50+ Records By Women That Saved Our Souls

Women in music: a concept that should be more celebrated. Why? Aside from the fact that the music industry’s most powerful business sectors are historically headed by men, there is something special about the feminine touch on any genre of music. Heck, even Never Normal was founded by a lady (Suzi Analogue) who last year started the social media #AnalogueChallenge to highlight records she found on digs made by women. The music game isn’t easy for women by any means, but luckily there are some amazing women musicians that helped change the way we hear sound today.

In honor of Women’s History Month, we reached out to a group of  creative women across the country and asked them to name a few of their top records made by women that impacted their lives, and get ready because this is a big, amazing list. We received over 50 albums back.  If you haven’t heard some of these artists, let this list guide you into some powerful new favorites, and for some of you, some pleasant revisits. Without a doubt, these women, and many more, shaped music history.

The following albums are listed in order of the entry.

Selections From UMFANG (Discwoman)

1. Miss Djax – Miss Djax Vs. The World 
2.  Kelli Hand – Detroit Vs. Atlanta 

3. Fatima Al Qadiri – Genre-Specific Xperience 

4.  Aurora Halal – Shapeshifter                  
5.  Via App – 7 Headed              

Selections From RyneaSoul (Next Level)

1. Klymaxx – Meeting In The Ladies Room                        
2. Marlena Shaw – Sweet Beginnings
3. Nina Simone – It Is Finished

4. Annette Peacock – The Perfect Release

   

5. Esther Satterfield – Once I Loved

Selections From StasTheeBoss (THEESatisfaction)

1. Missy Elliot – Supa Dupa Fly
2. Bobbi Humphrey – Fancy Dancer
3. Brownstone – From The Bottom Up 
4. Toni Braxton – Secrets         
5. Jazmine Sullivan – Reality Show

Selections From Emily Weekes (Singer/Songwriter)

1. Aretha Franklin – I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You
2. Alanis Morisette – Jagged Little Pill
3. Janis Joplin – Pearl               
4. Heart – Dreamboat Annie  
5. Amy Winehouse – Frank     

Selections From Sharon Bach (Designer @ 13MS)

1. Jessy Lanza- Pull My Hair Back  | Her Track:Strange Emotion
2. Fever Ray – Fever Ray | Her Track: Keep The Streets Empty For Me
3. Jessie Ware – Tough Love | Her Track: The Way We Are
4. Ikonika – Aerotropolis | Her Track: Mr. Cake 

Selections From Ramdasha (Founder Of Klub Kid Vintage)

1. Alice Coltrane- Journey in Satchinanda 

2. Missy Elliot- Supa Dupa Fly

3.  Bikini Kill- Pussy Whipped

4. Grace Jones- Night Clubbing

5. Sinead O’Connor – Lion And The Cobra

Selections From Opal Hoyt (Zenizen)

1. The Pointer Sisters – The Pointer Sisters

2. Whitney Houston – My Love Is Your Love 

3. Delia Derbyshire – White Noise

4. Daphne Oram/Vera Gray – Electronic Sound Patterns

5. Joni Mitchell – Hejira           

6. Destiny’s Child – The Writings On The Wall

7. Spice Girls – Spice                 

Selections From Michele (3rd Eye Wide)

1. Nina Hangen – Universal Radio

2. Carole King-Tapestry           

3. Brittany Howard (Of The Alabama Shakes) – Hold On
4. Hazel O’ Connor – Breaking Glass
5. Nina Simone – Strange Fruit

6. Annie Lennox – A Whiter Shade of Pale

Selections From Jen Diaz (All About Soul)

1. Anita Baker – Sweet Love   
2. Diana Ross – Diana Ross    
3. Celia Cruz – Azucar Negra   

Selections From Suzi Analogue (Never Normal Recs)

1. Laura Lee – Women’s Love Rights
2. Chaka Khan -Whatcha Gonna Do For Me 
3. Portishead ft. Beth Gibbons – Live At The Roseland

4. Bessie Smith – The Complete Recordings 

5. Bjork –  Greatest Hits           

6. Esthero – Breath From Another 
7. Jean Grae – Attack Of The Attacking Things