Before there were pins and black dresses, there were simply lyrics and strong messages. These girl power songs come from a span of decades and a diverse group of extremely talented artists. Whether you’re looking for a playlist for your next girls’ night in or a soundtrack to the shattering of the glass ceiling, these songs can empower all women. Get ready to ask for that raise, celebrate your sisters or maybe just sing into your hairbrush.
40 Girl Power Songs
1. “You Don’t Own Me,” Lesley Gore
Lesley Gore’s 1964 hit “You Don’t Own Me” became a feminist anthem for its message, featuring lyrics that asserted a woman’s independence within the context of a relationship: “And don’t tell me what to do / Don’t tell me what to say / And please, when I go out with you / Don’t put me on display ‘cause / You don’t own me / Don’t try to change me in any way / You don’t own me / Don’t tie me down ‘cause I’d never stay.” Gore said of the song in 1991, “At the time, I know I chose it because I know I liked the strength in the lyrics. But, for me, it was not a song about being a woman. It was about being a person, and what was involved with that. Of course, it got picked up as an anthem for women, which makes me very proud.”
2. “The Pill,” Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn delivered on the seriously groundbreaking “The Pill,” an ode to birth control from the eyes of a wife who’d had enough babies and enough of her dirtbag husband, with lyrics including “All these years I’ve stayed at home / While you had all your fun / And every year that’s gone by / Another baby’s come / There’s a gonna be some changes made / Right here on nursery hill / You’ve set this chicken your last time / ‘Cause now I’ve got the pill.” Not only was it a seriously ballsy move as a whole back in 1975 when it was released, but it was especially shocking coming from a country crooner.
3. “Typical Girls,” The Slits
British post-punk band The Slits took aim at stereotypes placed on women and the insecurities they caused in their 1979 classic “Typical Girls.” The group slammed the ideas that “Typical girls get upset too quickly / Typical girls can’t control themselves” while also lamenting, “Typical girls feel like hell / Typical girls worry about spots, fat / And natural smells.”
4. “My Own Dance,” Kesha
While Kesha’s hits “Woman” and “Praying” from 2017 album Rainbow are also empowering feminist anthems, “My Own Dance,” off the upcoming High Road, captures her spirit: While she told The Atlanticthat Rainbow was about her tackling more serious issues (likely referring to her harrowing litigation battles with and abuse allegations against producer Dr. Luke), this track was a return to form for her. “I don’t have to live in being a tragedy, or being a party girl,” she said. “I can be all of the things.”
5. “The Lady Is a Vamp,” Spice Girls
The Spice Girlswere all about girl power, especially in “The Lady Is a Vamp.” The showtune and jazz-inspired track from their sophomore album celebrated pop culture’s female icons through the years and warned men about the “power girl in a ’90s world” who was coming for them.
6. “Confident,” Demi Lovato
Because, as Demi Lovato so regularly proves, there really is nothing wrong with being confident.
7. “6'1”," Liz Phair
Liz Phair told Rolling Stoneof the track from 1993’s Exile in Guyville, “That has always been a fun song because any time people meet me and [see that] I’m so small, there’s always a sort of momentary joke where they’re like, ‘Oh, 6'1’, I guess you’re not that.’ To me, it’s the encapsulation of what the rest of the record is going to be delivering. It’s got that bravado that I manifest. Sometimes it’s real and sometimes I’m putting it on in the rest of the songs. It’s standing up to the boy; it’s standing up to the guy.” For the record, she’s actually 5'2," but her attitude, confidence and talent are huge, thank you very much.
8. “I’m Every Woman,” Chaka Khan
Every woman is expected to be, well, every woman. Chaka Khannails it in this hit, later re-popularized by Whitney Houston’s cover for The Bodyguard soundtrack. “I’m Every Woman” was Khan’s debut solo song outside of Rufus, and it cemented her legacy, but it wasn’t easy for her. She admitted to The Guardianin April 2017, “It wrecked me emotionally when I first started singing ‘I’m Every Woman.’ It was ironic that I was battling deep insecurities yet singing this huge anthem of empowerment. I thought I didn’t have the right to sing it.”
9. “Rebel Girl,” Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill honored the women who had the nerve to hold their heads up high without conforming—and celebrated female friendship despite neighborhood nonsense gossip.
10. “Gunpowder & Lead,” Miranda Lambert
Miranda Lambert’s revenge fantasy against a domestic abuser is a country classic. She told The Boot that the track hits home for her, even though she herself isn’t a survivor of domestic violence. “Some people are like, ‘Ugh! I can’t believe she’s singing that!’ And it’s meant to be taken lighthearted in some aspects, but [this song is] also very real to me,” she said. “When I was younger, my parents took in abused women and their kids, so I saw firsthand what damage it can do to a family to be in an abusive relationship.”
11. “Run the World (Girls),” Beyoncé
Beyoncé confirmed that yes, girls do run the world. She explained to Billboard, “Power means happiness, power means hard work and sacrifice. To me, it’s about setting a good example, and not abusing your power! You still have to have humility: I’ve seen how you can lead by example, and not by fear.”
