Are These the 10 Most Talented Women in Rock 'n' Roll History?

In response to the question “Who Are the Coolest Women of Rock?” posed in November last year:

Reformed Trombonist:

“I don’t think Karen Carpenter passes the ‘rocker’ test, but she’s my pick anyway.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPkTGm4RtVM

Lord Whorfin:

“Coolest woman of rock?? I’ll go with Joan Jett, simply for her name, with Debbie Harry close second.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4nWy8pmIM4

DanielT1022 :

“Really loved the Wilson sisters band. Esplanade, Boston , 1977. GREAT show. Great band , and Heart covered Page/Plant songs so well they were nicknamed “Little Led Zeppelin”.
Fleetwood Mac too. Although I still think Christine McVie had the “better” voice. Stevie Nicks had the sultry voice. Hottest women on the planet 1976-77
Emmylou Harris from that era, and beyond…….
Chrissie Hynde is number one in my poll. A woman has never rocked harder, or sung a ballad more beautifully , than Chrissie Hynde.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpyai-X3BgA

DiscoJer:

“Could never stand them or Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks either.

Pat Benatar OTOH I liked right away. And not really rock (at least by the time I liked them), Blondie and Deborah Harry.”

Jmarie:

“I was never really a big Heart fan. I just didn’t care for their voices or their songs. Chrissie Hynde, Annie Lennox, Stevie Nicks and Pat Benatar were more my speed. Later on Melissa Etheridge. Saw her in the late 80’s and she was phenomenal.”

******

Editor’s Note: Over the spring and summer of 2014 we experimented with the PJ Lifestyle Music at Midnight feature, highlighting reader suggestions for great songs worth featuring. One contributor’s infectious enthusiasm and good nature won us over. He’s since expanded his music recommendations to a series of list-article-mix tapes. Now in this daily feature we’re going to start drawing from his lists (and growing an archive of them) to discuss the songs and artists included.

Updated plan for 2015: the songs from Allston’s lists will each serve as the basis for musical debates. Just as in the morning we’ll weigh one classical composer against another, in the afteroon we’ll do the same with the 20th century’s rock ‘n’ roll and other popular music genres. From now on, each Rock-Out will feature at least 2 tracks (often more!) pitted head-to-head with with encouragement for dialogue about them. Each afternoon weigh in on behalf of your favorite artists, bands, and songs. Also offer your own suggestions for who should be featured next and what mix-tape lists you want to see next in Allston’s fun series. Who should be included next? What ideas do you have for music or other culture or lifestyle ideas you’d like to see discussed at PJ Lifestyle? Get in touch DaveSwindlePJM AT gmail.com or @DaveSwindle on Twitter.

Here’s Allston’s archive so far, but he’s got more list-mix-tapes in the works: