asobi Seksu, M.I.A. and Feist. I had no idea I was this mysognistic.

Delgados would be up there if I started Last.fm a couple years earlier. Great band. I even like Emma's solo album, even if its a pale comparison to the band.

[Watashi]

Most of my favorite current musicians are female as well.

I really love The Pipettes, Cat Power, and PJ Harvey.

Haven't heard of anything from Sleater-Kinney.

[Ezee E]

I like the girl on The Kills.

[Spinal]

Haven't heard of anything from Sleater-Kinney.

Well, then I dedicate this song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNpKjmNaJpQ) to you.

[Hugh_Grant]

I'm a total misogynist when it comes to the following:

Music
Fiction
Sports
Comedy

Don't like watching or listening to women doing any of those things. Exceptions to the rule, of course. But overall women are inferior to men in these areas for my tastes.

Your mileage may vary.

I'm a girl, and I agree. I've been sitting here trying to think of female authors I like...and I'm not coming up with anything. As far as sports, I'll watch just about any type of golf (PGA, Nationwide, European Tour, Seniors), but I rarely watch LPGA golf.

Anyway...

dissent knows how much I don't like female vocalists.

However, Johnette Napolitano is an exception. I really like her work with Steve Wynn (the ex-Dream Syndicate vocalist, not the Las Vegas mogul), who sings backup on Bloodletting's title track.

"Tomorrow Wendy" is a great song.

[D_Davis]

You definitely won't be seeing any Cat Power, PJ Harvey or Sleater-Kinney on this list.

These are three of my least favorites.

Cat Power especially, ugh. She makes me hurt.

[D_Davis]

17. Band: Blake Babies - Drums: Freda Love - Bass/Guitars/Vocals: Juliana Hatfield

http://www.cayla.us/DCweb/onlinedocs/Entertainment/juliana/bb1.gif

Album: Sunburn
Songs: Out There, I'm Not Your Mother

When I first started watching Post Modern MTV and 120 Minutes, the Blake Babies were on all the freaking time. And I loved them. I went through a long period in which I listened to them and Camper Van Beethoven exclusively. Although Juliana Hatfield would go on to a successful solo career, I still greatly prefer her work with this band. They were pioneers in the indie-college rock scene, and their lo-fi, somewhat lazy songs sounded fresh and original at the time. I love Hatfield's vocals, and her songs were always the standout moments, a lot like how Lou Barlow's songs are the best things about Sebadoh's albums.

Out There - video
http://youtube.com/watch?v=cDo-fAsPRJs

Temptation Eyes - video
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fShYRCqlyeI&feature=related

[D_Davis]

I'm a girl, and I agree. I've been sitting here trying to think of female authors I like...and I'm not coming up with anything.

Have you read Ursula K. Le Guin or Octavia Butler?

There are some classic female SF authors. Many of them were instrumental in the new wave movement, and helped to change the face the SF landscape by introducing a broader range of topics to the mix.

Or Tanith Lee for dark fantasy/horror. She's pretty killer as well.

[Spinal]

I went to a Juliana Hatfield concert once and it was dreadful. Haven't really listened to Blake Babies.

Also, a list of this sort without PJ Harvey is verging on nonsensical.

[lovejuice]

I'm a total misogynist when it comes to the following:

Fiction


i strongly disagree here. and i sense a good discussion. perhaps we should take this to the book forum.

[transmogrifier]

I went to a Juliana Hatfield concert once and it was dreadful. Haven't really listened to Blake Babies.

Also, a list of this sort without PJ Harvey is verging on nonsensical.

Indeed. I simply cannot fathom even the idea of not liking PJ Harvey. It would almost be one of those deal-breaker things, if I did that sort of thing.

Most anti-PJ folk simply deride her voice, usually making some reference to felines, and that's about it. Boggles the mind, it does.

[Benny Profane]

I'd heard of PJ Harvey for a long time, but not her music. Then I saw her on "Soundstage" which is a live 30 minute concert on Music HD. She writes very boring music. And seems weird for the sake of being weird, though who am I to make that judgment. The show only allows for about four songs, so it might have been too small a sampling, but needless to say I'm not eager hear more from her. She is also a lousy dresser. She had on a doll costume of some sort.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Without Regina Spektor, I'm afraid this list will be invalid.

