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Top 10 Iconic Women of Heavy Metal
WatchMojo
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1/21/2025
No one can deny that these women rock! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most influential women within the historically testosterone-driven worlds of heavy metal and hard rock.
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00:00
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most influential women
00:08
within the historically testosterone-driven worlds of heavy metal and hard rock.
00:22
10.
00:23
Amy Lee – Evanescence The genre of gothic metal didn't originate
00:34
with Evanescence, but that band's success certainly helped lift the style's commercial
00:39
profile.
00:40
Amy Lee served as the focal point for much of this success, thanks to her emotionally
00:44
resonant performances as Lee's singer.
00:53
Lee always felt like she was laying bare her soul on stage, and fans reacted in droves
00:58
to this approachability.
01:03
Evanescence's debut album, Fallen, has sold over 17 million copies worldwide, underlining
01:13
how closely audiences connected with Lee and her bandmates.
01:17
She's also something of a fashion plate, bringing her goth-chic style to the masses
01:23
with each of her wonderful outfits.
01:29
9.
01:34
Lee Aaron The woman-born Karen Lynn Greening has recorded
01:43
music in a wealth of different genres, from pop and jazz to opera.
01:49
However, it's Greening's musical breakthrough from the 1980s under the moniker of Lee Aaron
01:54
that solidified her as one of Canada's best-known heavy metal icons.
02:04
The Metal Queen album, from 1984 in particular, featured 10 tracks that were all co-composed
02:10
by Aaron herself, and combined hard-hitting riffs with unabashed melodic hooks.
02:22
Metal fans may have flocked to Lee Aaron's physical beauty during the 1980s, but they
02:27
also stuck around once they heard the level of impressive vocal talents on display.
02:36
8.
02:39
Roxy Patrucci – Vixen, Madame X The 1980s glam metal scene was notorious for
02:53
its bad boys club, but the members of St. Paul, Minnesota's Vixen weren't going
02:58
to hold anybody's coats.
03:00
Instead, founding members like original lead singer Janet Gardner, and especially drummer
03:06
Roxy Patrucci, boldly blazed their own musical trail.
03:18
Patrucci had already proven that girls could hit the percussive skins just as hard as boys
03:23
with the group Madame X, but she really got things cooking with Vixen.
03:35
The band's glam metal attack was sharpened to a razor's edge, while Patrucci's enthusiastic
03:40
and energetic drumming kicked things up to another level.
03:44
She's still going strong today, too, rocking Vixen fans all around the world with her charm
03:50
and talents.
03:55
7.
03:58
Tarja Turunen – Nightwish The symphonic metal band Nightwish has employed
04:09
a number of supremely talented vocalists over the years.
04:13
But it's Tarja Turunen that will always live within the hearts of many fans.
04:23
Turunen's classical training immediately struck a chord with audiences, as her power
04:28
and range was juxtaposed against some truly bombastic-sounding metal.
04:39
Her solo work has continued to straddle that line as well, with many Nightwish fans following
04:44
Turunen's musical journey.
04:46
The effect as a whole almost feels like Tarja is auditioning to be the Celine Dion of heavy
04:51
metal, and this is no insult.
04:53
Instead, consider Turunen to be the ultimate heavy metal diva, worthy of respect, admiration,
04:59
and love.
05:04
6.
05:07
Angela Gossow – Arch Enemy The Swedish melodic death metal group Arch
05:16
Enemy didn't always employ a female vocalist, but fans certainly stood up and took notice
05:21
once Angela Gossow joined the group.
05:28
This German-born singer broke the mold the second she opened her mouth with Arch Enemy,
05:33
unleashing deep growls and harsh rasps that emulated musical heroes such as Carcass and
05:38
Morbid Angel.
05:43
Gossow eventually parted ways with the group on a creative level, but continued to work
05:47
behind the scenes in management, while also growing her brand as an influencer and yoga
05:53
teacher.
05:54
Simply said, Angela Gossow is the real deal.
06:02
5.
06:03
Wendy O. Williams – Plasmatics There will never be another performer or
06:14
provocateur like Wendy O. Williams.
06:17
This bold and uncompromising spirit was a punk rocker, metalhead, and performance artist
06:23
fearless in the face of criticism.
06:31
Live shows for the Plasmatics were known for flirting with legal disaster, thanks to daring
06:36
bits of destruction, nudity, and giant-sized explosions.
06:40
Wendy O. would appear on talk shows and in movies, always using her outrageous reputation
06:45
to push the envelope.
