80's Female fronted pop rock songs

[Mac_Man_Dan]

sorry if this is rather vague or confusing.
Im after 80's female fronted pop rock songs, but with great guitar riffs and that typical 80's playing if that makes sense.

Those similar or really cheesy etc. I recently found T'pau - China in your hand after years of looking for it, stuff just like that, i dont know what i can look for other then taking complete guesses:shrug:

a few songs i have got that suit me to this

Tpau-China in your hand
Pat Benatar- All Fired up
Evelyn King- Give it up

its thanks to Mac and Stevie 80's stuff that makes me want to listen to more of this stuff...... a bit sad i know:thumbsup:

[Dodfather]

Ooooh, a chance to make a list - love it!

Any kind of soft rock, driving anthems type compilation will have plenty of these type of songs but here are a few that immediately come to mind...

Any song at all by the band Vixen!
Transvision Vamp - Baby, I Don't Care (fronted by Wendy James) - brilliant song!
Heart - If Looks Could Kill, Barracuda (and many others)
Jane Wiedlin - Rush Hour (I suppose more keyboards than guitar though)
Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians - What I Am (not a big rock riff but very nice guitar work)
Deborah Harry - I Want That Man (more keyboards though)
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - I Love Rock 'n' Roll

Loads of others but I seem to be having a bit of a mental block right now... more to follow!

[Mac_Man_Dan]

cheers Dogfather, funny enough, the majority of your list is what i listen to anyway, as great as those all are, those are more on the rock side, i was more after cheesy pop rock(maddona for EG).... alternate to Stevie Nicks's albums etc.... if that makes sense...



but your list has some great stuff on though :), funny enough, i literally found "Transvision Vamp - Baby, I Don't Care" just as i was typing this out last night..was an awesome song....they dont make stuff like that now :(

[Dodfather]

cheers Dogfather, funny enough, the majority of your list is what i listen to anyway, as great as those all are, those are more on the rock side, i was more after cheesy pop rock(maddona for EG).... alternate to Stevie Nicks's albums etc.... if that makes sense...but your list has some great stuff on though :), funny enough, i literally found "Transvision Vamp - Baby, I Don't Care" just as i was typing this out last night..was an awesome song....they dont make stuff like that now :(

Ahhh sorry. I thought you meant rockier stuff. For the more pop side there's loooooads... list to follow!

[cliffdweller]

Heart - Barracuda

I hear you, but that's from the 70's :sorry:

I always thought "If Looks Could Kill" was a great, driving rock song.

I like "Goodbye to You" by Scandal. Patty Smyth could really sing!

[PolishStevieFan]

Great thread:)

On my list there are (except for Stevie of course):

1. Pat Benatar-Hit Me With Your Best Shot
2. Pat Benatar-Hell Is For Children
3. Pat Benatar-All Fired Up
4. Pat Benatar-Anxiety (Get Nervous)
5. Blondie-One Way or Another
6. Blondie-Hang In On The Telephone
7. Kim Carnes-Crazy In The Night
8. Kim Carnes-The Thrill of The Grill
9. Sinead O'Connor-Mandinka
10. Sinead O'Connor-Jump In The River
11. Sinead O'Connor-Jerusalem
12. Linda Ronstadt-How Do I Make You
13. Linda Ronstadt-Get Closer
14. Eurythmics-When Tomarrow Comes
15. Eurythmics-Miracle of Love
16. Diana Ross-Mirror, Mirror (yes, there's a bit of rock edge to it)
17. Diana Ross-Swept Away
18. Edie Brickell-What I Am
19. Edie Brickell-Little Miss S. (love it :))
20. Pat Benatar-Promises In The Dark
21. Pat Benatar-Fire and Ice
22. Pat Benatar-Red Vision
23. Pat Benatar-Cool Zero
24. Janet Jackson-Black Cat
25. Donna Summer-Grand Illusion
26. Donna Summer-Cold Love
27. Patty Smyth-Goodbye To You
28. Patty Smyth-The Warrior
29. Patty Smyth-Say What You Will (beautiful rock ballad)
30. Heart:
-Alone
-The Secret
-There's a Girl
-Who Will You Run To?
-What About Love?
-These Dreams
-Never
31. Cyndi Lauper-Money Changes Everything
32. Cyndi Lauper-Insecurious
33. Blue Angel-Everybody's Got an Angel
34. Martha Davis & The Motels:
-Only The Lonely
-Suddenly Last Summer
-Shame
-Art Fails
-Total Control
-Take The L From The Lover and It's Over (great title, great song)
-Celia
-Kix
35. Kim Wilde-Kids In America
36. Kim Wilde-Chequered Love
37. Kim Wilde-Water on Glass
38. Tina Turner-Private Dancer
39. Tina Turner-Better Be Good To Me
40. Tina Turner-Back Where You Started
41. Tina Turner-One of The Living
42. Tina Turner-The Best
43. Tina Turner-Steamy Windows

