The Best Singers of All Time {Female Category}

The Best Singers of All Time

OpenLife Nigeria, in this report, lists female best singers of all time, using global acceptance parametres. Their voices echo throughout arenas and hearts, staying in the heads for hours, days, years, and sometimes even generations

Doris Day

Beginning her career in 1939 as a big band singer, Doris Day found mainstream success in 1945. Her two big singles “Sentimental Journey” and “My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time” were recorded with Les Brown & His Band of Renown, and spoke to many Americans.

The blonde-haired beauty then left Brown to embark on a solo career, recording more than 650 songs from 1947 to 1967. It was also during this time that Day ended up becoming one of the biggest names in film and was even a top box office earner four times.

Joan Baez

Born in 1941, Joan Chandos Baez grew up to become a singer-songwriter, musician, and activist. She was incredibly popular during the ’60s counterculture era. Although much of her music was associated with folk, it also encompassed rock, pop, country, and gospel.

She also recorded the songs of many of the most popular bands of the day, and was even the first to record Bob Dylan. Internationally celebrated, Baez got her introduction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2017.

Debbie Harry

Born in Miami, Florida, Debbie Harry worked many jobs as a secretary and dancer before finding mainstream success for decades. In 1974, Harry formed the band Blondie and two years later they released their first album. Blondie released many albums throughout the decades.

Most recently, the band’s 2017 album, Pollinator, actually topped number four in the United Kingdom, showing just how big of an impact Harry and Blondie have had.

Cyndi Lauper

With a career spanning over 40 years, it’s safe to say that many have loved the music of Cyndi Lauper. Her first album, She’s So Unusual, was released in 1983 and became the first debut album by a female artist to hit the top five most popular songs on the Billboard Hot 100.

Two years later, Lauper got a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Since then, not only has she won many awards but she’s also sold over 50 million records around the world.

Sarah Vaughan

Sarah Vaughan has gone by many names throughout her career including “The Divine One” and “Sassy.” She got into music from a young age due to the fact that she was raised by two parents who were both very musically inclined.

Her father was a guitar player while her mother preferred singing in the choir. That talent was clearly inherited by their daughter, Sarah, who went on to record over 50 albums and won four Grammy Awards. By the end of her career, she was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Sia Furler

Born in Australia, Sia Furler soon became better known as just Sia. While she’s an undoubtedly talented singer, she’s also a very gifted director, actor, and songwriter. After forming a band called Crisp with a few of her friends, Sia moved from Australia to London before heading to New York in order to try and make it on her own.

She struggled for years before making it big with two major albums. She has since written many popular songs including “Titanium” for David Guetta, “Diamonds” for Rihanna, and “Wild Ones” for Flo Rida.

Norah Jones

Growing up, Norah Jones had been introduced to many different types of music, which no doubt helped to give her the unique sound that she has today. When she was a child, Jones learned to play many different types of instruments including guitar, piano, and saxophone.

In 2002, the brown-eyed bombshell released her debut album, Come Away With Me, which sold over 27 million albums and even won five Grammy Awards. Still, we can’t say that we’re surprised considering that we could sit and listen to that album over and over again — it’s just that good.

Carole King

Carole King is known for many things including her incredibly powerful voice and her talent for writing songs that captivate audiences. We’re not just saying that either — of the innumerable songs that King has written, 118 of them have made it to the Billboard Hot 100.

These songs have arguably become some of the most recognizable for many people across many generations. Her album, Tapestry, held the record for the first place on a U.S. chart, staying there for 20 years.

Sarah McLachlan

Originally from Canada, Sarah McLachlan discovered her love for music as a child and began enrolling in classes for guitar, classical piano, and singing. Her vocal range is undoubtedly one of the most impressive things about her, with an incredible ability to start at mezzo and go all the way up to soprano.

She also fights on behalf of other female artists, hosting the Lilith Fair music festival, which earned tens of millions of dollars all donated to women’s charities.

Gladys Knight

Even people who haven’t listened to Gladys Knight have no doubt heard of her name. She was, after all, known as the “Empress of Soul” during her time performing on stage. Her band, Gladys Knight & the Pipe, was actually started with a few close friends and family members, but ended up being responsible for many of the hits that went on to earn Grammy Awards.

She has also gone into business, opening a chain of restaurants called Gladys Knight & Ron Winans’ Chicken & Waffles.

Cher

It’s tough to say which title is the most impressive when it comes to women in music, but if Cher isn’t the clear winner, then she’s definitely in the running. Her title as the “Goddess of Pop,” is definitely earned after she made a major splash in an industry that is still considered to be very male-dominated.

Not only is she a talented singer, but her ability as an entertainer has even won her an Academy Award for Best Actress.

Patti Smith

While she might not be the biggest household name on this list, Patti Smith certainly put her stamp on the world of music, especially in the ’70s. It was during this time that she became an important figure in the New York City punk movement with her debut record Horses.

Known by many as the “punk poet laureate,” Smith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 and is still performing until this very day.

Chaka Khan

There is no denying that Chaka Khan is one of the most synonymous figures with disco and funk. With a career spanning five decades, Yvette Marie Stevens burst onto the scene as the lead singer of the successful funk band Rufus.

However, her solo career was just as successful, becoming the first R&B singer to have a crossover hit with a rapper, with 1984’s “I Feel for You.” Khan has had a staggering amount of critical and commercial success, selling over 70 million records globally and winning ten Grammy Awards to her name.
Dusty Springfield
One British pop star who made an easy transition to American airwaves was the one and only Dusty Springfield. A prominent figure on the blue-eyed soul scene, Springfield had hits such as “Son of Preacher Man” and “I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself.”

She was also famous for performing in evening gowns and ushering in the Swinging Sixties. After battling cancer on and off for five years, Springfield passed away in 1999. Her music still lives on and has been used in films such as Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction.

Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande didn’t actually start out as a pop star. Her early years were spent on Broadway before she landed a role on the Nickelodeon show, Victorious.

After six years on Broadway, the young star decided to put out an album in 2014, which mixed the sounds of EDM and R&B. This album made her one of the most recognizable voices with songs like “Problem,” “Love Me Harder,” “Thank U, Next,” and “Bang Bang” hitting the top of the charts.

Diana Ross

Diana Ross isn’t just an amazing voice for audiences to listen to. In fact, some of the biggest names in the industry cite her as their main source of inspiration including Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, and Madonna. Ross’ first songs were released with her vocal group The Supremes and included songs like “Love Child,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” “Where Did Our Love Go.”

As a solo artist, many of her songs became major hits such as “Upside Down” and “I’m Coming Out.”

Gloria Estefan

Everything could have gone so terribly wrong for Gloria Estefan early on in her career. The Cuban-American singer fractured her spine after a truck collided into her tour bus in 1990. Amazingly though, Estefan returned to her tour 10 months later after a rapid recovery.

The woman responsible for hits such as “Conga” and “Anything for You” became the first performer to have an album that was certified as Diamond in Spain with 1993’s Mi Tierra. She is believed to have sold over 120 million records worldwide.

Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson is both an incredibly successful singer and the first-ever winner of the reality competitive singing show, American Idol. Being the first winner of the show allowed her the opportunity to record her first album, which became a major success.

In fact, a single from that album, “A Moment Like This” even became the best selling single in the U.S. back in 2002. She didn’t stop there, though. Her two songs, “Because of You” and “Since You’ve Been Gone” have each earned her a Grammy.

Toni Braxton

While she may have been overshadowed slightly by contemporaries such as Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey, there is no denying Toni Braxton’s influence on R&B music. Famous for hits such as “Un-Break My Heart” and “You’re Makin’ Me High/Let it Flow,” Braxton has sold over 67 million records worldwide and has seven Grammy Awards to her name.

Braxton also has success on TV, having starred in reality series Braxton Family Values and also competing in the seventh season of Dancing With the Stars.

Ann Wilson

Ann Wilson — founder and lead singer of Heart — and her younger sister, Nancy, have worked together to produce 16 different albums and sell more than 35 million copies of those incredible albums.

These albums have established Wilson as an incredible rock and metal singer so much so that she was even inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In her own words, “Artists make art. Singers sing. Players play. Gypsies travel. Music lights fires everywhere. It’s like oxygen!”

Freda Payne

It’s amazing to think that Freda Payne was never signed to Motown. The talented singer is most famous for hit singles such as “Band of Gold” and “The Unhooked Generation.” It seems like singing ran in the family as Payne’s younger sister Scherrie was a member of The Supremes, along with Diana Ross.

Freda Payne has also had some experience as an actress, appearing in movies such as Nutty Professor II: The Klumps and Ella: First Lady of Song. She still performs until this very day.

Kate Bush

Born Catherine Bush, Kate is a record-breaking English singer, songwriter, and performer, who in 1978, topped the UK Singles Chart with her debut self-written single at just 19 years old.

With the success of her song “Wuthering Heights”, she became the first female UK artist to achieve a number one hit for her own song. Since then, Bush has had 25 Top 40 singles in the UK, including hits like “Running Up That Hill” and “Don’t Give Up.”

Bonnie Tyler

Bonnie is a Welsh singer who is renowned for her unique husky voice. She rose to fame with her initial album in 1977, which had hits on it like “Lost in France” and “More Than a Lover.”

Then, in 1978, her song “It’s a Heartache” made it to number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the UK singles chart. In the 1980s, she began to produce rock hits like her mega-successful song “Total Eclipse of the Heart”.

