# Female singer/songwriters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 6, 2019, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126 "2019-04-06T12:55:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2019, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/1 "2019-04-06T12:55:16Z")
Inspired by the Three B’s thread: Which of the following do you think to be the best: songwriter? singer? overall entertainer? **Carly Simon, Carole King and Joni Mitchell** ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2019, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/2 "2019-04-06T13:12:03Z")
Of those mentioned, I like Carole King. With that being said, was Linda Ronstadt noted as a songwriter? Ann Wilson? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2019, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/3 "2019-04-06T13:13:54Z")
Joni Mitchell for all three. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2019, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/4 "2019-04-06T13:26:17Z")
Laura Nyro. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2019, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/5 "2019-04-06T13:31:57Z")
Yes, Laura Nyro. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2019, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/6 "2019-04-06T14:28:11Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Yes, Laura Nyro. Knew you’d like that one. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2019, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/7 "2019-04-06T14:51:53Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > Of those mentioned, I like Carole King. Yeah, me too. But I’m not all that familiar with any of them; I’m not sure I could name more than one or two songs by Simon or Mitchell. My impression is that they’ve been out of the spotlight since their heyday in the Seventies. > [@](#): > > With that being said, was Linda Ronstadt noted as a songwriter? Nope. > [@](#): > > Ann Wilson? Of Heart? Yeah. But when I think “singer/sonwriter,” I think of a solo artist rather than a member of a band. And yes, there are many other great female singer/songwriters, if we want this thread to go there. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2019, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/8 "2019-04-06T15:14:09Z")
How about Neko Case? ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2019, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/9 "2019-04-06T15:21:41Z")
Or KT Tunstall? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2019, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/10 "2019-04-06T16:02:26Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > Knew you’d like that one. You beat me by FIVE minutes. (gets out **New York Tendaberry** to swoon over the cover photo for a while) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2019, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/11 "2019-04-06T17:38:12Z")
Songwriter - Cyndy Lauper Singer - Judy Collins Overall entertainer - Madonna (also best marketer) ---
**Author:** ![road\_lobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d78d45/32.png) [@road\_lobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/road_lobo)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2019, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/12 "2019-04-06T19:49:31Z")
Tanya Donelly Tori Amos PJ Harvey M.I.A. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2019, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/13 "2019-04-06T20:07:19Z")
I would probably pick **Kate Bush. Dolly Parton** is more talented than she usually presents herself as. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2019, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/14 "2019-04-07T22:45:48Z")
Kate Bush, Indigo Girls, Melissa Etheridge, Cris Williamson, Tori Amos, KT Tunstall ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2019, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/15 "2019-04-07T23:35:26Z")
Sara Bareilles ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/16 "2019-04-08T00:55:52Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Inspired by the Three B’s thread: > > Which of the following do you think to be the best: > > songwriter? > > singer? > > overall entertainer? > > **Carly Simon, Carole King and Joni Mitchell** At first, wasn’t sure if you wanted us rate those three in particular, so what the hey I’ll go with Mitchell being the best songwriter, King the best singer, and all three have their own overall entertainment thing going. songwriter - Chrissie Hynde, Suzanne Vega singer - Debbie Harry overall entertainer - Kate Bush ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/17 "2019-04-08T16:00:05Z")
I’m going to throw in Karen Carpenter. It’s been many years, but I still get goosebumps when I hear her recordings. She really made me feel that she was sitting there singing to ME. Of course, she wasn’t noted as a songwriter, though she did contribute a bit here and there to her brother’s work. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/18 "2019-04-08T16:37:50Z")
Pretty sure the OP just wanted a ranking of sorts of the three women listed there, not “who’s the best of all time, here are my choices”, so it’s a tough call for me. I love Carly Simon, “You’re So Vain” is one of my favorites, so mysterious and somehow vengeful, like as if “You Oughta Know”'s anger had been channeled through a more mature and self-confident woman. Joni mitchell is also phenomenal. Overall maybe the best songwriter. Carole King might be best singer. Since others seem to be doing it, I’ll post my own choices next… ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/19 "2019-04-08T16:41:54Z")
I’m very familiar with all 3 from the OP. Songwriter: Joni Mitchell Singer: Carly Simon Entertainer: Joni Mitchell mmm ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126/20 "2019-04-08T16:43:55Z")
OK, deviating from the OP; Best songwriter; ani difranco. Incredibly deep lyrics, very prolific artist. Voice works for her style of um, prog-folk-rock? Best singer; maybe Floor Jansen of Nightwish. Best overall performer; Anneke van Giersbergen. Excellent songwriting, proficient guitarist, and an enrapturing voice with excellent timbre. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-singer-songwriters/832126.md?page=2)