[Benny Profane]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v378/fred_barnett/ugly.jpg


All I can say is....






I'd hit it.

[D_Davis]

Also, a list of this sort without PJ Harvey is verging on nonsensical.

Maybe next time, you can make the list!

[D_Davis]

16. Performer/Song writer: Suzanne Vega

http://cache02.stormap.sapo.pt/fotostore01/fotos//94/27/56/31939_00037qz7.jpg

Album: 99.9 F
Songs: Blood Makes Noise, As Girls Go

I am not a huge fan of all of Vega's stuff, but I think that 99.9F is an amazing album and it really displays her talents. Typically known as a new-folk singer, this album was a departure of sorts for her and it offered up an eclectic group of songs utilizing all kinds of styles, sounds, and production techniques. The album sounds fresh and unique, and benefits greatly from Mitchell Froom's production; most of the songs are incredibly dense and atmospheric. Vega has always been a great lyricist; her songs are great at conjuring concrete images and emotions.

Blood Makes Noise is a very simple song, sounding almost like a robotic nursery rhyme - it has a fantastic and groovy bass line.

Blood Makes Noise - video (http://youtube.com/watch?v=-iCMQLvhdxk)

[D_Davis]

15. Band: Shelleyan Orphan- Singer: Carolyn Crawley (also sang for This Mortal Coil)

http://www.artistdirect.com/Images/Sources/AMGPORTRAITS/music/portrait200/drp000/p022/p02252bva6r.jpg

Album: Century Flower (This Mortal Coil's Blood)
Songs: Self, Shatter (Late Night - Syd Barrett cover on Blood)

I don't know a lot about this group's history or anything. My first exposure to Crawley's amazing vocals was on This Mortal Coil's Blood. Her gripping, haunting rendition of Late Night is alluring, and one of my favorites. This was long before any kind of useful internet, and so it was hard to find much information about this incredible singer. I finally tracked down some info, and then purchased the album mentioned above, Century Flower. CL is a beautiful album with songs full of cello, accordion, oboe, and a host of other traditional acoustic instruments. It is a very lively album comprised of songs with complex compositions and instrumentation.

Shatter (http://youtube.com/watch?v=v0BiEnqht3U)
Century Flower (http://youtube.com/watch?v=ydL6nKOBz48&feature=related)

Unfortunately, I can't find a version of Late Night on line.

[Acapelli]

You definitely won't be seeing any Cat Power, PJ Harvey or Sleater-Kinney on this list.

These are three of my least favorites.

Cat Power especially, ugh. She makes me hurt.
What about Joanna Newsom?

:P

[D_Davis]

What about Joanna Newsom?

:P

That muppet?

Hell no!

LOLZ!1!!

[Spinal]

Maybe next time, you can make the list!

But criticizing yours is much more rewarding. :|

[D_Davis]

But criticizing yours is much more rewarding. :|

And easier!

:)

[Spinal]

And easier!

:)

Totally.

[D_Davis]

14. Band: Moloko - Singer: Roisin Murphy

http://jesusarmando.blogsome.com/images/moloko1.jpg

Album: Do You Like My Tight Sweater?Songs: Fun For Me, Day For Night, Lotus Eaters


Moloko is freaking awesome. Interesting music and bizarre lyrics coupled with infectious rhythms and haunting atmosphere. Their first single, Fun For Me, has a strong Dr. Dre vibe, and it totally rules. I enjoy the group's playfulness and zaniness. They're like some strange alternative trip-hop-techno group from a cartoon universe where sounds are birthed from sentient synthesizers and lyrics erupt from a bubbling volcano like nonsense-lava. This entire album is incredible; it's well produced and just sounds awesome at extreme volumes. Roisin Murphy's vocals are incredible. Why she isn't more well known is a mystery to me. Her range is terrific; she can sound sweet and sexy one minute, and guttural and scary the next. I also love how her voice is often treated with vocoder and other trippy effects.

