Genres like punk, ska and metal more often than not have male vocalists, so Lacey Walker always gets really excited when she hears a good female lead singer with an alternative sound. Plus, the entire riot grrrl persona is just so unbelievably badass! Here’s some spiffy background info on some of the coolest bands around, all with women at the helm.

Suburbia – Press Club are from Melbourne, formed in 2017, and are fronted by Natalie Foster. This track is from their album Late Teens, which was first released in May 2018. The line, “I can’t relate to letting all your dreams go to waste,” has since become a personal mantra of mine. Press Club cite bands Husker Du, Sheer Mag, Cloud Nothings, Bully, and Royal Headache as their five biggest influences.

Baby Baby Baby - The Spookshow These Swedish punk rockers only have two albums (not including demos), but both records are packed to the brim with hardcore and extra spooky rock tunes. Baby Baby Baby is from their second album, Psychosexual Chapter 2, a follow up to their first album which is titled – you guessed it – Psychosexual Chapter 1. When these albums were recorded and released, the band was fronted by vocalist Miss Behave, who replaced previous vocalist Laura Weed sometime around 2002.

My Medicine – The Pretty Reckless Lead singer Taylor Momsen’s brutally feminine voice, coupled with heavy drums and ascending four-chord guitar line, make this tune perfectly ideal for head banging. Taylor first rose to fame as a child actress, playing Cindy Lou in the film How the Grinch Stole Christmas and later as Jenny Humphrey on the series Gossip Girl. The Pretty Reckless were created soon after in New York City in 2009. As of 2020, they are the first female-fronted band to have five number one singles on any mainstream rock chart.

Thick lip – White Lung Fronted by Mish Barber-Way, White Lung were formed in Canada in 2006. The band also has a female drummer and female bassist. After releasing their fifth and final album in December 2022, they sadly announced a mutual break up. Thick lip is the perfect backing track for moshing, raging, destroying, and general misbehaving. I first heard the song in the super quirky movie Suburban Gothic, which stars Matthew Gray Gubler and Kat Dennings.

Take Back the Power – The Interrupters These guys are from LA and are fronted by Aimee Allen, better known by her stage name Aimee Interrupter. Her husband Kevin Bivona is the guitarist for the band, and his twin brothers are the bassist and the drummer. I saw them play live when they opened for Green Day on the 2017 Revolution Radio Tour in Brisbane, which was a pretty awesome show.

When I Grow Up – Garbage hails from Madison, Wisconsin and since their launch in 1993 have sold over seventeen million albums worldwide. Vocalist Shirley Manson was recruited after Garbage’s other members said they wanted a female frontwoman with a strong and unique personality, similar other legends like Patti Smith or Siouxsie Sioux. The drummer of Garbage, Butch Vig, is a reputable record producer, having produced albums such as Nirvana’s Nevermind, and The Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream.

Shitlist – L7 is an all-female rock group that first began in sunny LA back in 1985. Their name comes from a slang term for square (the adjective for boring, not the shape.) This song was featured in the movie Natural Born Killers, it plays in the diner when Mickey and Mallory start a fight with the other patrons. I love the brazen lyricism and grungy guitar; it makes me want to simultaneously dance and then also punch things. Fun!

Caltex Cowgirl – Amyl and the Sniffers is another Melbourne band – like Press Club – Amyl and the Sniffers were formed in 2016. Their sound has been compared to hard rock groups from the 1970s like The Damned and The Stooges, although vocalist Amy Taylor cites Minor Threat, AC/DC, Dolly Parton and Cardi B among her biggest influences. Last July, the band opened for Weezer, Fall Out Boy and Green Day on the European leg of the Hella Mega Tour. In April this year, they toured with The Smashing Pumpkins and Jane’s Addiction.

Fear of Dying – Jack Off Jill Fronted by Jessicka Adams, Jack Off Jill first originated in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and were active from 1992 until 2000. They reunited in 2015 to play several shows across the US and the UK, and played their last show ever at London’s Heaven nightclub in October the same year. Fear of Dying is from their second and final album Clear Hearts Grey Flowers, produced by ex-Nine Inch Nails drummer Chris Vrenna. I’m a big fan of the contrast between Adam’s high-pitched vocals and the song’s heavy composition.

Brackish – Kittie Canadian nu/heavy metal band Kittie are one of the most influential all-female alternative bands of the early 2000s. Brackish is from their debut album Spit, released in 1999. Vocalist and guitarist Morgan Lander said the entire album was written when the members were just fourteen years old, after they met in gym class.

Have a listen to the playlist we cooked up here: