If you know me well, you would know that I consider the 90s to be my favorite era of music. I do show love for other era's of music, the 90s brings out a nostalgic feeling for me. What captivates me the most about it are the female singers that shaped the music scene. From songwriters, to all female groups, to one-hit wonders, here are some of my favorite female singers of the 90s. This list is in no particular order.
Sheryl Crow
First comes the woman who helped inspired me to come up with this list. Sheryl defined her career with a mix of country and rock. Her debut, Tuesday Night Music Club, went to number three on the Billboard 200 in 1994, and won her three Grammys with the hit-single "All I Wanna Do". Crow went to a more rock-style in 1996 with her self-titled album that included the hit "If It Makes You Happy". In 1998, Sheryl released The Globe Sessions. Peaking number five on the Billboard 200 and five Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year, it is definitely Sheryl's best album.
Liz Phair Literally so underrated! Exile in Guyville is an album that helped shaped alternative and grunge in the 90s. The lone female in a category dominated by males, Liz definitely shined her with style. Seriously, listen to the album! "Never Said" and "F**k and Run" are my favorites off the album.
Fiona Apple
Ah Fiona! Another addition to the ladies who helped define alternative music. In 1996, Tidal was released and brought Fiona Apple to the public eye. Her true beauty and style was shown in songs like "Criminal" and 'The First Taste". It has sort of a jazzy vibe this album, but still shows signs of the alternative style of the 90s. Her second album When The Pawn... (the title is really long) spawned hits like "Paper Bag" and "Fast As You Can".
Courtney Love
As much as people like to trash her, I think that Courtney Love deserves to be honored for her music. Her music with the band Hole is actually quite good. I would also give a listen to their 1998 album Celebrity Skin is my favorite out of the band. Courtney, keep rocking on!
Alanis Morissette
One album alone was enough to make Canadian singer Alanis Morissette a superstar! Jagged Little Pill was released in 1995 with the release of its first single "You Oughta Know". It showed the darker side to Alanis who, over in Canada, was a teen pop singer. At the age of 21, Alanis became the youngest person to win Album of the Year (a record beaten by Taylor Swift in 2010). With hits like "Ironic", "Head Over Feet", "You Learn", Jagged Little Pill sold more than 33 million copies worldwide. Her follow up, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, released in 1998 had a few hits like "Thank U" and "Unsent", but not as successful as Jagged Little Pill. Still, Alanis remains one of my favorite musicians.
Shania Twain
Like Alanis, Shania was another Canadian singer who dominated the music scene in the 90s. Though she was a mainstay in country with The Woman in Me in 1995, her then producer and now ex-husband, Robert Lange, decided that she should cross over to the pop scene. The answer to that would be Come On Over in 1997. The album produced 12 singles from 1997-2000. It was a huge success in both country and pop charts. With hits that include "You're Still The One", "From This Moment On", "Man! I Feel Like A Woman", and "That Don't Impress Me Much", it became the best selling country album of all time.
Janet Jackson
What would a list be without a member of the Jackson family. The youngest of the prestigious family, Janet started of the 90s with Rhythm Nation 1814, that took elements of new jack swing from the late 80s, and brought it over to the 90s. In 1993, Jackson released janet., and showed a more sexual side to Ms. Jackson. "That's The Way Love Goes" is a true hit for a slow R&B jam, while 'If" is shows off the best of her choreography. In 1998, The Velvet Rope showcased a darker truth to the life that Janet had lived. It was like the 90s Beyoncé. Hits included "Got Til Its Gone" and "Together Again", but the whole album is a classic.
Whitney Houston
The late, great Whitney Houston had a great run in the 1980s. Now it was time to take over the 90s. I'm Your Baby Tonight faired well, but it was her contributions to The Bodyguard soundtrack that made Houston a queen. Her cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" became the most successful single of all time. It also included "I Have Nothing" and "Run To You". She also helped work on the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack. She closed out the 90s with My Love Is Your Love, but Whitney will always be loved and remembered for her booming voice, and her true beauty that made her a star.
Britney Spears
The queen of teen pop helped introduce a new genre of music in the late 90s. Her debut album Baby One More Time, is one of the best selling albums of all time. Today she is now considered a legend. Her career follows suit to another teen pop girl.
