The road hasn’t always been easy, but these women of classic rock are very familiar with the phrase “improvise and overcome.” Some of the biggest voices in the world of rock of the last 50 years+, these women are truly rock queens.

Celebrating the Women of Classic Rock

Pat Benatar is definitely one of our women of classic rock. When she was finally nominated for the Rock Hall in 2020, there was a big voice shouting, “It’s about time!” (that voice might have been mine) When Pat didn’t make the class in 2020, I about lost my mind. Two years later i saw justice for Pat Benatar. Not only is she a talented artist and singer, she is a cultural icon of the ’80s and a definite rock queen.

Tom Weschler

Two Powerhouse Women in One Band

Two easy examples are Fleetwood Mac and Heart. Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie both brought so much to the table in Fleetwood Mac. Both having amazing voices and songwriting skills, yet styles that were very much their own. The Wilson sisters are warriors. They were a stand out band from the get-go.

Credit: Express Newspapers / Gettyimages

Here’s a quick look at our rock queens and some of the music that makes them legends..

Rock Queens: The Women of Classic Rock

• Stevie Nicks

  Stevie Nicks is one of the most respected singer-songwriters of the classic rock era. To boot, her live shows are top-shelf for her abilities to sing and story-tell. She is a two-time member of the Rock Hall. She was inducted in 1998 with Fleetwood Mac and in 2019 as a solo artist. Stevie wrote and sings lead on Fleetwood Mac’s biggest hit and only number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, “Dreams.” 

• Pat Benatar

  Pat Benatar won four consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance from 1980 to 1983. That was (and is) unheard of. Pat Benatar was the first female artist played on MTV with her song, “You Better Run.” Pat Benatar is a rock queen icon. She has a 5 octave range. Pat is a classical trained opera singer. Before she hit it big, Pat worked as a singing waitress. She was inducted into the Rock Hall in 2022.

• Ann and Nancy Wilson

  The Wilson sisters are at their best when they’re together. Growing up, they provided me with an amazing example of what women in rock can do. Heart has had hit songs over the course of FOUR decades and sold more than 35 million albums worldwide. They were inducted into the Rock Hall in 2013. There’s a clear difference in the style of the band in the ’80s versus the ’70s… understandable since the bands were completely different. Ann and Nancy Wilson are the only two original members that are still in the band.

• Joan Jett

  Joan Jett wasn’t looked at as the premiere talent in when she was in The Runaways. In fact, Joan brought the song “I Love Rock and Roll” to The Runaways and they decided to pass. Worked out for Joan, but that doesn’t mean she had it easy.  Joan’s first solo album was rejected by 23 labels, so she co-founded her own label with Kenny Laguna. Joan has won the Icon Award and the Golden God Award (how badass is that?) and Joan Jett and the The Blackhearts were inducted into the Rock Hall in 2015. Joan co-wrote the song “Bad Reputation” about her reputation as a wild woman during her time in The Runaways.

• Debbie Harry

  In a 2014 interview with the Independent, Debbie Harry talked about her parents telling her she was adopted when she was four years old, “They explained it to me in a really nice way. It made me feel quite special somehow. I sometimes attribute my, uh, adventurous nature to that … I have an open mind about things. It didn’t present me with any borders.” She received the Godlike Genius Award from NME that same year.  Blondie’s “Rapture” was the first song that featured rap lyrics to go to number one. It was also the first video to contain rap lyrics on MTV.

• Chrissie Hynde

  Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders is not afraid to do whatever to get to her goals. Chrissie tried to convince the Sex Pistols’ Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious to marry her so she could get a UK work visa. They both declined. On top of her musical talents, Chrissie also paints portraits, landscapes, and abstracts. She attended Kent State University’s Art School for three years. While she was at Kent State, she joined a band that included Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo). Sadly, she was also on campus the day of the Kent State shootings. The boyfriend of one of Chrissie’s friends was one of the four victims.

• Janis Joplin

  Janis Joplin was a creative force of nature. Janis called off her wedding to join Big Brother in 1966.  Rumor has it that Jim Morrison was in love with Janis, but she wasn’t into it. The last piece of music she ever recorded was a birthday greeting for John Lennon titled Happy Birthday, John (Happy Trails), which he received after her death. The song “Piece of My Heart” was written by Bert Berns and Jerry Ragovoy. Erma Franklin first recorded the song in 1967.  It reached number 10 on the RB chart.

   

   

• Christine McVie

  Born Christine Perfect, She took the name McVie when she married John. Christine was not an original member of Fleetwood Mac but she wrote or co-wrote more songs than any other band member… a total of 49. Christine was awarded the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors’ Gold Badge of Merit.

  She wrote her song “Songbird” in half an hour after waking up at 3 AM unable to sleep. The song was recorded at the University of California’s Zellerbach Auditorium, not in a studio… it’s part of what gives the softer edges to the song.

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