[PolishStevieFan]

Other great stuff:
1. Kim Carnes-Hurricane
2. Kim Carnes-The Looker
3. Kim Carnes-Does It Make You Remember?
4. Kim Carnes-Love Me Like You Never Did Before
5. Pat Benatar-La Bel Age
6. Pat Benatar-Temporary Heroes
7. Pat Benatar-Walking On The Underground (love it!)
8. Pat Benatar-7 Rooms of Gloom
9. Bangles-In Your Room
10. Bangles-Set You Free
11. Cher-If I Could Turn Back Time
12. Cher-Just Like Jesse James
13. Laura Branigan-Self Control
14. Laura Branigan-The Lucky One
15. Shakespears Sister-You're History
16. Shakespears Sister-Heroine
17. Bonnie Raitt-Nick of Time

[Dodfather]

I hear you, but that's from the 70's :sorry:

I always thought "If Looks Could Kill" was a great, driving rock song.



D'oh - of course it is! Yeah, If Looks Could Kill is great in the car. That whole album is actually.

Great thread:)

6. Blondie-Hang In On The Telephone
14. Eurythmics-When Tomarrow Comes
24. Janet Jackson-Black Cat
35. Kim Wilde-Kids In America
36. Kim Wilde-Chequered Love
37. Kim Wilde-Water on Glass
38. Tina Turner-Private Dancer
39. Tina Turner-Better Be Good To Me
40. Tina Turner-Back Where You Started


Love all these! Hanging On The Telephone is my favourite Blondie song. It's from the 70s though - Parallel Lines (1978). GREAT call on Janet Jackson, I love the Rhythm Nation album. I'd also suggest Escapade from that album too.

9. Bangles-In Your Room
10. Bangles-Set You Free
11. Cher-If I Could Turn Back Time
12. Cher-Just Like Jesse James
13. Laura Branigan-Self Control
15. Shakespears Sister-You're History




Shakespear;s Sister - yes! You're History is great, also I Don't Care.

[Mac_Man_Dan]

bloody hell!!!!- i best start on going through these when i next get an oppertuntity..thanks very much for the songs, much appreciated :cool:

Dan.

[PolishStevieFan]

Shakespears Sister-Goodbye Cruel World (1992)
Sinead O'Connor-The Emperor's New Clothes (1990)
Patty Smyth-No Mistakes (1991)
Patty Smyth-I Should Be Laughing (1991)
Olivia Newton-John-Twist of Fate
Gloria Estefan-Seal Our Fate (yes, it also has guitar solo:))
Carly Simon-Come Upstairs
Carly Simon-Them
Carly Simon-Take Me As I Am
Carly Simon-Give Me All Night
Amy Grant-Lead Me On
Amy Grant-Saved By Love
Amy Grant-You're Not Alone (after all who said that Contemporary Christian Music can't rock?:))
Amy Grant-Love of Another Kind
Alison Moyet-Ordinary Girl
Pat Benatar-Precious Time (great minute + guitar solo)
Pat Benatar-You Better Run
Pat Benatar-Don't Walk Away
Pat Benatar-Treat Me Right
Pat Benatar-Too Long a Soldier
Pat Benatar-Shadows of The Night
Whitney Houston-So Emotional (everything written by Steinberg/Kelly is great:))
Wilson Phillips-Hold On (1990)
Wilson Phillips-Over and Over (1990)
Wilson Phillips-Reason To Believe (1990)
Wilson Phillips-Impulsive (1990)
Wilson Phillips-The Dream Is Still Alive (1990)
Chryssie Hynde & Pretenders-Brass in Pocket
Chryssie Hynde & Pretenders-Don't Get Me Wrong
Chryssie Hynde & Pretenders-Stop Your Sobbing
Alannah Myles-Black Velvet (1990)
Alannah Myles-Just One Kiss (1990)
Alannah Myles-Kick Start My Heart (1990)
Alannah Myles-Lover Of Mine (1990)
Alannah Myles-Still Got This Thing For You (love it! 1990)
Alannah Myles-Make Me Happy (1992)
Alannah Myles-Tumbleweed (1992)
Linda Ronstadt-Look Out For My Love
Linda Ronstadt-Mad Love
Linda Ronstadt-Girls Talk
Linda Ronstadt-Hurts So Bad
Linda Ronstadt-I Can't Let Go
Cyndi Lauper-I'll Kiss You
Cyndi Lauper-Change of Heart
Cyndi Lauper-One Track Mind
Cyndi Lauper-911 (Grammy nominated Rock song with Pee Wee:))
Cyndi Lauper-Heading West
Roxette-Listen To Your Heart
Roxette-Soul Deep
Roxette-I Call Your Name
Roxette-Joy of a Toy
Roxette-Chances (magnificent :))
Roxette-Shadow of a Doubt
Bette Midler-The Beast of Burden
Chaka Khan-The Other Side of The World
Tracy Chapman-Talkin' Bout a Revolution (more in the vein of folk/rock yet still brilliant)
Tracy Chapman-Fast Car
Tracy Chapman-Why
Dusty Springfield-Wherever Would I Be Without You
Diana Ross-Fool For Your Love
Diana Ross-Love Lies
Diana Ross-Pieces of Ice (Toto's musicians in the background, great song)
Diana Ross-Let's Go Up
Diana Ross-Up Front

