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The AfterEllen.com Huddle: Our favorite frontwomen

The resurgence of Lilith Fair has reminded me of a time when female frontwomen were becoming all the rage and were, well, full of rage: the ’90s. Riot grrl was in its prime, alt-rock was ushering in bands like Veruca Salt, and Sleater-Kinney were indie queens. The good news is that women have stayed on the mic, despite the misogyny of the music industry and media, and we’re lucky enough to have so many bad-ass ladies fronting successful groups today.

I know it’s hard, but it’s also fun: Who is your favorite frontwoman?

thelinster: I was a Jesus freak during the ’80s and missed most of the decade’s music. (I just listened to Christian music. Seriously.) So I distinctly remember the first time I heard the Pretenders. It was “Middle of the Road.” I immediately went and bought the album – it was the early ’90s – and could not get enough of Chrissie Hynde. I was mesmerized by her voice. I still am.

These days, Chrissie spends much of her time advocating for animal rights and running her vegetarian restaurant. But she found time to be frontwoman for a new band – JP, Chrissie & The Fairground Boys – with a debut album, Fidelity. I am so happy to hear that voice again.

Lindsey Byrnes: Paramore’s Hayley Williams is not only my favorite frontwomen currently but she is also one of the best we have out there right now. After an hour and a half on stage, Hayley is still doing moves reminiscent of the Beach Body workout program “Insanity” and belting out near-perfect notes over the loudest rock band you’ve heard in years. Her candor with the audience is sweet and borders on sexy, which is fine with the audience because even after an hour and a half they are still on the edge of their seats seats screaming their faces off.

Recently I snuck on set where Hayley was filming her part in the B.O.B. “Airplanes” video. Even as she lip synced along with the song every hair on my body stood on end. Hayley’s collaboration with B.O.B is the biggest summer anthem and is only just the beginning, if you ask me. Watch our world: we have another icon in the making.

Karman Kregloe: Tina Turner isn’t just a music legend, she’s a force of nature, with powerful vocals, insane dance moves and legs that just go on and on and on and on. She is said to have sold more concert tickets than any other solo music performer in history. She’s the gypsy, the Acid Queen. Is it really possible that she’s 70-years old?

Dorothy Snarker: While she isn’t my favorite frontwoman of all-time, Emily Haines is my favorite of right now. The Metric singer is a blur of energy on stage, not so much commanding our attention but making it impossible to pay attention to anything else.

Oh, Emily, please dance around in sparkly shirts and fierce boots while filling my heart with joy forever and ever.

Grace Chu: Something about a woman with an edgy yet refined demeanor and classic movie star looks who fronted a band that flourished in a venue frequented by misfits and junkies and which was known for facilities “awash in turds, glassine bags, condoms, and used works” is just hot. The fact that the artist formerly known as Debbie ( and sometimes Dirty Harry) now Deborah Harry – participated in a tour in support of gay rights is just the icing on the cake.

Heather Hogan:It was a toss-up for me between Rilo Kiley and Metric, but I’ve been listening to Metric a lot when I run, which means I’ve started to associate Emily Haines’ voice with breathlessness and pain (not the good kind), and so Jenny Lewis it is!

She commands albums and stages with equal ease, and her syrupy vocals and witty lyrics make it impossible not to love her. I mean, that fact alone makes her unique among frontwomen. Hipsters, pseudo-hipsters and hipster-haters all adore her just the same. And so do I.

Alley Hector: We may love to hate her but Courtney Love was a hugely influential figure in the ’90s alt-rock movement. And now she’s just hilarious.

Mia Jones: This is a no-brainer for me. Courtney Love is my favorite front woman because I love trainwrecks. In the same way that I watch Intervention to make myself feel better about the way I spend my Saturday nights I could read Love’s Twitter rants forever. Or really, I can try to read them and only half of the time understand them. One of the best kept secrets about Courtney, is that she is actually incredibly intelligent and artistically gifted. If you don’t believe me, pick up a copy of her coffee table scrapbook, Dirty Blonde.

drummerdeeds: No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani stormed onto the music scene with her ska-pop jams, f–k you attitude, and insane athleticism. (Push-ups on stage, anyone?) She then proved she could hold her own without the boys in the band, and even taught us how to spell “bananas.”

These days, to everyone’s bafflement, Mama Stefani and her abs look even better than they did in the ’90s – pregnancy, shmegnancy. She’s one of the best frontwomen of all time for putting on amazing shows, actually having talent, and giving us one of the greatest girl power anthems in history.

Trish Bendix: Beth Ditto is the bomb. I’ll never forget how fearless she’s always been, and it hasn’t seemed to change with the newfound fame. Stripping down naked and letting the sweat drip down her face, smearing her eyemakeup and singing the s–t out of gospel and disco-tinged punk songs, she was an anomaly before she spoke out for feminists, queers and fat girls.

Beth is one of the sweetest Southern belles you could ever meet – proof that you can take the girl out of Arkansas, but you can’t take the Arkansas out of the girl.

Your turn: Who’s got the goods?

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