Sade

Born Helen Folasade Abu, Sade is a British singer and actress, who is known as one of the most influential British female artists in history for her great impact on contemporary music. Sade was the lead singer in her eponymous band.

Her debut album Diamond Life, released in 1984, become one of the greatest of that era. In 1985, she was one of the singers who performed at the renowned Live Aid Charity Concert. By 2002, she won the award of the OBE, for her dedication to music.

Minnie Julia Riperton Rudolph

Minnie was an American singer-songwriter, known in the media as the “Queen of The Whistle Register” because of her five-octave coloratura soprano singing range.

In April of 1975, Minnie released her hit song entitled “Loving You” which aided her rise to fame. The song came from her 1974 gold album, Perfect Angel. Unfortunately, she passed away at age 31.

Grace Barnett Wing

Better known as Grace Slick, Wing was a prominent singer in San Fransico’s psychedelic music scene in the mid-1960s. The now-retired singer-songwriter had a four-decade-long music career, performing with legends like Jefferson Airplane, The Great Society, and Jefferson Starship.

Her songwriting skills produced some of the most well-known songs in music history, including “Somebody to Love”, “White Rabbit”, “We Built This City” and lastly, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.” She was also known by the names of “Gracie,” and “The Chrome Nun.”

Kim Carnes

Known for her raspy vocal ability with similarities to Rod Stewart, Kim Carnes rose to fame in 1980 after being commissioned by Kenny Rogers to co-write his album, Gideon. Their duet together entitled “Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer” hit number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and landed the pair a Grammy nomination.

Later, Carnes released the album Mistaken Identity, which featured the major hit “Bette Davis Eyes.” The song became the US’s best-selling single that year and scored Carnes a Grammy Award for Record of the Year.

Alanis Morissette

Known as the “Queen of Alt-Rock Angst” by Rolling Stones, Alanis has sold over 75 million records globally. The Canadian-American singer-songwriter and record producer is known in the music industry for her distinct mezzo-soprano vocals.

In 1995, she released her most notable and rock-related album entitled Jagged Little Pill, which sold over 33 million copies worldwide. The album was made into a rock musical in 2017, which scored over 15 Tony nominations, including Best Musical.

Sophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor

Sophie is an English singer-songwriter and model who rose to fame in the 1990s, as the lead singer of the Britpop and indie rock band Theaudience. After the band split up, Ellis-Bextor achieved solo success with her songs that combined mainstream pop and disco with 1980s electronic music.

Her debut solo album in 2001 entitled Read My Lips reached number two on the UK Albums Charts and received double-platinum status. Her second album in 2007 reached number seven in the UK.

Kylie Ann Minogue

Known to the public as just Kylie, Minogue is an Australian singer-songwriter, actress, record producer, and TV judge. She is also referred to by the European media as the “Princess of Pop” for her constant reinvention in fashion and music.

Minogue is the highest-selling female Australian artist in history, having sold more than 70 million records globally. She has also won many music awards including a Grammy, three Brit Awards, and 17 ARIA Music accolades.

Britney Spears

Spears is referred to in the US as the “Princess of Pop” due to her influential teen pop music in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The singer-songwriter and dancer had two of the best-selling albums of all time, entitled Baby One More Time (1999) and Oops!… I Did It Again (2000) which were certified diamond status and made her the best-selling teenage artist ever.

Rolling Stone named her debut track the greatest single of all time in 2020 and her second album held a 15-year record for selling over one million copies within its first week.

Paula Abdul

Abdul is a renowned American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress, and TV personality. She rose to fame after choreographing music videos for Janet Jackson during the peak of the music video industry. After signing with Virgin Records, Abdul released her debut album entitled Forever Your Girl in 1988.

It went on to be one of the most successful albums of that era, selling over seven million copies in the US and breaking a record on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, tying her with the legendary Diana Ross.

Shakira

Shakira is known as the “Queen of Latin Music” for her diverse music selection. The Colombian singer-songwriter is also a renowned dancer, actress, and philanthropist. Shakira rose to fame in the English-language market with her 2001 album entitled Laundry Service, which sold over 13 million copies.

In this album were her international number-one hits, “Whenever, Wherever” and “Underneath Your Clothes,” which gave her leading status in the music industry worldwide.

Fiona Apple

Fiona Apple is an eleven-time Grammy Award nominee and one-time winner. The American singer-songwriter has had four consecutive decades of music achievements with albums that have reached the top fifteen on the US charts.

Her debut album, Tidal was released in 1996 and won the Grammy Award for Best Female Vocal Rock Performance for its single “Criminal.” Her next album, When the Pawn… was also successful and even certified as platinum.

