The world of music has introduced us to many exceptional female singers over the years. Whether you enjoy rock, jazz, soul, country, or modern pop, you’ll easily find a female singer whose voice can evoke deep emotions you may not even realize you have. Given the multitude of outstanding voices and diverse individual preferences, creating a definitive ranking of the greatest female singers of all time is challenging. Nonetheless, we decided to take on the task. We have selected and ranked the top 40 female singers of all time, considering various factors and adding a touch of personal judgment. Take a look at our list below and let us know if you agree or if you think we missed someone.
Do You Agree That These Are the Best Female Musicians of All Time?
Doris Day
A multi-talented woman, Doris Day achieved success in both acting and singing. Les Brown & His Band of Renown was her first musical group. She later went on to record over 650 songs and release over 30 albums as a solo artist. Famous jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald is credited with inspiring Day, and her vocals were so good that legendary American vocalist Andy Williams once referred to Day’s voice as “so fresh you could smell it.”
Doris Day
Joan Baez
Joan Baez was well-known for her poetic and modern folk music, but her songs also contained social critique and political protest themes. She is often described as a folk singer by critics, while other genres including rock, country, jazz, and gospel can also be applied to her work. In the past, Baez worked with other musicians, including Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, The Rolling Stones, Leonard Cohen, and Paul Simon. In the 1960s, she was also among the first to record Bob Dylan’s songs.
Joan Baez
Debbie Harry
Blondie is a new wave band, and Deborah Ann Harry is its lead vocalist, composer, and model. She had a number of professions before making her way in the music business, including waitress, secretary, and playboy bunny. Two years after Harry founded Blondie in 1974, the band’s first record was made available. The band became well-known with their hit song “Heart of Glass.” Following the release of numerous more hit albums, the group broke up, and Harry pursued acting as a solo project. Following their 1997 reunion, Blondie went on global tours and received an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Debbie Harry
Cyndi Lauper
With hits like “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” “Time After Time,” “All Through the Night,” and others, Cyndi Lauper rose to fame in the 1980s. Her four-octave range, vibrant sense of style, and open-minded attitude make her easily recognizable. Lauper sold 20 million singles and 50 million records during her career, releasing 11 albums. Lauper’s humanitarian efforts and support of the LGBT population in the US are well known. In the book Totally Awesome 80s: A Lexicon of the Music, Videos, Movies, TV Shows, Stars, and Trends of that Decadent Decade, Lauper stated, “You always have to remember – no matter what you’re told – that God loves all the flowers, even the wild ones that grow on the side of the highway.”
Cyndi Lauper
Sarah Vaughan
Jazz singer Sarah Vaughan, also known as “The Divine One” and “Sassy,” was the recipient of four Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. She was exposed to music at a young age through her mother’s choir singing and her father’s guitar and piano playing. She used to sneak into nightclubs as a teenager to sing and play the piano. Among Vaughan’s more than fifty studio albums, the most well-known ones are In the Land of Hi-Fi, Crazy & Mixed Up, and At Mister Kelly’s. She was hailed by several critics as “one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century.”
Sarah Vaughan
Sia Furler
Furler, better known by her stage name Sia, pursued a career in a variety of disciplines in addition to singing, such as voice acting, video directing, and songwriting. She began her musical career in her home Australia as an acid jazz vocalist with a band called Crisp. She later relocated to London and New York in an attempt to succeed on her own. Her albums Some People Have Real Problems and We Are Born, which she published after years of hardship, helped her become well-known and one of the most identifiable singers of her generation. Hit songs like “Titanium” for David Guetta, “Diamonds” for Rihanna, and “Wild ones” for Flo Rida are among Sia’s other well-known compositions.
Sia Furler
Norah Jones
The distinctive and poignant sound of Norah Jones’ music is produced by fusing pop, jazz, folk, and blues. She gained recognition as one of the 2000s’ most important artists as a result of this. Because her father was a music producer, Jones was exposed to a variety of musical genres and influences when she was a little girl. She also picked up a variety of instrument playing skills, including saxophone, piano, and guitar. Come Away With Me, her 2002 debut album, went on to sell over 27 million copies and earned her five Grammy Awards. It is still regarded as one of the greatest debut records ever made. Both reviewers and listeners praised her following albums.
