# Female Alt-Pop/Rock Singer-Songwriters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 25, 2006, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-alt-pop-rock-singer-songwriters/365982 "2006-07-25T17:51:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-alt-pop-rock-singer-songwriters/365982/41 "2006-07-27T00:38:39Z")
Love, Love, Love! [Erin McKeown](http://www.erinmckeown.com/homepage.html) [Lauren Hoffman](http://www.forlauren.com/home.html) [Regina Spektor](http://www.reginaspektor.com/index2.html) ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-alt-pop-rock-singer-songwriters/365982/42 "2006-07-27T00:50:39Z")
[QUOTE=msmith537] Also Bic Renga, Liz Phair and and Abra Moore. [/QUOTE] It’s Bic Runga. She’s really [hot,](http://www.littlebigman.com/bandpages/images/bicrunga.jpg) too, despite being named after a pen. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-alt-pop-rock-singer-songwriters/365982/43 "2006-07-27T02:18:07Z")
Hey, we forgot a couple: [Tegan and Sarah](http://www.teganandsara.com/index.php). For those not familiar, they’re identical twins (also lesbians) from Vancouver, and they’re not bad. “Speak Slow” is an especially catchy tune off their latest, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![threeorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@threeorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threeorange)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-alt-pop-rock-singer-songwriters/365982/44 "2006-07-27T10:20:49Z")
[Bettie Serveert](http://www.bettieserveert.com/). Dutch band with Canadian-raised lead vocalist Carol van Dijk. I would recommend **Palomine** (1993) and **Dustbunnies** (1996) [Smoosh](http://www.smoosh.com/). No, I’m serious. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-alt-pop-rock-singer-songwriters/365982/45 "2006-07-27T11:24:38Z")
I’m going to go weep now. 43 posts and not a single mention of [Kirsty MacColl](http://www.kirstymaccoll.com). There’s never been another voice like hers, she could write rings around most songwriters of the last 30 years, male or female, and she knew her way around a studio. Besides her amazing voice, the thing that consistently impressed me about her was her ability to write songs from the viewpoint of a strong, confident woman who wasn’t going to take any crap from anyone without being at all harsh or bitchy. I’ve written plenty of other panegyrics to her on the SDMB over the years, so I won’t repeat myself. EMI released a “Best of” collection last year that’ll provide a good overview – but I can almost guarantee that if you get it, you’ll end up wanting the _[From Croydon to Cuba](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:9kpsa9ige230)_ 3-disc box set that collects nearly everything worth having from her unfortunately curtailed career. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-alt-pop-rock-singer-songwriters/365982/46 "2006-07-27T16:53:33Z")
\*\*The Gathering \*\*(My favorite band of all time) **Snake River Conspiracy Denali Curve Over the Rhine Rasputina** ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-alt-pop-rock-singer-songwriters/365982/47 "2006-07-27T17:26:47Z")
[Dar Williams](http://www.darwilliams.com/) ---
**Author:** ![FlyingDragonFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@FlyingDragonFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingDragonFan)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-alt-pop-rock-singer-songwriters/365982/48 "2006-07-27T17:30:20Z")
I can’t believe no one’s mentioned **Tracy Chapman** yet (unless I missed it). Also, **Minnie Driver** (yes, the actress), **Rachel Robinson** , **Lucy Woodward** , **Courtney Brocks** , **Amanda Ghost** , and **Lizz Wright**. I won’t bother seconding so many of the great recommendations in this thread, but **Tegan & Sarah** are fantastic. And, since you said boy recommendations were okay, do check out **Gary Jules** (he did the “theme song” for Donnie Darko, “Mad World”), and **Colin Hay** (former lead singer of Men At Work). His solo stuff is GREAT! Man, this thread is going to keep me busy for weeks! ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2006, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-alt-pop-rock-singer-songwriters/365982/49 "2006-07-28T04:43:13Z")
As a girl who _loves_ this type of music (I have a playlist on my iPod titled “estrogencore”), I would like to second the following: **Ani DiFranco** - _Dilate_ is one of my favorite albums. Untouchable Face is my favorite track. She’s raw and telling and I cannot listen to her without becoming emotional to some degree. \*\*Liz Phair \*\*- _Exile to Guyville_ is a must have cd for every person with an appreciation for tough women who make poor choices. Fuck and Run is my favorite track. **Tori Amos** - The queen of this genre, in my opinion. I recommend _Little Earthquakes_ and _Boys for Pele_ albums. Every track is my favorite. Hey Jupiter makes me cry like there’s no tomorrow. If you can find **Amy Lee** (from Evanescence) singing You, I definitely recommend giving it a listen. It is an incredible song, but was never released. **Heather Nova** - Sweet November is a heartbreakingly beautiful song. The following have not been mentioned in this thread yet, but definitely fit: **Mary Prankster** - Mercyfuck is a good, angry girl song. ([myspace](http://www.myspace.com/maryprankster)) **Tiffany Anders** is pretty good. ([myspace](http://www.myspace.com/tiffanyanders)) I’m also a bit shocked that no one has mentioned **Lisa Loeb**. She’s sweet and honest and just lovely. Stay is one of my favorite songs. She does a killer cover of Hurricane, as well. I’m going to be up all night searching out artists now. Great thread! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-alt-pop-rock-singer-songwriters/365982.md?page=2)