25 best frontwomen of all time.

[Roberta75]

https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2018/02/the-25-best-frontwomen-of-all-time.html

[daviddesper]

For the most part my answer would be "Who ARE these women?"

And where of course is Miss Martha Reeves on this list????

[Roberta75]

For the most part my answer would be "Who ARE these women?"

And where of course is Miss Martha Reeves on this list????

Yes,thats what bothered me as well. Dr Reeves shouldve been in the top 5.

[thanxal]

Yes,thats what bothered me as well. Dr Reeves shouldve been in the top 5.
I would have put Martha as #1 and Diana as #2 but isn't that a great acknowledgement that Diana was #2? It's just as interesting to see who is NOT on the list versus who is.

[Ngroove]

For the most part my answer would be "Who ARE these women?"

And where of course is Miss Martha Reeves on this list????

Most "Best Of All Time" music lists, as well as most music websites, publications, are more subjective on ROCK, rather than genuinely "all time".

[vgalindo]

Yes Martha Reeves should be on this list. I don’t know more than half of these woman. Amazing that the writer put Diana Ross at # 2 and even above Beyoncé. However Diana should be #1 IMO.

[thanxal]

Most "Best Of All Time" music lists, as well as most music websites, publications, are more subjective on ROCK, rather than genuinely "all time".
They are all just click-bait in reality, no?

[Motown Eddie]

Let's face it; we need to make up our own "best of all time" lists on this forum.

[RanRan79]

"Basically, if, like Smith, Turner and Joan Jett, their name was the group’s name, we excluded them from this list."

That would explain in an obvious way why Martha Reeves is not included in this list. We can only speculate if she would've made it at all even without this exclusion factor, considering half, if not more than half, of the list is made up of names that I think the general public would not recognize.

I rarely take exception to any of these kinds of lists because they are subjective. If we followed Motown Eddie's suggestion and made our own list here on SD, everyone's list would be different. However, I must admit I had a bit of a pause reading that Stevie Nicks was placed at number one over Diana. I just can't imagine a list of front women where Ross isn't number one if the list employs a variety of factors vs a list of personal favorites. But it's also obvious that the list is heavily rock sided. The fact that Diana Ross appears at all still says a lot about her impact on the world of music.

[Motown Eddie]

I rarely take exception to any of these kinds of lists because they are subjective. If we followed Motown Eddie's suggestion and made our own list here on SD, everyone's list would be different.

Yes indeed; if everyone on this forum made up their own lists they would all be different but at least they would reflect the tastes of the people who visit this forum regularly. Whenever we see one of these 'best-of-all-time" lists, they're usually biased toward Rock performers [[and current or recent acts like those on the 'Best Frontwoman List').

[RanRan79]

Yes indeed; if everyone on this forum made up their own lists they would all be different but at least they would reflect the tastes of the people who visit this forum regularly. Whenever we see one of these 'best-of-all-time" lists, they're usually biased toward Rock performers [[and current or recent acts like those on the 'Best Frontwoman List').

Yeah, pretty sure the average SD list wouldn't be so heavily rocked out.:p Agree with you there.

[sup_fan]

obviously these types of lists are subjective. and while i'd vote for Diana being more of an overall entertainment-world influencer and icon than Stevie Nicks, i do have to commend the creator for not just totally discounting all of the older groups in favor of current bands. Beyonce is way down the list. and they mercifully didn't include garbage like pussycat dolls or some other non-sense flavor of the month

[lucky2012]

Most "Best Of All Time" music lists, as well as most music websites, publications, are more subjective on ROCK, rather than genuinely "all time".
This list really is click-bait and seems Rock heavy and I'm admittedly not a follower of Rock or most contemporary "stuff". Lol. But it does claim to be a list of the greatest or best frontwomen in pop music history. I'm not surprised about Diana Ross's standing. This list is supposedly about her being the frontwoman of the Supremes, who, after all, were inducted into the Rock Hall Of Fame the same year as the Beatles and Beach Boys.
Given that, my list would be:
1. Diana Ross
2. Debbie Harry
3. Stevie Nicks [[I love Stevie Nicks but she was just the most popular frontperson of at least a couple others in Fleetwood Mac).
4. Beyoncé
5. Ronnie Spector [[the Ronettes appear to have been very influential in pop rock history)
6. Gladys Knight
7. Martha Reeves
8. Chrissie Hynde
9. Gwen Stefani
10. Janis Joplin
11. Ann Wilson

I confess to ignorance about all others on the published list.