Christina Aguilera
Christina's self-titled debut album may have made her a star in the early 2000s, but with "Genie In A Bottle" and "What A Girl Wants", it was enough to put Christina on this list.
Toni Braxton
Toni was another artist who had a successful debut album. Her alto vocal range was a hit in the R&B charts. Her work with Babyface helped launch her career throughout the 90s. "Un-Break My Heart" of her 1996 album Secrets is her best hit to date, along with some of her other hits like "Another Sad Love Song" and "You're Makin Me High".
Selena
Selena has every right to be on this list. Her work in both Spanish and English has made Selena a household name around the world. She will always be remembered for her beautiful singing and dancing. If only she could be around today to share more of what talent she had.
Aaliyah
Yet another artist who left us way too soon to create more wonderful music for us to listen to. Her contribution include her 1994 album Age Ain't Nothing But A Number and her second, and my personal favorite, One in a Million. She was truly ahead of her time and deserves to honored for what she has accomplished in her short, yet successful career.
Spice Girl
This group of lovely Brits set the music scene on fire with their successful debut album Spice. "Wannabe", "Say You'll Be There", and "2 Become 1" are just a few things that the Spice Girls have on their resume to be on this list. Though their careers ended short, people will still go nuts whenever their songs come on.
En Vouge
This group of funky divas started off their run during the early 90s. With songs like "Hold On", "My Lovin (You're Never Gonna Get It)", and "Free Your Mind", this quartet, turn trio have a nice legacy to influence other all female groups like...
Destiny's Child
While En Vouge dominated the early 90s, Destiny's Child took over the late 90s. With their debut album being released in 1998, it was their second album The Writing's On The Wall that included some of their greatest hits like "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name". . Its also nice to Beyoncé in her early days before reaching superstardom.
TLC
Now here is a group that took over all of the 90s. Their hip-hop dominance in Ohh... On The TLC Tip, and their R&B influence of Crazy Sexy Cool and FanMail makes them one of the most successful female groups of all time. Songs like "Waterfalls" and "No Scrubs" are a part of their legacy. Though we will never have a reunion, we always have their music to look back on.
Madonna
Like Whitney Houston, Madonna was another artist who not only dominated the 80s, but the 90s as well. From the beginning of the 90s with "Vogue", her controversial album Erotica, to her greatest work Ray Of Light, Madonna proved that she was capable of conquering any decade that she pleases. She is a force to be reckoned with as one of the many Queens of Pop.
Celine Dion
From the Canada, to France, to the United States, Celine Dion was just one of few artist to release an album during every year of the 90s. Her first English album Unison brought Celine to the scene, and with some success of her self-titled album in 1992. With The Colour of My Love in 1993, that included a cover of “The Power of Love”, gave Celine the number 1 success in the states that she was looking for. Falling Into You, released in 1996, received critical success and a couple of Grammys for Celine with songs like “Because You Loved Me”, “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now”, and “All By Myself”. In 1997, Let’s Talk About Love included the monster hit “My Heart Will Go On” and made Celine a worldwide superstar. In 1999, she went on a brief hiatus and came back in the early 200s. Celine Dion is considered one of the best vocalist of all time, and a legacy that will last a lifetime.
Mariah Carey
Last, but certainly on this list is the queen herself Mariah Carey. Like Celine, she released material throughout the 90s. Her debut album included the hit “Vision of Love” and helped introduce Mariah to the world. Her R&B style, Emotions, in 1991 had some success, but not like her debut. In 1993, Carey’s album Music Box only heighten the success of the woman with a seven octave range with songs like “Dreamlover” and “Hero”. 1995 was probably her best year with Daydream. This album included “One Sweet Day”, a song with Boyz II Men that lasted 16 weeks on top of the Billboard Top 100. It also included the hit “Always Be My Baby”, a go to song that I can always turn to. Butterfly, released in 1997, saw Mariah use more of her lower vocal range, but was still enough to keep Mariah going throughout the rest of the 90s. To this day, Mariah Carey can still put on a show, and can still hit some of the high notes. She is a true work of art.
Well I hope I didn’t bore you! If I missed out on anybody else, please let me know! Happy reading!
