The Best Girl Power Songs for Women
This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Here's a random open thread for today: do you enjoy listening to female empowerment anthems — aka girl power songs? Which are your favorites? I rounded up a few of the ones that I'm thinking of here, but they're all very dancey…
For my $.02 – a political commentator I follow on Facebook just posted a link to the new Kesha song Woman (link goes to YouTube; NB that the lyrics NSFW!). Sample lyrics:
I buy my own things
I pay my own bills
these diamond rings
my automobiles
Everything I got I bought it
boys can't buy my love…
I do what I want
say what you say
I work real hard every day
I was listening to it for the first time this morning and thought, oh, I like this genre of song! It's like a two-second decision for me to buy this kind of song on iTunes. Other songs I'd put in this “self-empowered woman” genre (links go to YouTube and are probably NSFW for the most part):
- Independent Woman, Destiny's Child
- Run the World (Girls), Beyoncé
- Work, Iggy Azalea
- Work B*tch, Britney Spears
- (I know I'm forgetting stuff here! The Gossip? The Sounds? P!nk? Spice Girls? Hmmn…)
(There's a related genre here of “I'm an angry woman and I'm my own person and I do what I want and I don't need you” — examples might include The Million You Never Made by Ani Difranco, F*ck You by Lily Allen, Shake it Off by Taylor Swift, Bitch I'm Madonna by Madonna, Absolutely Not by Deborah Cox, So What by P!nk, Fighter by Christina Aquilera, RESPECT by Aretha Franklin)…
How about you guys — do you like this genre of music? Which are your favorite songs in the genre, whether you call it female empowerment, music for hardworking women, or (go ahead, roll your eyes) ‘girl power' music?
Psst: here's a totally random post where I talked about my favorite songs.
“I will survive” by Gloria Gaynor also RESPECT by Aretha Franklin
TJ: Anyone have experience using the online bank Tangerine? Considering getting a checking account with them but I live in a small town so would have to transact everything online.
Yes, everything by the Spice Girls!
Also “Fancy” by Iggy Azalea
Man, I Feel Like a Woman. Put this song on in a bar and every woman will sing along.
So agree!
I’ll add Most Girls by Hailee Steinfeld, BO$$ by Fifth Harmony, GIRLS GIRLS by Icona Pop, Brave by Sara Bareilles to the list.
This is old school, but I pretty much feel like “Cactus Tree” is a song about me. Because I am both highly independent and (you know) kind of commitment-phobic.
There’s a lady in the city
And she thinks she loves them all
There’s the one who’s thinking of her
There’s the one who sometimes calls
There’s the one who writes her letters
With his facts and figures scrawl
She has brought them to her senses
They have laughed inside her laughter
Now she rallies her defenses
For she fears that one will ask her
For eternity
And she’s so busy being free
+1 Every time this comes on (my Pandora Joni Mitchell station :) ) I feel like it was written about me. I even know who the sailor is in my life. And then it makes me a little sad that I’m so busy being free.
This was me by the way. Handle didn’t fill in.
Never feel sad about being busy being free.
I will survive by Gloria Gaynor
+1
I remember being all about Superchick back in the day. Some of their stuff is more obviously Christian so it may or may not float your boat, but it’s all very girl power.
“Some people see the revolution but most only see the girl
I can lose my hard earned freedom if my fear defines my world
I declare my independence from the critics and their stones
I can find my revolution I can learn to stand alone.”
My sister just took the bar exam, and I made her a playlist titled “You Are A Bad-A.” Here is what is on it:
Me Too – Meghan Trainor
Diva – Beyonce
Sit Still Look Pretty – Daya
Roar – Katie Perry
Work B – Britney
I Love Me – Meghan Trainor
Worth It – Fifth Harmony
Run the World – Girls
Confident – Demi Lovato
I Am Woman – Helen Reddy
+1 for Roar
And That don’t impress me much by Shania Twain
Grandma Leyeh gave me a recording of Helen Reddy’s song: I am Woman, hear me RAWR!!!!!! YAY! However, since the song is dated back in 1971, and is older then most of the HIVE, I am copying the words here so that the ENTIRE HIVE can read it and realize that so little has changed in almost 50 years for us, and men keep trying to keep us down, but it will NOT hapen as long as we in the HIVE, RAWR as women united! YAY!!!
The song is apropriate for all of us, whether at work or in relationships, or any other context, we MUST stand up for ourself against men that just want to SUBJUGATE US just b/c we are women and cute. TRIPEL FOOEY on THAT!!!!!
