Sisters Of The Moon: Goddesses Of Rock In One Playlist

Posted On November 11, 2020

Samantha Colleran, November 2020

A few weeks ago I got a request from my best friend, Jonathan. He texted me these exact words: “Do you wanna get me an early Christmas gift? It’s a simple gift” (to which I responded of course, because I love Jonathan so dearly), and he proceeded to ask me for one of the greatest things anyone as obsessed with music as I am loves to make. “A playlist of all the baddest rock ladies of the 60s-90s. I’m talking Heart, Pat, Blondie, etc”, was Jonathan’s request, he even said he would cave and download Spotify for the occasion. As soon as I heard that request, I was all in. 

A few things you need to create the perfect ladies of rock playlist. First, you must come up with a title that will somehow connect them all. The first thought that passed through my mind was the title of a Fleetwood Mac song titled “Sisters of the Moon”. Stevie has been known to give her closest friends moon pendants, a sign that you’re part of her life forever as a friend and confidant, and the lyric just seemed to work perfectly to unite these women under one title. Next, the cover (if you’re fancy and playlist obsessed like I am). I chose a picture of Stevie on stage in her element that I found while scrolling through Pinterest, because she is my favorite rock goddess (that fact doesn’t need much explaining), and she inspired the title, so it was an obvious choice.  

There are a number of influential women in rock, but since I was given a range spanning over thirty years, I had to stick to it. Looking back to the 60s, you may not think of many women in rock, but a select few stand out. Aretha Franklin with her powerhouse voice and a woman who is seriously overlooked as an iconic staple in the world of rock. You’ll also note that in the late 60s it was none other than Janis, with her gravely vocals that are so easy to recognize, and her carefree personality that made her a rock goddess among a male dominated field. 

We have the women who began their careers in the 60s and bleed into the 70s; the vocals of Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick who fronted the band, the deep lyrics and breathy voice of Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt and her country rock vibes, Cher who had broken away from Sonny and was making it on her own (and is still a revolutionary icon to this day). 

Entering the 70s there are a number of women who made their mark on the rock world. Carole King and Tapestry come to mind immediately. The Runaways with their rebellious sounds and hit “Cherry Bomb” were also contenders to be featured among the “Sisters Of The Moon”. Christine McVie, the unsung hero of Fleetwood Mac and an underrated vocalist also deserved a moment on this playlist. Heart began their career in the mid 70s, continued on into the 80s, and are some of the coolest rocker girls, so they were added without hesitation. 

The 80s bring us the harder rock women, the Lita Fords and the Madonnas who don’t stick to the status quo and broke out onto the rock scene with a bang. We have the badass Pat Benatar, the female-led Joan Jett & The Blackhearts. The softer rock of Stevie Nicks, who had stepped away from the Fleetwood Mac spotlight for a while to focus on her own music. Tina Turner and her powerful music. Melissa Etheridge and her gritty vocals and killer guitar skills who only grew in popularity in the 90s. 

The 90s introduce us to even more resilient and headstrong women. Gwen Stefani and No Doubt were the first 90s group I could think of, especially since Gwen was such an inspiration and an icon to me when I was growing up. Alanis Morissette and Jagged Little Pill was another obvious choice, my mom always talks about how this album was in heavy rotation for her during the time it came out. Shania Twain, although many consider her to be more country, has her rocker moments and can turn anything she touches into musical gold. 

Obviously I couldn’t list every single artist featured on the playlist, that would ruin all the fun of listening and discovering the other artists! There’s over six hours worth of music that you can check out on my Spotify playlist below (or here if the link below doesn’t load)! Let me know your favorite female artists featured on this list, and please let me know if you think I missed anyone!