You can tell they have fun, and just love to let it rip.

Fun For Me (http://youtube.com/watch?v=29AZ371JhAE)

[bac0n]

14. Band: Moloko - Singer: Roisin Murphy

Word. Moloko is one of my favorite who-gives-a-shit-about-meaning-I-listen-to-them-cuz-they're-fun bands, tho if I had to pick a fave album of theirs, it would be Things To Make & Do. The lead-off track, Pure Pleasure Seeker, has this saxophone riff that feels like a good fart after you've eaten a 32 oz. steak.

[Derek]

14. Band: Moloko - Singer: Roisin Murphy

Great choice. I love her work with Herbert as well as this song/video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlFjf1pWk2c) from her solo album last year. The rest of the album's not all that great, but her voice is still amazing.

[D_Davis]

Great choice. I love her work with Herbert as well as this song/video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlFjf1pWk2c) from her solo album last year. The rest of the album's not all that great, but her voice is still amazing.

Yeah, her solo album kind of bored me. Her voice is amazing, but the music and compositions just aren't as interesting as Moloko's stuff. I don't think I've ever heard Herbert.

[Hugh_Grant]

Have you read Ursula K. Le Guin or Octavia Butler?

Haven't read Butler, but I don't like Le Guin at all.

I remember this Roisin Murphy video with Paddy Considine. That was the first I had heard (of) her. (Edit: It was called "Familiar Feeling".)

Oh, my God, Shelleyan Orphan. A couple months ago, I was going through some old 120 Minutes tapes when I saw one of their videos. A high school friend saw them open up for The Cure in the late 80s.

[D_Davis]

Haven't read Butler, but I don't like Le Guin at all.



I didn't like Le Guin until I read Lathe of Heaven, which I now consider one of the best books I've ever read. This book really opened my eyes to her craft.

[D_Davis]

A high school friend saw them open up for The Cure in the late 80s.


I was going to go to this tour, but something happened and I couldn't. Totally bummed about this.

[D_Davis]

Murphy can also really sing live, which is always a plus.

[Derek]

I don't think I've ever heard Herbert.

Do yourself a favor and check out Scale. Herbert's definitely one of the most talented and creative electronic artists out there, drawing influence on everything from jazz to classical and big band. You can check out a couple songs from Scale here (http://www.matthewherbert.com/music.php) and if it doesn't come up automatically, it's the top left album. I'd recommend trying "Harmonise" and "Movers and Shakers".

I'll have to check out Moloko myself.

[D_Davis]

Great, thanks!

[Benny Profane]

Murphy can also really sing live, which is always a plus.

What does this mean? Are there people who are great singers but can't sing live?

[D_Davis]

What does this mean? Are there people who are great singers but can't sing live?

There are many singers who sound great/good/okay on a recording but totally stink live. Singing live, and sounding good live, is a testament to a singer's real skill behind the mic.

In the studio, vocal parts are often doubled, or tripled up, plus they can make them sound better through the use of harmonizers, reverb, compression, and all kinds of trickery (even pitch-shifting).

When it's live and dry, and still sounds killer, you know a singer has chops.

[Horbgorbler]

15. Band: Shelleyan Orphan- Singer: Carolyn Crawley (also sang for This Mortal Coil)


Yay! I only know Helleborine but it's a longstanding favorite.

[D_Davis]

Yay! I only know Helleborine but it's a longstanding favorite.

I thought you might like these guys.

[D_Davis]

13. Band: LushVocals/Guitars: Miki Berenyi - Guitars: Emma Anderson

http://sendmedeadflowers.com/uploaded_images/Lush_photo-750316.jpg

Album: Gala
Songs: Sweetness and the Light

Miki Berenyi's voice sounds great on Lush's recordings, live it's really hit or miss. It's ethereal qualities are brought out with tons of reverb, good production, and other studio trickery. Dream-pop/shoegaze vocals benefit greatly from studio production and by being buried deep within the mix. I would not argue that her voice is strong, or technically good, but for the style of music they play it fits perfectly.

