My 30 Favorite Female Singer-Songwriters

Female-led music that inspires me

I’m an artist of the written word, and I adore music. It inspires my writing and helps me time travel for stories I set in the past. Lyrics are poetry set to music with a universal quality to help us feel less alone in the world.

My favorite songs come from talented singer-songwriters who share their work with the world. In prep for this post, I started listing female singer-songwriters with works I enjoy and soon had a huge list of over 40 talented ladies. It was too big of an undertaking, so I tried to cut the list down to my top 15, but I ended up with a top 30 instead (with many honorable mentions).

30 female singer-songwriters I admire (in alphabetical order)

These ladies are all amazing, so it’s impossible for me to rank them from favorite to least favorite. As a writer, I pay special attention to the lyrics, so all of these ladies wrote lyrics and sang the songs I mentioned. Here are my top 30 inspiring female music artists listed alphabetically by first names.

Alanis Morissette

Alanis burst onto the music scene in the mid-1990s with her F-bomb-dropping angry anthem, “You Oughta Know,” co-written with Glen Ballard. It was nice to hear an angry break-up song for once instead of a sad one.

Cause the joke that you laid in the bed that was me
And I’m not gonna fade as soon as you close your eyes
And you know it
And every time I scratch my nails
Down someone else’s back I hope you feel it
Well, can you feel it?

Another great song is “Joining You,” also co-written with Ballard.

And you were mind-boggling, you were intense
You were uncomfortable in your own skin
You were thirsty, but mostly you were beautiful

I was thrilled to get to see Alanis in concert along with Garbage and Liz Phair in 2021. I recorded her performances of “Head Over Feet” and “Ironic.” And I recorded “I’m Only Happy When It Rains” and “Stupid Girl” by Garbage while I was there too. (Lead singer Shirley Manson is in my honorable mentions.)

Amy Lee

Amy Lee of Evanescence can handle a ballad, as proven by the group’s song, “My Immortal,” which was co-written with Ben Moody. The song’s haunting lyrics and Lee’s piano playing took my breath away when I saw the band perform live in 2004.

You used to captivate me by your resonating light
Now, I’m bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me

These wounds won’t seem to heal, this pain is just too real
There’s just too much that time cannot erase

Anna Nalick

Anna Nalick gained some popularity when her music was featured in season two of Grey’s Anatomy, which is how I discovered it. Her song “Breathe (2 AM)” is one I put on my wedding soundtrack because I think it is just so beautiful.

‘Cause you can’t jump the track, we’re like cars on a cable
And life’s like an hourglass glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button, girl
So cradle your head in your hands
And breathe, just breathe
Oh, breathe, just breathe

I really love her performance of, “Shine” as well, but she didn’t write that one, so instead I’ll feature “In My Head.”

You are a god and whatever I want you to be
And I wonder if truly you are
Nearly as beautiful as I believe

In my head
Your voice
You’ve got all that I need
And this make-believe will get me through
Another lonely night

Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox penned and performed hits with the band Eurythmics with Dave Stewart, with whom she co-wrote “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).” The techno song had so much appeal it was later covered by shock rock group Marilyn Manson with great success.

Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree
I travel the world and the seven seas
Everybody’s looking for something

Some of them want to use you
Some of them want to get used by you
Some of them want to abuse you
Some of them want to be abused

As a solo artist, Lennox released “Walking on Broken Glass.”

You were the sweetest thing that I ever knew
But I don’t care for sugar honey if I can’t have you
Since you’ve abandoned me
My whole life has crashed
Won’t you pick the pieces up
‘Cause it feels just like I’m walking on broken glass

Avril Lavigne

Avril’s about three years younger than me, and when this punk-rock skater girl hit the music scene in 2002, I was impressed and really loved her music (and have continued to love it as she’s grown older). I don’t think there are any of her songs I don’t like, but keeping with my theme of featuring lyrics from two songs per lady, I’ll start with “Complicated,” which was co-written with David Alspach, Graham Edwards, and Lauren Christy.