06:47
Despite this, the real-life Wendy Orlean Williams was a historically shy person who loved animals,
06:53
was a dedicated vegetarian.
06:55
Sadly, Wendy O. Williams took her own life on April 6th, 1998, but her legacy as a musical
07:02
icon will live on forever.
07:12
4.
07:13
Sean E. Soltz – White Zombie
07:15
Yeah, I am the astral creep, a demolition-style hell-American spring, yeah
07:21
Her 2010 scrapbook just sort of says it all.
07:25
Sean E. Soltz wasn't with the band, she was in the band.
07:29
White Zombie, to be precise.
07:31
E. Soltz's blower bass tone, magnetic stage presence, and captivating style made the musician
07:37
fans wherever she went, all over the world.
07:41
Yeah, I am the rip-off man, a locomotion man, love American style, yeah
07:46
Art always seemed to surround the woman born Shauna Reynolds, and this balanced diet of
07:51
culture assisted in guiding Sean E. Soltz's musical journey into adulthood.
07:55
Yeah, things keep looking easy, and that's what I said
08:00
She also enjoyed a successful journey into designing home goods, while also having her
08:04
photography exhibited in states like Texas, as well as her beloved Louisiana.
08:09
Sean E. Soltz will forever be the coolest chick in the room.
08:13
Yeah, I'm a snake, and I'm a hammer, and I'm back door, yeah
08:18
Yeah, I'm on my way, yeah
08:21
3.
08:22
Kim McAuliffe – Girl School
08:24
We may be singling out rhythm guitarist and vocalist Kim McAuliffe here, but if we're
08:33
being honest, the entire line-up of Britain's Girl School deserves praise.
08:38
McAuliffe and lead guitarist Kelly Johnson were clear focal points, but the rhythm section
08:42
of Enid Williams and Denise Dufour also supplied plenty of heavy metal thunder.
08:54
McAuliffe and her Girl School bandmates were at the forefront of the new wave of
08:58
British heavy metal, and took no guff from anyone.
09:02
The group enjoyed a lifelong collaborative relationship with Motörhead, but McAuliffe's
09:06
passionate vocals and electric guitar never sat on the back seat.
09:11
Instead, Girl School took the wheel and smashed down all forms of heavy metal sexism that
09:16
lay in their way.
09:25
2.
09:26
Doro Pesh – Dora the Exorcist
09:29
2.
09:30
Doro Pesh – Warlock
09:37
There's no other way to say it.
09:39
Doro Pesh lives for heavy metal.
09:42
This German-born icon first turned heads, fronting the group Warlock in the 1980s.
09:47
But Pesh would also thrive as a solo artist.
09:50
Her career continues today, together with an intimate connection with her audience that's
09:55
quite unlike any other performer from the genre.
10:05
Pesh's dedication to her cause feels genuine because it is genuine.
10:10
The woman has dedicated her life to music, and her fans have felt this honesty.
10:14
Doro Pesh rocks hard to this day.
10:17
She remains humble through it all, but we know a queen when we see one.
10:27
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:31
Jinx Dawson, Coven, The Roots of Satanic Shock Rock begin right here.
10:37
Suzie Quatro, A Pleasure Seeker and Glam Rocker.
10:48
Lizzy Hale, Hailstorm, leads Hailstorm and works with many other artists.
10:52
She's also the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress in a Music Video.
10:56
She's also the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress in a Music Video.
11:01
Lizzy Hale, Hailstorm, leads Hailstorm and works with many other artists.
11:11
Maria Brink, In This Moment, a multi-faceted singer and performance artist.
11:23
Morgan Lander, Kitty, one of Canada's new metal queens.
11:31
Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
11:39
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11:44
If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
11:50
Number 1. Lita Ford, The Runaways
11:54
It doesn't feel unfair to say that back in the 70s, The Runaways walked so future
12:05
female-fronted rock acts could run in the decades that would follow.
12:09
The group made stars out of both of its guitarists, Joan Jett and Lita Ford.
12:14
The former would explore punk and rock sounds after The Runaways disbanded,
12:24
while it would be Ford who would go on to become one of the first ladies of heavy metal.
12:36
Ford's flashy playing style was tailor-made for the extravagant 80s,
12:40
and she would play this up to the hilts. Lita could compose, sing and, of course,
12:45
play a mean guitar, while she even found time for bit parts in films like 1991's Highway to Hell.
12:51
Lita Ford could do it all.
13:01
Have you heard any of these artists? Who's your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
13:11
Did you enjoy this video? Check out these other clips from WatchMojo,
13:16
and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
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