[PolishStevieFan]

Good to see that there are fans of Janet's Rhythm Nation! Wonderful, almost landmark album from the 80's.

[Dodfather]

Shakespears Sister-Goodbye Cruel World (1992)
Olivia Newton-John-Twist of Fate
Carly Simon-Give Me All Night
Alison Moyet-Ordinary Girl
Wilson Phillips-Hold On (1990)
Chryssie Hynde & Pretenders-Brass in Pocket
Chryssie Hynde & Pretenders-Don't Get Me Wrong
Chryssie Hynde & Pretenders-Stop Your Sobbing
Alannah Myles-Black Velvet (1990)
Alannah Myles-Kick Start My Heart (1990)
Linda Ronstadt-Hurts So Bad
Linda Ronstadt-I Can't Let Go
Roxette-Listen To Your Heart
Roxette-Soul Deep
Roxette-I Call Your Name
Roxette-Joy of a Toy
Roxette-Chances (magnificent :))
Roxette-Shadow of a Doubt
Tracy Chapman-Talkin' Bout a Revolution (more in the vein of folk/rock yet still brilliant)
Tracy Chapman-Fast Car
Tracy Chapman-Why
Dusty Springfield-Wherever Would I Be Without You


YES to all these!! What a fantastic list. I love Roxette and everything on Tracy Chapma's first couple of albums is great. Dusty's Wherever Would I Be is brilliant oo.

I'll add:

Olivia Newton John - Landslide
Alsion Moyet - Love Ressurection (I love Alsion. Alf and Raindancing are essential 80s albums)
Belinda Carlisle - Leave A Light On (George Harrison guitar solo although I think this was '91)

[Mac_Man_Dan]

wouldnt it be easier just to tun back time and listen to all those occasionally on the radio.. youtube will get some wearing out with all of them haha

on a edit..im at the top of the page "pat B- Hell is for children, i cant progress away from this song, its just pure amazing !!!.....6th time listened now :)

[PolishStevieFan]

"Hell Is For Children" has got a power and great message. I love how it starts as a ballad and then it turns into rock and roll frenzy. The same pattern was utilized in "Promises In The Dark" where Pat shines in all of her rock glory:)

Roxette...brings back my childhood memories. They had a knack for writing beautiful and simple melodies with loads of catchy hooks. Some people complain that they were imitating Heart's 80's big ballad style, but to be honest only "Listen To Your Heart" comes close to this accusation (and does it in a fairly spectacular manner). I remember, when I was young they were my favourite band. I used to possess 15 pirate cassettes (even though at that time they'd released only three studio albums:)) just to have differnet covers. Those were the times...

Alison Moyet-another great but forgotten 80's singer. Her voice is stupendous! You're right, both "Alf" and "Raindancing" are essential but my favourite is "Hoodoo" from 1991-such a great, soul searching record. You've got to try this:)

[Dodfather]

Alison Moyet-another great but forgotten 80's singer. Her voice is stupendous! You're right, both "Alf" and "Raindancing" are essential but my favourite is "Hoodoo" from 1991-such a great, soul searching record. You've got to try this:)

Oh, Hoodoo is a great album. Perhaps the best of her "peak" period albums, although it didn't do too well. I have all her stuff. She's still recording and touring and her last few albums have been excellent - especially Hometime (2002) and The Turn (2007). I saw her live last year and she was incredible. She does a brilliant cover of The Man That Got Away. She's supposed to have a new album out next year with a tour to support it.