Why’d you have to go and make things so complicated?
I see the way you’re acting like you’re somebody else
Gets me frustrated
Life’s like this, you
And you fall, and you crawl, and you break
And you take what you get, and you turn it into
Honesty and promise me I’m never gonna find you faking

And “I’m With You,” also co-written with Alspach, Edwards, and Christy, is on my top 10 list of favorite songs.

It’s a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won’t you take me by the hand?
Take me somewhere new
I don’t know who you are
But I, I’m with you
I’m with you

Christina Perri

Talk about some brokenhearted songwriting, and Christina Perri will come to mind. Her song, “Jar of Hearts,” co-written with Drew Lawrence and Barrett Yeretsian, was featured on So You Think You Can Dance which helped get it on the map. Its hauntingly beautiful piano music and soul-crushing lyrics took my breath away when I first heard the song on the radio and it’s on my list of favorite songs.

Who do you think you are?
Runnin’ ’round leaving scars
Collecting your jar of hearts
Tearing love apart

You’re gonna catch a cold
From the ice inside your soul
So don’t come back for me
Who do you think you are?

Another memorable song is “Arms,” co-written with David Hodges.

How many times will let you me change my mind and turn around
I can’t decide if I’ll let you save my life or if I’ll drown

I hope that you see right through my walls
I hope that you catch me, ’cause I’m already falling
I’ll never let a love get so close
You put your arms around me and I’m home

The world is coming down on me
And I can’t find a reason to be loved

Dido

Dido Armstrong has a distinctive voice, and her song “Thank You,” co-written with Paul Herman, was sampled in rapper Emimen’s song “Stan” which helped give Dido some attention from people who might otherwise not have heard her talent.

I drank too much last night, got bills to pay
My head just feels in pain
I missed the bus and there’ll be hell today
I’m late for work again
And even if I’m there, they’ll all imply
That I might not last the day
And then you call me
And it’s not so bad, it’s not so bad

I will go down with this ship
And I won’t put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I’m in love and always will be
I will go down with this ship
And I won’t put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I’m in love and always will be

Dolly Parton

Dolly is a country artist, but she defies genres as far as I’m concerned. Her sweet love song, “I Will Always Love You,” has been covered by other artists, most notably Whitney Houston, but Dolly’s grassroots version is the sweetest.

If I should stay
Well I would only be in your way
And so I’ll go, and yet I know
I’ll think of you each step of the way

And I will always love you
I will always love you

Fiona Apple

Angry-girl music with a bluesy vibe came with Fiona Apple in the late 1990s. Her soulful voice and lyrics helped me through a lot of shit as a teen. Her song, “Criminal,” was like nothing I’d heard before.

What I need is a good defense
‘Cause I’m feelin’ like a criminal
And I need to be redeemed
To the one I’ve sinned against
Because he’s all I ever knew of love

And “Sleep to Dream,” is my favorite of her songs.

I tell you how I feel but you don’t care
I say tell me the truth but you don’t dare
You say love is a hell you cannot bear
And I say give me mine back and then go there for all I care

I got my feet on the ground and I don’t go to sleep to dream
You got your head in the clouds, you’re not at all what you seem

Florence Welch

Lead singer for Florence + The Machine, Welch is an indie-rock queen with a voice to match. Her song, “Shake It Out,” co-written with Paul Epworth and Tom Hull, is amazing.

Regrets collect like old friends
Here to relive your darkest moments
I can see no way, I can see no way
And all of the ghouls come out to play

And every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues drawn
It’s always darkest before the dawn

“Sweet Nothing,” is another great tune of hers, co-written with Calvin Harris and Hull.