Norah Jones
Carole King
Carole King is well-known for both her compositional abilities and her strong voice. She wrote more than 60 hits that topped the UK charts, and 118 of her songs have reached the Billboard Hot 100 list. For later generations, many of these songs became pop standards. In terms of her solo career, she had popularity in the 1970s with recordings featuring just her voice and the piano. King put out 25 albums, the most popular of which was Tapestry, which for over 20 years was the record for the most weeks a female artist spent at the top of the US charts.
Carole King
Sarah McLachlan
Born and raised in Canada, Sarah McLachlan first became interested in music as a young child, taking lessons in voice, classical piano, and guitar. She is well-known for her heartfelt love ballads and distinctive mezzo-soprano vocal range. The Lilith Fair music festival, which supported female musicians from around the globe and increased awareness for women’s rights, was one of McLachlan’s most well-known musical endeavors. Tens of millions of dollars were raised for the festival and donated to charitable causes. McLachlan has received three Grammy awards and recorded nine studio albums, the most well-known of which being Surfacing.
Sarah McLachlan
Gladys Knight
American businesswoman, singer, actor, and novelist known as the “Empress of Soul” Gladys Knight & the Pips, a band she founded with family and friends, is most known for the popular songs they recorded. During her career, she was able to win seven Grammy Awards: three with her band and four on her own. “I’ve spent all of my life trying to get people to feel a passion for what I do,” she once stated. Knight owns “Gladys Knight & Ron Winans’ Chicken & Waffles” in Atlanta. Some of his well-known tunes are “Midnight Train to Georgia” and “That’s What Friends Are For.”
Gladys Knight
Cher
Known as the “Goddess of Pop,” Cher is a globally renowned female vocalist who has achieved success in acting. She is frequently referred to as a strong female leader in a field where men predominate. Cher sings contralto, which is a very distinctive voice. Cher first became well-known for her work hosting her ex-husband’s television program, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. After that, she gave acting a go and starred in films such Moonstruck, Silkwood, Mask, The Witches of Eastwick, and others for which she won an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Cher
Ariana Grande
Before becoming well-known as a cast member of Nickelodeon’s Victorious, Ariana Grande began her career in 2008 on Broadway. 2014 saw the release of her debut album, which featured parts of EDM electronic music infused with an R&B vibe. Grande is well-known for her four-octave soprano voice, which may also be included in the whistle register. Some of the successes that propelled her to prominence in contemporary music are “Problem,” “Love Me Harder,” “thank u, next,” and “Bang Bang.” She is frequently likened to Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey due to her vocal prowess. She is regarded by critics as one of “pop’s most intriguing and gifted singers.”
Ariana Grande
Diana Ross
Mostly recognized for her work on popular songs like “Love Child,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” “Where Did Our Love Go,” and numerous more, Diana Ross was a member of the singing group the Supremes. In 2012, Ross was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She also had a prosperous solo career, producing most of her hits, including the well-known songs “Upside Down” and “I’m Coming Out.” In 1976, Billboard named her the “female entertainer of the century,” an honor she also held. Beyoncé, Madonna, and Michael Jackson, three of the biggest pop performers in the world, all mentioned Ross as a major influence.
Diana Ross
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson won the inaugural season of the reality singing competition American Idol, which gave her the chance to make her debut album. “A Moment Like This,” the lead single from her successful debut album, went on to become the US’s best-selling single in 2002. Clarkson’s soprano voice is characterized by a whistle register, which means she can reach one of the highest tones that a human voice can make. Some critics and fellow musicians even said that she has the “best voice in the history of pop music.” Her 2004 follow-up album Breakaway gave her even more exposure, winning two Grammy Awards and featuring her most recognizable hits, “Because of You” and “Since You’ve Been Gone.”
Kelly Clarkson
Ann Wilson
Because of her powerful soprano, Heart’s lead vocalist Ann Wilson became one of the most well-known female rock/metal vocalists. Wilson, a California native, formed Heart in 1970 with her younger sister Nancy. The trio was elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after recording 16 albums to date and selling over 35 million copies. In addition to her work with Heart, Wilson had a successful solo career and a number of side projects.