The guitars are also amazing, and together Miki and Emma make up my favorite female guitar-duo. The guitar tones they produced are totally dreamy; the notes shimmer and swirl and weave together to form a dense, nuanced texture of sound.

Sweetness and the Light (http://youtube.com/watch?v=tcevtCA-WH4)

[Boner M]

I like girls. Especially the hot ones.

[Spinal]

Just listened to Moloko's "Fun for Me". Love it. Good choice.

[D_Davis]

Just listened to Moloko's "Fun for Me". Love it. Good choice.

Cool. It's such a fun song. Great beat, wacky lyrics, strong vocals, and good production. That whole album is incredible. It has a very unique sound, it's like R&B from another dimension.

[transmogrifier]

Maybe next time, you can make the list!


Maybe, next time, you be aware that people will disagree with you with regards your list and

(a) let it slide, or
(b) not do the list in the first place

:)

[D_Davis]

Maybe, next time, you be aware that people will disagree with you with regards your list and

(a) let it slide, or
(b) not do the list in the first place

:)

Nah.

[transmogrifier]

...or, and I'm just spitballing here, you could listen to PJ again and repent.

Repent hard.

[D_Davis]

...or, and I'm just spitballing here, you could listen to PJ again and repent.

Repent hard.

Yeah right. And ruin a perfectly good year?

Actually, I hear her all the time - my wife likes her.

[transmogrifier]

Yeah right. And ruin a perfectly good year?

Actually, I hear her all the time - my wife likes her.

So, you've married up?

Me too.

[D_Davis]

So, you've married up?

Me too.

:)

[D_Davis]

12. Stereolab - Keyboards/Guitars/Singing/Misc.: Laetitia Sadier, Mary Hansen, and Katharine Gifford.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Stereolab_live.jpg

Album: Various - favorites being Emperor Tomato Ketchup and First of the Microbe Hunters
Songs: Tons, tons and tons - Metronomic Underground, Stomach Worm, Outer Bongolio, Super Electric, Miss Modular

Back in the early 1990s, I was enthralled with this band. I adored them. I bought every CD, 12", and 7" I could find. I devoured their music. This band actually turned me on to analog synths. After hearing their awesome sounds I went out and bought an Arp Odyssey, and proceeded to emulate their sound for the next few months. I love their vocals - so hypnotic, so beautiful, and so strangely robotic. The vocals totally fit the atmosphere created by the music. While I have pretty much quit following the band, I still like to listen to them, and they still make me groove-out to the infectious rhythms and bloops-and-bleeps of the analog bubble bath.

Cybele's Reverie (http://youtube.com/watch?v=hfabj80NzEw)
Stomache Worm (live - not so great quality) (http://youtube.com/watch?v=UcouJAZW29Y)
Miss Modular (http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ68YPWQ-DY)

[transmogrifier]

Metronomic Underground's my favorite, though I haven't heard much from them. I like 'em though.

[D_Davis]

11. Throwing Muses - Guitars/Vocals - Kristen Hersh and Tonya Donelly

http://multimedia.heraldinteractive.c om/images/51a70aeb6c_Throwing_Muses3.jpg

Album: Hunkpapa and The Real Ramona
Songs: Counting Backwards, and Fish (off of the 4AD sampler, Lonely is an Eyesoar).

Throwing Muses were awesome. I say "were" because I think they loss 1/2 of their awesome power when Donelly left and formed Belly. Together, Hersh and Donelly, step-sisters, really had something special. Their vocals complemented each other masterfully, and shared a strange, almost symbiotic relationship. One without the other is actually less than 1/2 good - like the Wonder Twins, they need each other. I also prefer their earlier albums because the music was far more interesting.

Fish is an especially awesome song.

Counting Backwards (http://youtube.com/watch?v=z9Z-VC2k1yI)
Fish (http://youtube.com/watch?v=uhJpD0PvfbA)

[Spinal]

Nice choice, although I think you greatly undervalue Hersh. I love Donelly, but I don't think she is close to being that important to the band's success.

[D_Davis]

Nice choice, although I think you greatly undervalue Hersh. I love Donelly, but I don't think she is close to being that important to the band's success.

