girl group

20 All-Female Bands You Need To Know 

originally posted on billboard
Ex-HexEx Hex, Childbirth, Girlpool & more girl groups that rock out harder than the boys they make fun of.

“Girls invented punk rock, not England,” reads one of Sonic Youth co-leader Kim Gordon’s famous feminist shirts. While Gordon wasn’t in an all-female act herself, she knew the importance of them: bands made up entirely of women may feel like a rarity now, but more pop up every day and others are still going after all these years.

Because Girl Group Week is by no means limited to pop groups, here are 20 all-female bands that you need to know right now:

 

Girlpool

The worst thing that can happen to a band is for the members to fail to find a rhythm, losing the race before leaving the gate. Girlpool are the polar opposite of this: the Philly-via-Los Angeles duo is made up of two best friends, bassist Harmony Tividad and guitarist Cleo Tucker. Together, they craft heartbreakingly honest tunes that recall the candidness of early Liz Phair.

Honeyblood

Another dream duo! Honeyblood is a Scottish indiepop-punk hybrid steered by guitarist Stina Tweeddale and drummer Shona McVicar. Their distorted sound carries like a Best Coast jam without the sweet, California sentiment. In the single “Super Rat,” Tweeddale sings, “I will hate you forever / Scumbag sleaze / Slime-bag beast / You really do disgust me,” about a unnamed partner who wronged a friend. These girls are out for blood.

Ex Hex

Ex Hex is the brainchild of frontwoman Mary Timony, of Helium and Wild Flag fame; the latter can be considered a supergroup, and a lot of their power is driven by Timony. In Ex Hex, she’s in control, powering through complicated solos that would silence even the most adamant misogynist.

Amanda X

There’s something in the water in Philadelphia: Amanda X are leaders in their scene, writing songs that marry a certain post-punk thrash with power pop harmonies. The ladies of the trio are fresh off the road with the legendary Scottish band the Vaselines and navigating an upward trajectory.

Frau

Brighton, England cassette label Tuff Enuff Records is dedicated to releasing material by queer, riot grrrl and DIY acts, making their tapes diverse and progressive — which is what punk is all about, right? Frau, a vicious group from London, are one of their stars. There’s a pretty powerful political element to all of what they do, and also a certain massiveness; if you’re a Bikini Kill fan, dive into this group ASAP.

Sleater-Kinney

Sleater-Kinney existed from 1994 to 2006 and reuniting last year at a time when their decisive feminism is necessary. Not only are they one of the most important all-female bands of the last two decades, they are one of the most important rock bands of all time, validating ideas that the personal is political is power.

The Coathangers

The glory days of massive tom thwacks and talkative garage riffs are back, and have been embraced by Atlanta trio the Coathangers. These ladies don’t rely on their harmonies as much as they contort them into heavy rock spaces, in songs with titles like “Adderall” and “Shut the Fuck Up.”

Pussy Riot

When’s the last time one of your favorite bands went to prison in the name of their country? Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot have since located to the United States, releasing tracks applicable to the current American political situation. Last month, it was in the form of “I Can’t Breathe,” dedicated to Eric Garner.

The Prettiots

Every once in a while an actor will try their hand at music; tt’s not always the best result, but actress/model Rachel Trachtenburg has proven herself worthy as the drummer of Prettiots. Tracks like “Boys (I Dated In Highschool)” are witty and fun, an adorable blend of music made for girls by girls.

Sharkmuffin

Sharkmuffin are one of the more popular garage punk bands in the Brooklyn music scene, and essential listening for fans of Screaming Females. There’s a certain ’90s feel to the music they make, driven by demanding but never desperate hollers.

Advaeta

Like Sharkmuffin, Advaeta is another all-female act making the rounds in New York City; unlike Sharkmuffin, their sound is distorted and romantic, noisy riffage that manages to weave itself into blanket sounds. They also play with harmony in a way that feels girl group-y in a very rock and roll way, the final result being a relaxing shoegaze soundscape.

Skinny Girl Diet

London’s Skinny Girl Diet knew what they were doing when they chose a moniker that, on the surface, could be read as sexist: they were taking it back. By naming themselves after impossible beauty standards forced on women everyday, they’re commenting on it. Their music does the same thing. It’s not sweet. They snarl. They’re a better band because of it.

Cayetana

Cayetana are another power-punk band from Philly, one that leans head first into abrasive punk-pop territory. For fans of the Warped Tour and college radio rock, their unique brand of indie lives in many genres by assigns itself to none.

Trippple Nippples

The band name isn’t the only bizarre thing about this Japanese duo — this list is pretty punk heavy, they’re all about electronics. Trippple Nippples sound like Shonen Knife filtered through a video game as dictated by Gwen Stefani in her “B-A-N-A-N-A-S” daze.

Dum Dum Girls

Take what could be read as ephemeral bubblegum pop and give it a backbone, a leather jacket and a knife. So goes the legacy of Dum Dum Girls, a Sub Pop signee and one of New York’s most successful all-female acts of the 2010’s.

The Wharves

There are many secrets to writing a good surf pop-rock song, and one of them is possessing a percussion section you can rely on. The Wharves (whose members are Ireland, England and France) might not have the waves, but they have the drummer, as well as music that’s uncomplicated and deeply memorable.

Slum of Legs

Slum of Legs are also on Brighton’s Tuff Enuff Records, and one of their most fun tracks is titled “Sasha Fierce” (yes, after that Sasha Fierce). While it’s super distorted it’s still fun — rawness can be attractive, too!

Childbirth

Childbirth caught the Internet’s attention with their delightful “I Only Fucked You As a Joke” single early last year. It objectifies men as it mocks them in a pseudo-misandrist manner, singer Julia Shapiro screaming, “I hope I’m not pregnant!” It’s a must-hear.