Ann Wilson
Dolly Parton
Songwriting with other musicians was how legendary country singer Dolly Parton initially gained recognition in the music industry. She ultimately made the decision to utilize her songwriting skills for herself, which helped her become one of the most well-known female singers in music history. Parton experienced ups and downs in her career, achieving hits during the ’70s and ’80s but enduring a low point in ’90s when her records didn’t sell well. She has been able to revive her career and achieve ongoing success in recent years. A lesser known fact about Parton is that she is the songwriter of the song “I Will Always Love You” sung by Whitney Huston.
Dolly Parton
Judy Garland
Judy Garland may be better recognized to a wider audience as actress because to her classic depiction of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, but Garland was also an outstanding music artist and dancer. She has a vocal range of a contralto, with her voice being described as “brassy” and “powerful.” Garland was also noted for her joyous performances and ability to sing soul, blues, and jazz. The most astounding thing is that she learnt all the skills of the trade by herself. “Nobody ever taught me what to do onstage,” Garland stated in one interview. Over the course of her music career, Garland recorded seven studio albums and 67 singles.
Judy Garland
Shania Twain
Born and bred in Canada, Shania Twain is renowned in music circles and among fans as “Queen of Country Pop.” She came to popularity with her album “The Woman in Me,” which brought her worldwide fame and earned her a Grammy Award. Her 1997’s album Come Over became the best-selling country album of all time with hits like “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!,” “From This Moment On,” and “You’re Still the One.” “Country music is still your grandpa’s music, but it’s also your daughter’s music. It’s getting bigger and better all the time, and I’m glad to be a part of it,” Twain explained her devotion to country music. Twain had a long-term vacation from music after 2002 but returned in 2017 with a new album. She is now touring the world and has a Las Vegas residency.
Shania Twain
Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin was undoubtedly the most famous female rock artist of her time. She rose to stardom by playing at the Monterey Pop Festival, where she was the singer of a psychedelic rock band named Big Brother and the Holding Company. with two albums with them, she chose to launch a solo career, which acquired traction with her performance at the legendary Woodstock festival. She released three albums, with a fourth being published shortly after her death in 1970. Some of Joplin’s biggest songs include “Cry Baby,” “Ball and Chain,” “Summertime,” and “Down on Me.” “Janis put herself out there completely, and her voice was not only strong and soulful, it was painfully and beautifully real,” Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks remarked about Joplin.
Janis Joplin
Nina Simone
You may say that Nina Simone started her music career out of necessity. Although she intended to be a concert pianist, she was obliged to play a piano and sing in night clubs to earn for a living. This, however, helped her earn a record agreement and become one of the most loved female music artists of all time. Simone made more than 30 studio and live albums, while establishing herself as one of the most influential performers in the 20th century. She has the capacity to “belt barroom blues, croon cabaret and explore jazz — sometimes all on a single record,” while also being considered as “improvisational genius.”
Nina Simone
Lady Gaga
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, best known as Lady Gaga, is one of the most famous modern pop musicians. Gaga’s music career is distinguished by controversial and unusual work and unique visual appearance and performance. Gaga started her career by singing and playing guitar in small bars in New York before attaining worldwide success with singles like “Just Dance” and “Poker Face.” She is also known for her cooperation with many prominent artists including Beyoncé and Tony Bennett. Gaga is continually redefining herself and her music style, which splits the critics. Some music critics dubbed her tracks “depthless” while others say that her works are “moving and grooving at an almost effortless pace.”
Lady Gaga
Etta James
Etta James is a legend of soul, jazz, and blues music. Her fame peaked during the ’50s when she released hits like “The Wallflower,” “Tell Mama,” “Something’s Got a Hold on Me,” “I’d Rather Go Blind,” and “At Last.” James was initially an R&B and doo-wop singer early in her career but later shifted to contemporary pop before establishing herself as a soul and jazz icon in later years. She’s also frequently acknowledged for “bridging the gap between” rock and roll and rhythm and blues. James’s career was put on pause for a long time because of her personal issues. Due to her personal problems, James’ career was on hold for many years. She made a comeback during the late ’80s with the album Seven Year Itch. She won six Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
Etta James
Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse’s blending of modern music styles with elements of jazz, blues, and soul has a lasting impression on contemporary music. Her distinctive deep and emotive contralto voice made her well-known. During her career, she managed to make two albums, Frank and Back to Black, making her the first British woman to win five Grammy Awards. She received accolades from many other musicians, with famed singer Bob Dylan calling her “the last real individualist around.” Her greatest singles include “Love is Losing Game,” “Rehab,” “Stronger Than Me,” and “Back to Black.”