Hersh is great, perhaps a bit "better" than Donelly, but together they are fantastic. It also just comes down to their earlier music being far more sonically interesting. After The Real Ramona, they just got kind of boring for my tastes. I don't really know how much of their early sound was because of Donelly, but I do know that I greatly prefer the band's sound while she was with them.

[Llopin]

Hersh would be in my top 5 for sure; seeing her live has been one of the highlights of my brief live music education. She's so cute and funny, goddammit.

Sundrops (http://youtube.com/watch?v=NRoqCBlzKhg) is one of my favourites.

[D_Davis]

I am going to be taking a little (long?) break from message board posting, so here is the rest of the list...



10. Curve

9. Digable Planets - Lady Bug

8. Sinead O'Conner

7. Daisy Chainsaw
Pink Flower - http://youtube.com/watch?v=5mXoAkiBTx8&feature=related (http://youtube.com/watch?v=5mXoAkiBTx8&feature=related)
Love Your Money - http://youtube.com/watch?v=7MTq4I0hvq8&feature=related (http://youtube.com/watch?v=7MTq4I0hvq8&feature=related)

6. Sonic Youth

5. Coctaeu Twins

4. His Name is Alive

3. Dead Can Dance

2. Emmylou Harris
Where Will I Be? - http://youtube.com/watch?v=qV2BwvjF-vU (http://youtube.com/watch?v=qV2BwvjF-vU)

1. Julee Cruise
Falling - http://youtube.com/watch?v=PBdH6SjBEX8&feature=related (http://youtube.com/watch?v=PBdH6SjBEX8&feature=related)
Mysteries of Love - http://youtube.com/watch?v=gBoXNket2pQ&feature=related (http://youtube.com/watch?v=gBoXNket2pQ&feature=related)

Thanks for reading!

See you all later...

[Spinal]

Have a good break. Looking forward to checking out some of the names I don't know. I have really enjoyed getting to know Moloko and Curve. For comparison's sake, mine would look something like this:

1. PJ Harvey
2. Bjork/The Sugarcubes
3. Sleater-Kinney
4. Kristin Hersh/Throwing Muses/50 Foot Wave
5. Annie Lennox/Eurythmics
6. Kim Deal/Pixies/The Breeders/The Amps
7. Mary Timony/Helium
8. Feist
9. Liz Phair
10. Fiona Apple
11. Carla Bozulich/The Geraldine Fibbers
12. Natacha Atlas
13. Beth Gibbons/Portishead
14. Nina Persson/The Cardigans
15. Lady Miss Kier/Deee-lite
16. Chrissie Hynde/The Pretenders
17. Fergie/The Black Eyed Peas (trying to be honest rather than cool :))
18. Tracey Bonham
19. Cyndi Lauper
20. Cia Berg/Whale

[Kurosawa Fan]

Why the break?

[DSNT]

Have a good break and hope to see you back soon ..

Dead Can Dance at #3 rules. It seems that everyone has forgotten about them.

[dreamdead]

Dead Can Dance at #3 rules. It seems that everyone has forgotten about them.

Really? They remain one of my transcendent bands, and are largely responsible from my shift from the Chicago "industrial" sound (KMFDM, Chemlab) to a more organic and international music.

Certainly "Cantara" are "The Carnival is Over" are all but masterpieces.

[bac0n]

This list (or any list of female performers) is incomplete without some of the great female jazz vocalists, such as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Nina Simone & Dianne Reeves.

[Spinal]

Not a fan of the jazz.

[BirdsAteMyFace]

Dusty Springfield would be somewhere near the top of my list.

[bac0n]

Not a fan of the jazz.

Oh yeah? Well, Jazz is not a fan of you!

[Spinal]

Oh yeah? Well, Jazz is not a fan of you!

Undoubtedly true.

[Raiders]

Not a fan of the jazz.

You mean jazz vocalists or jazz in general? The former I can kind of agree with, the latter is more non-sensical than this list without PJ Harvey.

My favorite female vocalist would probably be Beth Gibbons.