It isn’t easy for me to let it go
‘Cause I’ve swallowed every single word
And every whisper, every sigh eats away this heart of mine
And there is a hollow in me now (Me now)

So I’ll put my faith in something unknown
I’m living on such sweet nothing
But I’m tired of hope with nothing to hold
I’m living on such sweet nothing

Hailee Steinfeld

I love Hailee as an actress, and she first showed off her chops in the second Pitch Perfect movie and continued in the third. Many of her first songs were written by others, but she truly shined when she started penning her own, including “Wrong Direction,” co-written with Elizabeth Boland, Skyler Stonestreet, and Stephen Kozmeniuk.

On my tip-toes
But I still couldn’t reach your ego
Guess I was crazy to give you my body, my mind
Don’t know what I was thinkin’ ’til now
Everyone thinks that you’re somebody else
You even convinced yourself

Couldn’t even see you through the smoke
Lookin’ back, I probably should have known

“Your Name Hurts,” is another great breakup song co-written with Kozmeniuk, Boland, Caroline Pennell, and Janee Bennet.

We’re a half-written story without any ending
You left me to figure it out
Filled me with ecstasy, left with the best of me
But where’s the rest of me now?

Honestly, I don’t regret you
I just wish I never met you

Ingrid Michaelson

Ingrid started out releasing her indie pop on MySpace and found some major success when her song “The Way I Am,” was featured in an Old Navy commercial. It’s a simple and beautiful love song with fun music to match.

If you were falling
Then I would catch you
You need a light
I’d find a match

‘Cause I love the way you say good morning
And you take me the way I am

And “Keep Breathing” is an anthem of mine.

The storm is coming but I don’t mind
People are dying, I close my blinds
All that I know is I’m breathing now

I want to change the world, and instead I sleep
I want to believe in more than you and me
But all that I know is I’m breathing
All I can do is keep breathing

Jewel

No one can sing or yodel quite like Jewel. Her song, “You Were Meant for Me,” co-written with Steve Poltz, was one frequently played in my teenage bedroom.

Dreams last for so long
Even after you’re gone
And I know that you love me
And soon you will see
You were meant for me
And I was meant for you

And “Foolish Games” had a different vibe to it but still expressed pain in a way I hadn’t heard before.

Excuse me, think I’ve mistaken you for somebody else
Somebody who gave a damn, somebody more like myself

These foolish games are tearing me
You’re tearing me, you’re tearing me apart
And your thoughtless words are breaking my heart
You’re breaking my heart

Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell is in a class all her own when it comes to folk music. I adore her Christmas love song, “River.”

It’s coming on Christmas
They’re cutting down trees
They’re putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh, I wish I had a river
I could skate away on

And I adore “The Circle Game.”

And the seasons, they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We’re captive on the carousel of time
We can’t return, we can only look
Behind, from where we came
And go round and round and round, in the circle game

Julia Michaels

Julia Michaels is pretty badass with her own releases, but she also writes a ton of material for or with other artists, including Hailee Steinfeld and Taylor Swift. I adore her song “Issues,” co-written with Benjamin Levin, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen and Justin Tranter.

‘Cause I got issues, but you got ’em too
So give ’em all to me, and I’ll give mine to you
Bask in the glory of all our problems
‘Cause we got the kind of love it takes to solve ’em
Yeah, I got issues
And one of them is how bad I need ya

Another great one that’s on my soundtrack for When Does Life Begin? (along with “Issues”) is “What A Time,” co-written with Tranter, Casey Barth, and Riley Knapp, and released as a duet with Niall Horan. It really captures the feelings of the relationship between my characters Lydia and Jason.

I think of that night in the park, it was getting dark
And we stayed up for hours
What a time, what a time, what a time
You clinged to my body like you wanted it forever
What a time, what a time, what a time
For you and I
What a time, what a time
For you and I

Kelly Clarkson

The first winner of American Idol is more than just a woman who can sing; her talent extends to songwriting as well. “Behind These Hazel Eyes,” co-written with Max Martin and Lukasz Gottwald, gave me some Avril Lavigne vibes when I first heard the opening music. It’s interesting because Lavigne was one of the writers for another Clarkson release I like, “Breakaway.”