Dido

Born Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O’Malley Armstrong, Dido is an English singer who achieved global recognition in 1999 for her debut album No Angel. The album sold over 21 million copies worldwide and won several accolades such as the MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Act and two Brit Awards.

Her next album in 2003 entitled Life for Rent, propelled her fame forward with tracks like “White Flag” and the cover song “Life for Rent.” Due to the success of her first two albums, Dido made UK chart history.

Tracy Chapman

Tracy is a multi-platinum and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist. The American singer-songwriter is best known for her renowned tracks including “Fast Car,” “Give Me One Reason” and “Crossroads”.

Her debut album entitled Tracy Chapman earned her six Grammy nominations, of which she won three, including Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for “Fast Car.” Since then, Chapman has released six more studio albums, such as her multi-platinum album New Beginning, for which she won her fourth Grammy.

Sheryl Crow

To say that Sheryl Crow has been a crossover hit over the years would be quite the understatement. Known primarily for her country music, Crow has ventured into a variety of other genres and mediums.

Famous for songs such as “All I Wanna Do” and “If it Makes You Happy,” Crow had the honor of singing the theme song for the 1997 James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies. As of 2020, Crow has sold over 50 million albums globally and has a staggering nine Grammy Awards to her name.

Dionne Warwick

This might come as a surprise, but Dionne Warwick is actually one of the top 40 most successful singers of the latter half of the 20th century. With hit singles such as “Walk On By” and “I Say a Little Pray for You,” it’s not hard to see why.

Between 1962 and 1998, 56 of Warwick’s singles made the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of music, Warwick is a successful philanthropist having been a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization. Warwick’s second son, Damon Elliot, is also a talented record producer.

Gwen Stefani

Many music fans will know Gwen Stefani for her role as the lead singer of ’90s rock band No Doubt. Over the years though, the talented singer has transitioned into mainstream pop and built a successful solo career. Stefani had a myriad of huge hits such as “Hollaback Girl,” which became the first US download to sell one million copies.

Stefani is still as relevant as ever, having been a host on The Voice over the last few years, as well as having a high profile relationship with country star Blake Shelton.

Lauryn Hill

A truly versatile performer, Lauryn Hill seems to have done it all in the entertainment industry, especially in the ’90s. Having originally made a name for herself alongside Wyclef Jean and Pras in the Hip-Hop group The Fugees, Hill eventually embarked on a successful solo career.

She received critical acclaim for her album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Over the last two decades though, Hill has been out of the public eye but has been in the headlines after pleading guilty to tax evasion.

Annie Lennox

One of the quintessential figures of the synthpop scene during the ’80s, Annie Lennox is best known for being one of half of the successful band Eurythmics. She was always known for pushing the envelope, most notably for wearing orange-dyed cropped hair and a suit in the music video for “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).”

Lennox also had success as a solo artist and contributed songs to soundtracks of blockbuster movies such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Janet Jackson

There is no denying that Janet Jackson comes from musical royalty. Despite being the younger sister of Michael Jackson and the rest of the Jackson Five, this never stopped Janet from reaching for the stars.

She burst onto the scene as both a young actress and as a recording artist, starring in TV shows such as Good Times and Diff’rent Strokes. Jackson has sold over 100 million records worldwide and has numerous hit singles such as “Rhythm Nation” and “All for You.”

Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige is widely regarded as one of the most respected singers of the last 30 years. She has numerous hits such as “Family Affair” and “Without You,” with the latter being named by Billboard as the most successful R&B/Hip-Hop song of all time.

Over the years, Blige has also ventured into the world of acting, having prominent roles in films such as Mudbound, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also recently starred in the Netflix series The Umbrella Academy.

Stevie Nicks

There is no denying that Stevie Nicks has had a rollercoaster ride of a career. Famous for her work as a vocalist for Fleetwood Mac, Nicks’s role in the band became more prominent as the years progressed and she is front and center of the band’s most successful singles, “Dreams.”

Rolling Stone named Nicks as one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. She has also had some acting credentials, having featured in shows such as Up All Night and American Horror Story.

Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton actually got her start, not as a singer, but as a songwriter for other artists. That time spent helping other artists reach success worked out for her, as she saved some of her favorite lyrics for herself and became the worldwide sensation that she is today.

Her career reached its apex during the 1970s and ’80s, and even though it reached a bit of a low point in the ’90s, it seems as though Parton is making a comeback.

Judy Garland

Even though Judy Garland was a talented singer, most people don’t remember her as such. When asked, many people would likely respond that they recognize the name from one of the biggest films in history, The Wizard of Oz.

That being said, Garland was actually a very gifted singer with an incredible range. She had a very versatile approach to music, being able to easily pull off singing and performing jazz, soul, and blues. All this, we might add, she learned entirely on her own.