Chastity Belt

Childbirth’s Julia Shapiro is also a member of Chastity Belt (see a theme here?), and her ability to play with, mock and celebrate sexuality is her power. “James Dean” is especially noteworthy and goes a bit deeper than Taylor Swift’s “Style”: “Oh boy, when I fuck you, you make me feel like a prostitute/ yeah, when you fuck me, I make you feel just like James Dean.”

Upset

Fronted by Ali Koehler of Vivian Girls and Best Coast fame and joined by drummer Patty Schemel previously of Hole, Upset takes punk-pop to new, dizzying levels. Their songs sound like Koehler’s previous bands with a power-pop edge: they’re sweet tunes, and catchy as hell.

Top 10 Girl Groups Of All Time 

originally posted on Billboard.com
Top 10 Girl Groups Of All TimeFrom TLC to the Pointer Sisters, check out the top girl groups ever, based on the Billboard charts.

At Billboard.com, we’ve celebrated our second annual Girl Group Week by looking at the biggest songs, best music videos, current state of girl groups, drafting our dream girl groups, scoping out post-girl group solo songs and a whole lot more. It’s time to get to the main event: an updated list of the 10 biggest girl groups of all time.

A long line of girl groups have found success on the Billboard charts, with Motown’s brightest stars generating hits as a collective a half-century ago, and artists like TLC and Destiny’s Child making their mark in the 1990’s and 2000’s, respectively. Check out Billboard’s list of the Top 10 girl groups of all time, and see if your favorite female group made the cut.

NOTE: This ranking is based on actual performance on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 chart through the tally dated March 7, 2015. Artists are ranked based on an inverse point system, with a song’s weeks at No. 1 on the weekly Hot 100 chart earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least. Each act’s collected titles that charted over the course of their career were aggregated to determine the final ranking. To ensure equitable representation of the biggest hits from each era, certain time frames were weighted to account for the difference between turnover rates from those years.

10. Martha & The Vandellas

A legendary Motown group, Martha Reeves’ vocal group found success with the ballad “Come and Get These Memories” before striking gold with “Heat Wave,” “Quicksand” and “Dancing in the Street.”

9. En Vogue

The title of En Vogue’s first two albums, 1990’s Born to Sing and 1992’s Funky Divas, fit perfectly: the members of producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy’s R&B group flaunted their vocal gifts through soulful cuts like “Hold On” and “Don’t Let Go (Love).”

8. Exposé

The trio of Exposé watched songs like “Point of No Return, “Seasons Change” and “Tell Me Why” checker the Billboard charts during the late 80’s and early 90’s, honing its dance-pop sound before disbanding in 1996. A brief reunion a decade later included a tour, with Jeanette Jurado, Gioia Bruno and Ann Curless performing their best-known hits.

7. Wilson Phillips

Younger music fans might only know Wilson Phillips from hearing “Hold On” in films like Bridesmaids and Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, but the trio of Chynna Phillips, Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson had more than just one unstoppable hit following their 1990 formation. “Hold On” is the go-to Wilson Phillips jam thanks to its soaring hook and mesmerizing harmonies, but songs like “Release Me,” “You’re In Love” and “Impulsive” helped make this trio one for the ages.

6. The Shirelles

One of the most important girl groups of the 1960’s, the Shirelles formed as a quartet of high school friends and ended up becoming a gargantuan influence on the early female contributors to the American rock scene. Swinging tempos and pitch-perfect harmonies defined hits like “Mama Said” and “Dedicated To The One I Love,”   and although they are not as well-remembered as the Supremes, the Shirelles’ best singles are virtually unrivaled.

5. The Bangles

A power-pop force in the mid-80’s, the Bangles scored several hits while dabbling in a variety of sounds yet never losing their authoritative identity. Prince helped the group out by writing the early hit “Manic Monday,” but “Walk Like an Egyptian” and “Eternal Flame” were even more enduring smashes that firmly delivered the Bangles to the mainstream. Although the group never regained its popularity when the 90’s began, the Bangles remain crucial to the pop landscape of the previous decade.

4. The Pointer Sisters

Anita, Ruth, Bonnie and June Pointer blended R&B, pop, disco, country and rock with jaw-dropping aplomb after growing up in Oakland and scoring timeless cuts like “I’m So Excited,” “Jump (For My Love),” “Automatic,” “Fire” and “Fairytale.”

3. Destiny’s Child

Before Beyonce was Queen Bey, she was one-third of the extraordinarily popular Destiny’s Child, delivering songs like “Say My Name,” “Survivor” and “Bootylicious” with the help of Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. After Beyonce, Kelly and Michelle all became independent women, they reunited for a farewell album, Destiny Fulfilled, and farewell tour; in 2013, the ladies rejoined once together for a new track, “Nuclear,” and a surprise appearance during Bey’s Super Bowl halftime show.

2. TLC

Tionne “T-Boz” Waykins, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas spent a decade ruling the charts with pop-R&B masterpieces like “No Scrubs,” “Waterfalls,” “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg” and “Creep,” before Lopes’ untimely death in a car crash in 2002. T-Boz and Chilli recently revived their best-selling project, with a compilation album (20) and a performance at the American Music Awards in 2013; a new album is in the works, following a successful Kickstarter campaign.

1. The Supremes

Aside from being the most successful girl group of all time, the Supremes are among the most popular musical artists ever, with Diana Ross and co.’s songs sounding as timeless as ever. “Baby Love,” “Stop! In The Name Of Love,” “Come See About Me,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” “Where Did Our Love Go”… the list of Motown classics goes on and on, and although there have been many girl group smashes in the decades since the Supremes ruled the Billboard charts, no collective has yet to challenge their, for lack of a better word, supremacy.