Amy Winehouse
Patsy Cline
Counted among the first musicians to successfully transcend genres was Patsy Cline. Prior to switching to pop, Cline sang country music in the early years of her career. Regarded as one of the most significant performers of the 20th century, Cline served as an influence to several musicians across a wide range of genres. A Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Cline posthumously. Her notable works include “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “She’s Got You,” “When I Get Through with You,” and “Crazy.” She was particularly praised for her “emotional expression and delivery of lyrics,” and her voice was described as “haunting,” “powerful,” and “emotional.”
Patsy Cline
Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys is a pianist with classical training who began writing her own songs at the age of 12. At the age of 15, Columbia Records signed her. With the global smash “Fallin,” from her debut album Songs in A Minor, she sold 16 million copies and won a Grammy Award. She put out three additional critically lauded albums between 2003 and 2007, with songs like “You Don’t Know My Name,” “Diary,” “If I Ain’t Got You,” and “No One.” Keys is one of the most acclaimed music acts of her generation, with various media outlets calling her “Queen of R&B.” Her works are described as being “ushered in a marriage between classical and soul music,” while she is also praised for expressive vocals and emotional delivery.
Alicia Keys
Donna Summer
Many people view Donna Summer, whose full name is LaDonna Adrian Gaines, as a symbol of the disco period of music. She became the first artist in history to have two double albums in a row debut at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 list. Over the course of his career, she also reached the top 42 times on the US Billboard Hot 100. Even though Summer passed away in 2012, her influence may still be felt on dance floors everywhere. “Love to Love You Baby,” “I Feel Love,” “Hot Stuff,” “On the Radio,” and numerous other songs are among her greatest hits.
Donna Summer
Joni Mitchell
Mitchell, who likes to experiment with numerous genres, combines pop, rock, jazz, and folk influences in his work. She is well known for penning songs that express her feelings about love, politics, society, and love itself. With her uncommon ability to transition from mezzo-soprano to wide-ranging contralto, Mitchell possesses a powerful voice. Mitchell impacted many great female singers, including Madonna, who reportedly said: “I would have to say of all the women I’ve heard, she had the most profound effect on me from a lyrical point of view.” Some of her most well-known singles are “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Woodstock,” and “Help Me.”
Joni Mitchell
Billie Holiday
Producer John Hammond noticed Billie Holiday when she was performing in Harlem nightclubs, and he assisted her in recording her initial song. Holiday experienced great popularity in the 1930s and 1940s, but because of a number of personal problems, her latter works were not as well accepted. Throughout her career, Holiday had multiple hits, with “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” emerging as a jazz standard. Her extraordinary voice and improvisational abilities more than compensated for her lack of formal musical training. It was once stated by her that “her voice should sound like an instrument.”
Billie Holiday
Julie Andrews
Look no farther than Dame Julie Andrews to witness the epitome of multitalentedness. She is a well-known novelist, an Academy Award-winning actress, and a successful singer. In addition to Broadway musicals, Andrews sang contemporary music and performed voice acting. Her roles in productions such as My Fair Lady and Camelot earned her the moniker “Britain’s Youngest Prima Donna.” Although Andrews can sing opera, she avoided doing so because she preferred to perform “bright and sunny” music. She is a classically trained soprano with a voice that has been described as “pure and clean.”
Julie Andrews
Tina Turner
All you need to know about Tina is that she is the “Queen of Rock and Roll.” Turner became well-known when she performed with her ex-husband in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Following their breakup, she embarked on a solo career and achieved even greater success. She was able to earn 12 Grammy Awards over her career, including a Life Achievement Award. Turner is well-known for her upbeat performance style, strong voice, and distinctive appearance. Some of her greatest songs are “Nutbush City Limits,” “Let’s Stay Together,” “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” and “Private Dancer.” She has been in semi-retirement for the past ten years because she wants this to be how everyone remembers her.