I told you everything
Opened up and let you in
You made me feel alright for once in my life
Now all that’s left of me
Is what I pretend to be
So together, but so broken up inside

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is a performer and songwriter who likes to push the envelope with her catchy dance-beat songs, which I like as well, but she really shines with her ballads. She co-wrote the hit song, “Shallow” with Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, and Anthony Rossomando for the remake of the movie A Star Is Born, in which she starred in one of the lead roles.

I’m falling
In all the good times, I find myself longing for change
And in the bad times, I fear myself

I’m off the deep end, watch as I dive in
I’ll never meet the ground
Crash through the surface, where they can’t hurt us
We’re far from the shallow now

Another notable one is “Million Reasons,” co-written with Ronson and Hillary Lindsey.

I bow down to pray
I try to make the worst seem better
Lord, show me the way
To cut through all his worn-out leather
I’ve got a hundred million reasons to walk away
But baby, I just need one good one to stay

Lisa Loeb

All it took was hearing Lisa Loeb’s song “Stay (I Missed You)” play at the end of the movie Reality Bites to get me hooked on her music, and I soon knew the song by heart.

And so I, I turned the radio on I turned the radio up
And this woman was singing my song
Lover’s in love and the other’s run away
Lover is crying ’cause the other won’t stay
Some of us hover when we weep for the other
Who was dying since the day they were born
Well, well this is not that
I think that I’m throwing but I’m thrown

Once I bought her CD, I fell in love with another of her songs, “Do You Sleep?” and played it on repeat when I was a teen.

I saw you as you walked across my room
You looked out the window, you looked at the moon
And you sat on the corner of my bed
And you smoked with the ghost in the back of my head
Now I don’t know and I don’t care
If I ever will see you again
I don’t know and I don’t care
If I ever will be there

Megan Davies

I discovered Megan Davies on the Coffeehouse channel on satellite radio during a free trial, and I’m so glad I did. Her song, “Bad Poetry,” co-written with Bonnie Baker and Karen Kosowshi, has become one of my favorites.

We’re not gonna follow
Cause that ain’t our style, no
We find the beauty in the broken
Take another toke and write some bad poetry
We don’t need to pretty up
When we got the good stuff
Just be sittin’ on a couch
You and me hangin’ out, writing bad poetry

Another good original from her is “Walk Away,” co-written with Ben Goldsmith.

You know what, I’ll survive
Take it in stride
Feeling my pride
Pound it in ground
with each step I rise
Standing on your weeds like
Pesticides
Keep my eyes dry

Natalie Merchant

Natalie Merchant started off as lead singer for the band 10,000 Maniacs and later set out on her own. I love her song, “Carnival,” and listened to it a lot when I first started writing my original novel drafts as a teen.

Well, I’ve walked these streets
In a carnival, of sights to see
All the cheap thrill seekers vendors and the dealers
They crowded around me

Have I been blind have I been lost
Inside myself and my own mind
Hypnotized, mesmerized by what my eyes have seen?

I also love her song, “Wonder.”

Doctors have come from distant cities just to see me
Stand over my bed, disbelieving what they’re seeing
They say I must be one of the wonders, God’s own creation
And as far as they see, they can offer no explanation

Newspapers ask intimate questions, want confessions
They reach into my head to steal the glory of my story
They say I must be one of the wonders, God’s own creation
And as far as they see, they can offer no explanation

Pink

Pink is as badass and unapologetic as they come, and I love her voice. “Don’t Let Me Get Me,” co-written with Dallas Austin, is fast-paced and super catchy.

So doctor, doctor, won’t you please prescribe me something?
A day in the life of someone else
Don’t let me get me
Oh, I’m a hazard to myself, yeah
Don’t let me get me
I’m my own worst enemy

“Who Knew,” co-written with Max Martin and Lukasz Gottwald, has a slower pace and lyrics that are just as meaningful.

