I know that many women are feeling incredibly empowered after the beautiful and peaceful Women’s March this month. After centuries of inequality and disrespect, women are praising the feminist efforts that gave us so many things we often take for granted, like the right to vote and access to birth control, while still actively advocating for more equality for everyone in the future generations. With that being said, I will halt my social feminist praise and turn to the musical girl power that has been circulating through the world for decades. I couldn’t help but to start listening to girl power anthems more than usually lately. There is something magical about talented women promoting equality without violence or superior complexes.

The Runaways

What is better than an all-girl, instrument playing, rock band? To answer your question, basically nothing. With hit singles like, “Cherry Bomb,” “Queen of Noise,” and “You Drive Me Wild,” their success skyrocketed and encouraged women of all ages. The affluence of the Runaways helped inspire many successful artists, including The Go-Go’s, The Donna’s, Courtney Love, Taylor Momsen, and so many more! Another amazing girl band, the Bangles even benefited from former the Runaways, Micki Steele!

Heart

Around the same time as the progress of The Runaways, Heart was also making their way to the big stage. Girl power was found within this hard rock and heavy metal band made up of sisters, Ann and Nancy Wilson, through their controversial lyrics and enduring fame. Even their successful hit, “Barracuda,” was a song written about their anger toward their record label after the label produced false rumors of the sisters being incestuous for publicity.

TLC

This American all-girl group, made up of three women from Atlanta, Georgia, made a lasting legacy on girl bands, girl power, and the music industry in general. They built a strong identity in the music world, as well as, describing what it felt like to be a woman in the 1990’s. Influential hits like, “Waterfalls,” “No Scrubs,” and “Unpretty,” hit on social issues like race, beauty standards, women inequality and so much more. TLC has motivated girl bands for years!

The Spice Girls

What’s a girl-powered list without The Spice Girls? “If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends. Make it last forever friendship never ends.” This English pop girl group transformed the world after releasing their first single, “Wannabe.” You can’t leave The Spice Girls off of any girl power list because they are the definition of woman empowerment. They started the girl power global phenomenon and became icons in the 1990’s.

The Dixie Chicks

I think I owe my feminist awakening to the song “Goodbye Earl.” No exaggeration, but that song changed my life. There is girl power and then there is “Goodbye Earl.” Although I don’t believe in murder, this song is the most beautiful example of girl power because women should always be there to help each other when times are hard. We’ve all had our fair share of Earl’s, whether as physically abusive or not, and girl power is all about sticking together. Maybe murder is a little extreme, but it’s all about the sentiment. Right?

Destiny’s Child

I don’t think there is an album that exists that is as powerful as Destiny’s Child, “Survivor.” With hits like “Survivor,” “Independent Woman,” “Emotion,” and even “Bootylicious,” there was no questioning what the theme of this album is. Even after their breakup in 2006, each of the girls went on to create more empowering work with their solo careers. Most notably, Beyoncė, including hit singles from “Single Ladies,” to “Formation.”

Little Mix

The most recent all-girl band that empowers women of all ages is Little Mix. The winner of the eighth season of the UK X Factor, Little Mix, is a dance-pop girl group with influential girl power and record breaking talent. Little Mix is frontline to the newest wave of girl groups, with pop music, flawless choreography, and costume designs. Luckily, Little Mix focuses on inspiring young girls and empowering women all across the world.