Tina Turner
Karen Carpenter
American singer and percussionist Karen Carpenter was born in New Haven, Connecticut. She is best known for her work with her brother Richard in the duet The Carpenters. She also had a brief solo career; however, until 1996, her solo compositions were never published. Carpenter was well-known for her beautiful drumming and contralto vocal style, which made many of her peers respect her. Paul McCartney, a renowned musician, has referred to her as having “the best female voice in the world: melodic, tuneful and distinctive.”
Karen Carpenter
Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera was born and raised in New York and rose to fame on television before pursuing a career in music. She released her debut album as a teenager along with the hit song “Genie in a Bottle,” which shot her to international stardom and topped charts everywhere. When Aguilera released the album Stripped in 2002, it caused a stir because it dealt with sensitive subjects and deviated from her stereotypical “good girl” persona. The album’s standout track is the inspiring ballad “Beautiful,” which went on to become an LGBT community anthem. Later in her career, Aguilera took more experiments, adopting jazz and blues music and releasing songs like “Ain’t No Other Man,” “Candy Man,” and “Hurt.”
Christina Aguilera
Barbra Streisand
Born and bred in Brooklyn, Barbra Streisand was brought up by her mother, a former soprano singer. She assisted Streisand in taking her first steps in music and laid the groundwork for her illustrious career. In her career, she put out 36 studio albums, becoming one of the best-selling female musicians of all time, and received ten Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement award. Known for her pop vocals, Streisand’s strength and quality led to her voice being referred to as “semi-operatic.” In addition, she was successful as an actor and filmmaker. Many people are unaware that she not only composed the music for the third version of the film A Star is Born, but also starred in it.
Barbra Streisand
Ella Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald, who was also known as Lady Ella, was praised for her exceptional improvisational skills, diction, intonation, and purity in jazz vocals. She was essentially the jazz performance queen. Fitzgerald received 14 Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom during her career. She frequently worked with musicians such as Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, which led to the critically acclaimed studio and live performance partnerships on songs like “Cheek to Cheek,” “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”
Ella Fitzgerald
Adele
Adele, who was born in London, began to sing and play the guitar when she was a teenager and would often perform in city parks with her friends. 2008 saw the release of her debut album 19, which was well-received both critically and commercially. Three years later, the follow-up, 21 came out and made Adele one of the biggest stars in the music industry. In addition to winning her six Grammy awards, the album shattered a number of records. Among the most well-known songs she has ever released are “Someone Like You,” “Rolling In The Deep,” and “Set Fire To The Rain.” Adele’s music is often described as a mixture of pop and soul, but also contains influences from folk and country music. She has a mezzo-soprano and was initially more acclaimed by the critics for her voice than her songwriting skills.
Adele
Lauryn Hill
Before we continue with our list, there are a few vocalists we simply had to mention. We know you’re eager to see who made it to the top. Although they aren’t in the top 40, they are really near the top. Lauryn Hill, a singer, songwriter, and rapper, is up first. In addition to being one of the most important vocalists of her generation, she is frequently considered as one of the finest rappers of all time. She rose to fame in the 1990s with The Fugees, and she won numerous accolades from critics for her solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
Lauryn Hill
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield, well known for her hits “I Only Want to Be With You” and “Son of a Preacher Man,” shaped the careers of many incredible vocalists, including Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse, and Duffy. Springfield has been admitted to the U.S. Award, the UK Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2008, Dusty ranked No. 35 in Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time.”
Dusty Springfield
P!nk
Although her vocals may not be her most well-known attribute, you can tell if you listen closely to her songs that P!nk has a lovely, raspy voice with a good range. In the United States, her debut studio album Can’t Take Me Home was certified double platinum, and she was further recognized when the Moulin Rouge released the joint hit “Lady Marmalade”! music video.
P!nk
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” chills our bones just thinking about it. Although her voice has captured our hearts, Raitt acknowledged that “for many years, I couldn’t stand listening to my own voice. Not enough gravitas or experience to convey the depth of emotion I wanted to express.” Although she is undoubtedly one of the greatest vocalists of all time, she is unsure of what it is about her voice that makes it so amazing. “I’ve never been one to think about how to sing,” Raitt adds. “Once I start, I’m just living it.”
Bonnie Raitt