Is there anything more inspiring than a strong, powerful, badass woman? I don’t think so. There’s simply nothing better than jamming out in your bedroom to the Spice Girls, Taylor Swift, and Rihanna, or tearing up the dance floor to tunes crafted by Missy Elliott, Cardi B, and Sister Sledge. Did your earliest dating lessons come from the TLC lyrics? Because, same.
My life was shaped by the female artists I grew up listening to—the women who unabashedly chased success and barreled through any of the obstacles in their path to get there. From Selena Gomez to Destiny’s Child, these are the class acts who taught me to value myself as the leading lady in my own life.
Today, International Women’s Day, is the time to celebrate all of the resilient females in our lives—the ones we aspire to be, the ones that give us strength. The truth is, there are hundreds of incredible female artists, past and present, who deserve to be recognized on this special and important day. We’ve narrowed it down to a genre-spanning mix of 50 tracks from our all-time-favorites and current inspirations from Stevie Nicks to St. Vincent, Pussy Riot to SZA, and Estelle to Kehlani. Check it out below and make sure to track these fabulous femmes on Bandsintown so you don’t miss it when they perform at a venue near you!