[zani57]

Where is Annie Lennox ?

[lucky2012]

Where is Annie Lennox ?
I would add her to my list for a perfect dozen.

[vgalindo]

This list really is click-bait and seems Rock heavy and I'm admittedly not a follower of Rock or most contemporary "stuff". Lol. But it does claim to be a list of the greatest or best frontwomen in pop music history. I'm not surprised about Diana Ross's standing. This list is supposedly about her being the frontwoman of the Supremes, who, after all, were inducted into the Rock Hall Of Fame the same year as the Beatles and Beach Boys.
Given that, my list would be:
1. Diana Ross
2. Debbie Harry
3. Stevie Nicks [[I love Stevie Nicks but she was just the most popular frontperson of at least a couple others in Fleetwood Mac).
4. Beyoncé
5. Ronnie Spector [[the Ronettes appear to have been very influential in pop rock history)
6. Gladys Knight
7. Martha Reeves
8. Chrissie Hynde
9. Gwen Stefani
10. Janis Joplin
11. Ann Wilson

I confess to ignorance about all others on the published list.
This is a really good list. I like it.

[Ngroove]

This list really is click-bait and seems Rock heavy and I'm admittedly not a follower of Rock or most contemporary "stuff". Lol. But it does claim to be a list of the greatest or best frontwomen in pop music history. I'm not surprised about Diana Ross's standing. This list is supposedly about her being the frontwoman of the Supremes, who, after all, were inducted into the Rock Hall Of Fame the same year as the Beatles and Beach Boys.
Given that, my list would be:
1. Diana Ross
2. Debbie Harry
3. Stevie Nicks [[I love Stevie Nicks but she was just the most popular frontperson of at least a couple others in Fleetwood Mac).
4. Beyoncé
5. Ronnie Spector [[the Ronettes appear to have been very influential in pop rock history)
6. Gladys Knight
7. Martha Reeves
8. Chrissie Hynde
9. Gwen Stefani
10. Janis Joplin
11. Ann Wilson

I confess to ignorance about all others on the published list.

Ngroove's [[Note my name to keep it purely my subjective, keep in mind mine shall steer classic soul / girl groups / pop / pop culture, and some exclusions will be simply my distastes, ie "don't care" for some, also keep in mind hard rock is not my bag) list:

10. Ronnie Spector [[of The Ronettes)
9. Darlene Love [[of the Crystals / Bob E. Soxx & the Blue Jeans / Darlene Love)
8. Martha Reeves [[of Martha Reeves & the Vandellas)
7. Patti LaBelle [[of Patti LaBelle & the Blue Belles / LaBelle / Patti LaBelle)
6. Tina Turner [[of Ike & Tina Turner / Tina Turner)
5. Chaka Khan [[of Rufus / Chaka Khan)
4. Gladys Knight [[of Gladys Knight & The Pips / Gladys Knight)
3. Dolly Parton [[of Dolly Parton & Porter Wagoner / Dolly Parton)
2. Cher [[Of Sonny & Cher / Cher)
1. Diana Ross [[Of Supremes / Diana Ross)

Also of note, Martha Reeves' position is based on length of career, whereas the uppers of the list lasted the 60s - 80s, 60s - 90s, 60s - still even new albums today, and 70s - still even new albums today.

[Circa 1824]

One BIG difference ....

Diana WAS the group. Stevie Nicks was NOT.

[thanxal]

One BIG difference ....

Diana WAS the group. Stevie Nicks was NOT.
No she wasn't. Otherwise she would have been solo from the start with unnamed background singers. That is not what the Supremes were, no matter how badly Dianaists want to believe.

[floyjoy678]

Ngroove I like your list. Here's mine:

10. Darlene Love [[The Blossoms)
9. Patti Labelle [[Bluebelles)
8. Linda Ronstadt [[Stoney Poneys)
7. Gladys Knight [[Pips)
6. Lala Brooks [[Crystals)
5. Martha Reeves [[Vandellas)
4. Cass Elliot [[Mamas and Papas)
3. Mary Weiss [[Shangri Las)
2. Diana Ross [[Supremes)
1. Ronnie Spector

If there was someone who could compete with Diana, it was Ronnie. I only wish the Ronettes continued longer than they did. I really think they could have went further.