By Pedro Tejada


June 16, 2006

In music, certain genres/styles are so unfairly overlooked for the flavor of the month that they never get the recognition they deserve. No one embodies this more than the alternative female.

They're the "weird white chicks" who dare to jump off cliffs musically, using every inch of passion they have in their usually waiflike bodies, and end up getting adored by devout-bordering-on-cult groups of fans.

They also never sell many copies of their amazingly innovative and artistic albums. Here are five who deserve to be acknowledged in modern music history:

5. Sarah McLachlan:
If you still need some help defining what an alternative female in music is, look to the poster girl of the bunch, Sarah McLachlan. She's captivated the alternative pop/rock crowd with her poetically autobiographical lyrics and earthy vocals, and she's the founder of the greatest movement in alternative female history, Lilith Fair. She's also been the soundtrack to yoga addicts worldwide -- how could you not love her for that? Best Work to Date: Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (1994).

4. PJ Harvey:
Polly Jean Harvey has left a pretty enormous dent in the alternative rock universe. Think of every self-proclaimed "riot grrl" since 1992, and no matter who you say, they've all been influenced one way or another by PJ Harvey. She's possibly the most critically praised of this whole bunch, and it's not hard to see why: Her guitar riffs are filled with energy, her phrasing sends shivers down your spine, and we haven't seen as much passion and emotion live or in the studio since Janis Joplin. She's even topped Q Magazine's "100 Women Who Rock the World." Tell me that isn't "greatest" material! BWTD: Rid of Me (1993).

3. Tori Amos:
She's a red-haired "siren" who plays the piano like a madwoman in her brilliant live performances, and she's a prolific one who always keeps us guessing with her quirky and unpredictable albums. And I'm not just saying this because I'm one of her biggest fanatics! She sings about a variety of taboo subjects, such as her personal rape experience (Me and a Gun), closet homosexuality (Riot Poof), and religious devotion (God). Absolutely no one has done more for the alternative female these past 15 years in terms of credibility than Amos, despite several cynical detractors considering her an "oddball" with "little substance." BWTD: Under the Pink (1994).

2. Björk:
Sure, she beat a reporter for welcoming her to Bangkok ... and she wore a swan (yes, a swan) to the Academy Awards in 2001. But put all those infamous stories aside and you'll see Björk for what she really is: a music genius. She still stands as the weirdest yet most unique artist out there, and she's been at this music thing for about two decades. She's been praised for her otherworldly vocal gymnastics, her stylishly eccentric videos, and the unpredictability she evokes in the one thing she loves most: her music. So besides the fashion sense and the temper, Björk is one of the biggest breaths of fresh air in music history. BWTD: Homogenic (1997).

1. Kate Bush:
Take another look at every single woman in this countdown ... take one really good look. In case you didn't know, British rocker Kate Bush has influenced every one of them. She was the first-ever alternative woman in music when she entered the music world from across the pond in 1978 with her debut, The Kick Inside. Even now, Bush stands as the perfect example of what every alternative woman should aspire to be: A super-cool woman with dangerously recognizable vocals who can jump off cliffs musically without showing any sign of slowing down. Although she hasn't sold much in the United States, and she's sometimes known for being weirder than Björk and Tori Amos combined, Bush has influenced most of our favorite artists, everyone from Pat Benatar to Big Boi of Outkast to Coldplay. Kate Bush, I honor you as the greatest alternative woman in music history.

I dunno about Sarah McLachlan. I don't consider her edgy at all. Why not have Dido on the list then?

Sarah McLachlan? Alternative? Elevators are an alternative to stairs, and that's likely where you'd hear her music. So maybe they're right.

sextonseven said:

I know. The guy may as well have included Enya.

I guess I can't fault Sarah's motives for creating the Lilith Fair, but what that tour actually became was kinda lame. I go see women perform live every month, but I would not be caught dead at a Lilith Fair show based on its artist roster.

replace sarah mcstinkeye with letitia sadler of stereolab, and replace p.j. harvey with patti smith (i love polly jean but she wouldn't exist without patti), and maybe we can talk.

¨

What about Tracy Champan or Erikha?
[Edited 6/29/06 7:52am]

grace jones is an alternative to reality!

Anx said:

"Greatest" seems to mean biggest in this case which is why Sarah is on the list unfortunately. And Patti predates the whole alternative thing. It's like calling The Stooges punk. I mean of course they are punk, but they aren't "punk" if what I'm saying makes any sense.

Anx said:

I'd let her pull up to my bumper.

sextonseven said:

madonna is more "alternative" than sarah mcsloblan.

Margo Timmins - Cowboy Junkies
Natalie Merchant

Not sure I would consider either totally alternative, however neither are they what would be considered mainstream.

what is siouxsie sioux? country?

Anx said:

Attitude-wise? Definitely.

Music-wise? The way her music gets people in an uproar sometimes, I may have to say yes to that also.

Anx said:

Siouxsie gets the shaft so often from the media, I don't even question it anymore.

Juliana Hatfield

RipHer2Shreds said:

But isn't the bumper supposed to be...

oh nevermind.

Have fun. Post details here.

anon said:

I know, I know. She's not equipped with a long black limousine.

Kate Bush or Yoko

miguelbulcao said:

if yoko qualifies, so should patti.

Anx said:

Guess also did her pioneering stuff! Dont know alot of her work...What do you recommend?

Where the fuck is Ani Difranco...you don't get more alternative than Ani...


and Eryka Badu?

TheResistor said:

Ani pioneered women labels...Great sense of independence

sextonseven said:

She's the Bob Geldolf of Women concerts!

miguelbulcao said:

she has a great best-of collection called "LAND" that i highly recommend. her first few albums are great, too. "horses", "easter", anything from the '70s or early '80s. i hear good things about her recent stuff too, but i haven't heard any of it.

TheResistor said:

Ani is very alternative, but I don't think she's made as much an impact or sold as many records as the five women listed above.

Erykah Badu is soul, not alternative.

sextonseven said:

Kate Bush predates the alternative movement too.

And my 3 favorite alterna-chicks are here, so I can't complain too much about this list.

Surprised Courtney Love isn't in there somewhere.

sextonseven said:

Erotica and Ray of Light are borderline alternative records too.