I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an’ pretend
‘Cause I’ve heard it all before
And I’ve been down there on the floor
No one’s ever gonna keep me down again
Oh yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong
(Strong)
I am invincible
(Invincible)
I am woman
You can bend but never break me
‘Cause it only serves to make me
More determined to achieve my final goal
And I come back even stronger
Not a novice any longer
‘Cause you’ve deepened the conviction in my soul
Oh yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong
(Strong)
I am invincible
(Invincible)
I am woman
I am woman watch me grow
See me standing toe to toe
As I spread my lovin’ arms across the land
But I’m still an embryo
With a long, long way to go
Until I make my brother understand
Oh yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can face anything
I am strong
(Strong)
I am invincible
(Invincible)
I am woman
I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman
Want to laugh? “You don’t have to be a Star” by Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr!… 70’S kid, so when my daughter was a baby I sang it to her, out of nowhere…”now I don’t need no superstar, cause I’ll accept you as you are, you won’t be denied cause I’m satisfied, with the live you inspire”
Currently on playlist
“Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves” with Annie Lennox and Arethra
“Girl on Fire” Alicia Keys
“No Scrubs” TLC
“Good Woman Down” Mary J. Blige
Rise – Katy Perry
That song was so underrated, but so necessary when life grinds on you.
Good choices. Also, they work well for difficult job transition situations as well as romantic disappointments.
Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys. Personal theme song material.
The Climb by Miley Cyrus (forget about the Hannah Montana part)
I can almost see it.
That dream I’m dreaming,
But there’s a voice inside my head saying,
“You’ll never reach it.”
Every step I’m takin’
Every move I make feels lost with no direction,
My faith is shakin’
But I, I gotta keep tryin’
Gotta keep my head held high
There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waitin’ on the other side
It’s the climb
The struggles I’m facing
The chances I’m taking
Sometimes might knock me down,
But no, I’m not breaking
I may not know it,
But these are the moments
That I’m gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep goin’,
And I, I gotta be strong
Just keep pushing on,
This is my secret gym song. Like it’s not going to get me pumped up, but it’ll carry me through.
I will admit that for me, when true crunk is required, I trend toward, like, 1980s metal.
“The Greatest” by Sia
“Move on Up” by Curtis Mayfield
“I’m Every Woman”
Survivor by Destiny’s Child
Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys
Elle King – America’s Sweetheart
After an especially rough performance review (I was told to ‘be friendlier’ and my (male) boss specified that this was because people tend to demand this more of women, so it was extra important for me to be friendly) I spent like a week listening to that on repeat during my commute bike ride:
“No there ain’t nothing that I gotta prove
You think your words will make me black and blue
But I, I think I’m pretty with these old boots on
I think its funny when I drink too much, hey
You try and change me you can go to hell
‘Cause I don’t want to be nobody else”
I Am Your Leader by Nicki Minaj, Don’t Hurt Yourself by Beyonce (Love, God Herself!)
Would someone make a public Spotify playlist of all these great tracks–pretty please?! : )
Done.
“Woman Power” by ijoemonkey
Internet stranger, you are the best.
Rebel Girl by Bikini Kill
Decptacon by LeTigre
Run Fast by Julie Ruin (So Kathleen Hanna FTW)
#1 Must Have by Sleater Kinney
You Don’t Own Me Lesley Gore
Good As Hell by Lizzo
Now I’m off to make a playlist…
Kesha’s other new song Praying is my current anthem. Someone here recommended it.
LOVE this song. I am a huge Kesha fan generally but it might actually be her best song ever.
Can anyone recommend some good Spotify playlists for this genre?
Christina Aguillera’s Fighter!
bif naked – love myself today
ani difranco – blood in the boardroom
bjork – army of me
meredith brooks – bitch
pink – raise your glass
pink – most girls
holly near – started out fine
Christina aguilera – ‘soar’ & ‘the voice within’
Demi lovato ‘skyscraper’
Iggy azelia ‘heavy crown’
Joanna pacitti ‘watch me shine’
Niki minaj ‘fly’
Des’Re You Gotta Be
Brandi Carlisle The Story
Yes I love girl power songs! Of course, I grew up around the time of the Spice Girls and Destiny’s Child so I love all of their anthems. But my favorite girl power anthem is “Roar” by Katy Perry! I love the music and I really appreciate the message of “going hard”!
Torpedo by Jillette Johnson
Confident by Demi Lovato
Saving Jane “Better Day”
Anything by Lady Gaga!!
-gabby
http://www.orcuttfamilydentistry.com