5 Female Artists Who Changed the Male-Dominated Music Industry

Women have long been at the root of a lot of the change that we have seen take place in society. Their applaudable efforts have opened doors in categories such as politics, criminal justice and sports. Even more impressively, women have phenomenally changed the category of music. In what has historically reigned as a male-dominated field, women have come to showcase their musical talents, breaking records and changing standards worldwide. Without the talents of some of these women, music would not be what it is today.

Billie Holiday

open.spotify.com

Born Eleanora Fagan in 1915, Billie Holliday’s distinctive style changed music forever. Her outstanding vocals and long-lived career made her one of the best women to ever grace the jazz genre of music.

TLC

dazed digital.com

Soul-filled vocals weren’t the only talent that the women of TLC brought to the table during the height of their career. Chilli, T-Boz and Left Eye kicked off a baggy, branded tomboy style that led to a fashion legacy that can still be seen in today’s R&B stars.

Dolly Parton

tasteofcountry.com

With more than 100 million albums sold, there’s no doubt that Dolly Parton changed the face of country music. Having recorded her first song at the age of 13, the country music idol and Tennessee native is just another example of how a woman blew up a male-dominated industry.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

npr.org

During the 1930s and 40s, the Godmother of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Rosetta Tharpe had a considerable influence on popular music—so much of an influence that she inspired some of the greatest men in the Rock ‘n’ Roll genre: Elvis Presley, Little Richard and Chuck Berry.

Sharon “Sha-Rock” Green

psychology today.com

MC Sha-Rock of Funky 4+1 was hip hop’s first female emcee. The “Mother of the Mic” was also the first woman to appear on a national television show –Saturday Night Live for that matter– as a rapper.