When someone said count your blessings now
‘Fore they’re long gone
I guess I just didn’t know how
I was all wrong
They knew better, still, you said forever
And ever, who knew?

Sara Bareilles

Sara writes love and heartbreak songs and also has a sitcom on the Peacock/Netflix network called Girls5eva and composed the soundtrack for the film Waitress. “Gravity” holds a special place in my heart because I’ve felt the emotions expressed in the song.

You hold me without touch
You keep me without chains
I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love
And not feel your reign

Set me free, leave me be
I don’t want to fall another moment into your gravity

All I have, all I need

He’s the air I would kill to breathe
Holds my love in his hands
Still, I’m searching for something
Out of breath, I am left hoping someday
I’ll breathe again
I’ll breathe again

Sarah McLachlan

Sarah founded the popular Lilith Fair to celebrate female artists and write beautiful lyrics. I especially love “Possession,” which captured my heart when I first heard it on MTV in 1993 as a 12-year-old.

Listen as the wind blows
From across the great divide
Voices trapped in yearning
Memories trapped in time
The night is my companion
And solitude my guide
Would I spend forever here
And not be satisfied

And later there was “Building a Mystery,” co-written with Pierre Marchland.

You live in a church
Where you sleep with voodoo dolls
And you won’t give up the search
For the ghosts in the halls
You wear sandals in the snow
And a smile that won’t wash away
Can you look out the window
Without your shadow getting in the way?

Sheryl Crow

Sheryl Crow is one of the recent badass inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Her music has a folksy-American-Southern Rock vibe to it and shows up on soundtracks for my novels When Does Life Begin? and Caroline’s Lighthouse.

“I Shall Believe,” co-written with William “Bill” Bottrell.

Even if it’s a lie
Say it will be alright
And I shall believe

I’m broken in two
And I know you’re on to me
That I only come home
When I’m so all alone
But I do believe

“My Favorite Mistake,” co-written with Jeff Trott.

Did you know when you go it’s the perfect ending
To the bad day I was just beginning
When you go, all I know is you’re my favorite mistake

Your friends are sorry for me
They watch you pretend to adore me
But I am no fool to this game

Sia

Oh, Sia Furler. She’s a gifted singer-songwriter known for wearing huge wigs to hide her face during performances. She’s an example of success for someone on the autism spectrum, and I respect her greatly. Check out the lyrics below, and don’t miss “Elastic Heart” and “Numb” for some other great songs.

Her haunting song, “Breathe Me,” co-written with Dan Carey is on the soundtrack for my novels Jordan’s Sister and When Does Life Begin? and is just beautiful from the lyrics to the music.

Hurt myself again today
And, the worst part is there’s no one else to blame

Be my friend, hold me
Wrap me up, enfold me
I am small and needy
Warm me up and breathe me

Sophie B. Hawkins

Known for having music videos banned on MTV for erotic content back in the early 90s, Sophie B. Hawkins has sensual lyrics and lullaby-like compositions. “Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover” I first heard in the background of an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210.

But I really fell in love with her song, “Lose Your Way.”

I have no confidence
And I can’t see why I should
But I could do most anything for you
And you know I would

I try too hard
And then I give up way too easily
I’m the runner-up inside of you
And you’re the winner inside of me

“As I Lay Me Down” probably played a hundred times in my teenage bedroom.

As I lay me down to sleep
This I pray
That you will hold me dear
Though I’m far away
I’ll whisper your name into the sky
And I will wake up happy

Stevie Nicks

There’s no one quite like Stevie. She had a successful solo career and wrote many of the hits for Fleetwood Mac. She’s currently on tour at 75 and just as badass as ever. My favorite song of all time is “Landslide” penned by Nicks. I love her deep, raspy voice and was blessed to see Fleetwood Mac in concert in 2015 and recorded their performance of “Landslide.”

Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changin’ ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

And you can’t go wrong with “Leather and Lace,” which Stevie released as a duet with Don Henley.

Is love so fragile and the heart so hollow?
Shatter with words, impossible to follow
You’re saying I’m fragile, I try not to be
I search only for something I can’t see
I have my own life
And I am stronger than you know

Taylor Swift

Taylor’s known for more than just her singing and songwriting talent. She’s an intelligent businesswoman who’s broken the internet more than once. From her Eras tour ticket sales causing Ticketmaster to crash to all the trending articles about her love life through the years, she’s probably the most famous pop star in 2023 as I write this post.

My favorite song of hers is “The Man,” co-written with Joel Little, which has smart lyrics like:

I’m so sick of running as fast as I can
Wondering if I’d get there quicker
If I was a man
And I’m so sick of them coming at me again
‘Cause if I was a man
Then I’d be the man

And there’s “Anti-Hero” co-written with Jack Antonoff, with its brilliant (and controversial) lyrics:

I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror
It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby
And I’m a monster on the hill
Too big to hang out, slowly lurching toward your favorite city
Pierced through the heart, but never killed

She started out as a teenage country artist before transitioning to pop. I’m not a country music fan, especially  if there’s a lot of twang, but some of Taylor’s songs from her second album cross genres pretty well, like “Love Story” and “You Belong with Me.”  I pretty much like all of her pop songs except “Shake It Off.”

Tracy Chapman

Tracy’s name has been in the press lately as she won a CMA award for song of the year in 2023 when a male country singer, Luke Combs, covered her song (and my favorite) “Fast Car” 35 years after its release. She’s the first Black woman to win that particular award.

You got a fast car
Is it fast enough so we can fly away?
We gotta make a decision
Leave tonight or live and die this way

Another notable song is “Give Me One Reason.”

Give me one reason to stay here
And I’ll turn right back around
Said I don’t want to leave you lonely
You got to make me change my mind

Honorable mentions

There are so many wonderful songwriters that didn’t quite make my top 30. Here they are, also in alphabetical order by their first names. I also want to shout out to Diane Warren, who has written multiple hit songs for other artists but isn’t a performer.

Abra Moore, Adele, Aimee Mann, Alicia Keys, Alison Sudol, Amy Stroup, Amy Winehouse, Anna Clendening
, Ann Wilson, Beyonce, Billie Eilish, Billie Myers, Brynn Elliott, Camila Cabello, Carly Rae Jepsen, Chantal Kreviazuk, Chrissie Hynde, Christine McVie, Colbie Caillat, Courtney Love, Demi Lovato, Des’ree, Dolores O’Riordan, Ellie Goulding, Fergie, Grace Slick, Grace VanderWaal, Gwen Stefani, Halsey, Hayley Williams, Hollyn, Hope Sandoval, Jann Arden, Joan Jett, Joy Oladokun, Julia Stone, Juliana Hatfield, June Carter (Cash), Kate Bush, Katy Perry, Kesha, Lana Del Ray, Lea Andreone, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, Liz Phair, Lizzo, Lorde, Loretta Lynn, Macy Gray, Madonna, Mandy Moore, Mariah Carey
, Meghan Trainor, Melissa Etheridge, Meredith Brooks, Meredith Collins (yes, my daughter), Michelle Branch, Missy Higgins, Natasha Bedingfield, Nelly Furtado, Olivia Rodrigo, Pat Benatar, Patty Griffin, Paula Cole
, Rachel Platten, Ruth B., Sabrina Carpenter, Selena Gomez, Shania Twain, Shawn Colvin, Shirley Manson, Sigrid, Taylor Momsen, Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Tori Amos, Tove Lo, and Vanessa Carlton.

Is there someone I missed?

Is there a female singer-songwriter you love who’s not included in my post? Let me know in the comments so I can check out some more music. Soon, I’ll have my list ready for my favorite male singer-songwriters!

Thanks for reading,
Brandi Easterling Collins

All song lyrics belong to their respective copyright holders. 

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