12. “#1 Must Have,” Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney sneers at the transformation of feminism into a commodity, calling out “marketing stars” and rape culture. The song ends with a call to action: “Culture is what we make it, yes it is / Now is the time / Now is the time / Now is the time to invent.”
13. “Respect,” Aretha Franklin
The Queen of Soul sang for us all on her rendition of “Respect.” Aretha Franklin told Rolling Stone that the meaning of her classic was a simple one: “Everybody wants respect. In their own way, 3-year-olds would like respect, and acknowledgment, in their terms.”
14. “A Living Human Girl,” The Regrettes
The Regrettes singer Lydia Night penned “A Living Human Girl” when she was in her early teens, and it resonates with women everywhere of all ages, describing body insecurities, periods and not necessarily wanting to dress “girly” all the time. Night told Rookie of the garage pop song’s message, “It’s like feeding people medicine in a cupcake, you know? Our drummer’s sister loves ‘A Living Human Girl,’ and she’s seven years old. She may not know what it’s about, but when she’s older, she’s going to understand. She loves it because it’s a cupcake.”
15. “Bad Reputation,” Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Joan Jett was a pioneer for women in rock n’ roll, and “Bad Reputation” is widely considered her magnum opus. It was partly inspired by the, well, bad reputation she believed women had when they aligned with rock music. She explained to Rolling Stone, “When you tell me a girl can’t play rock n’ roll, you’re not saying a girl can’t master the guitar, you’re saying girls aren’t allowed to play rock n’ roll because rock is a sexual type of music and being sexual is not allowed for girls. But that wasn’t something I figured out at that moment: I just didn’t like being told I couldn’t do something I could obviously do,” she continued. “So it was more of a societal thing that made me want to fight against it.”
16. “The Man,” Taylor Swift
Taylor Swiftreleased “The Man” in 2019 on her album Lover, and the song details the unique struggles a wealthy, notably powerful white woman still faces with sexism. She told The Guardian that the song was largely inspired by the double standards she feels she’s faced in the entertainment industry, explaining, “Having dealt with a few of them, narcissists basically subscribe to a belief system that they should be able to do and say whatever the hell they want, whenever the hell they want to. And if we—as anyone else in the world, but specifically women—react to that, well, we’re not allowed to. We’re not allowed to have a reaction to their actions.”
17. “Miss Independent,” Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson had a breakout smash with “Miss Independent.” While her breakup anthems like “Stronger” and “Since U Been Gone” are everything—and it’s nice to be reminded that we don’t need men who don’t see our worth—it’s also nice to know that while we can be totally independent, we can get vulnerable and smitten just the same.
18. “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves,” Eurythmics feat. Aretha Franklin
The Eurythmicscouldn’t believe their luck at landing Aretha Franklinfor “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves,” a track frontwoman Annie Lennoxsays was inspired by the suffragette movement. The group later explained that they’d wanted another female voice on the track. “Somebody said, ‘What about Aretha Franklin?’ and we were like, ‘Yeah right,’” David A. Stewart recalled. As it turned out, it was legendary producer Clive Daviswho made the suggestion. “He put a phone call into Aretha Franklin,” Lennox recalled. The group flew to Detroit to record with Franklin, who left them floored. Lennox quipped, “We [were] not worthy!”
19. “Independent Women (Part 1),” Destiny’s Child
Destiny’s Childcreated one of the best girl power anthems ever for the Charlie’s Angels movie soundtrack, and the smash went on to be one of the biggest chart hits of the group’s time together. While the song’s lyrics are best remembered for their economic independence theme, one of the most powerful lines is oft-overlooked: “Try to control me, boy, you get dismissed.” Queen Bey later recalled to Billboard of the song’s influence, “I remember being in Japan when Destiny’s Child put out ‘Independent Women,’ and women there were saying how proud they were to have their own jobs, their own independent thinking, their own goals. It made me feel so good, and I realized that one of my responsibilities was to inspire women in a deeper way.”
20. “Redesigning Women,” The Highwomen
Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Natalie Hemby and Amanda Shires’ country super-group The Highwomen is a representation of strong women, stronger together, in and of itself. In “Redesigning Women,” the group examines and pokes fun at everything women are expected to accomplish (and often do), crooning, “Redesigning women / Running the world while we’re cleaning up the kitchen / Making bank, shaking hands, driving 80 / Tryna get home just to feed the baby.” However, one of the cheekiest lyrics is the line “Made in God’s image / Just a better version.” Preach!
21. “Men Explain Things to Me,” Tacocat
This song is so catchy that it almost makes you grateful for the mansplaining that inspired it. Almost. Tacocat’s “Men Explain Things to Me” sums up almost everything we’re tired of men doing: Telling us we need to calm down, saying that we don’t know what we’re talking about, taking up the entire seat on the subway…and more.
22. “Scheiße,” Lady Gaga
Though most of “Scheiße” is in German, it’s when Lady Gagasings in English that she channels her inner ferocity: “When I am on a mission / I rebuke my condition / If you’re a strong female / You don’t need permission.” Preach it, Mother Monster!
23. “None of Your Business,” Salt-N-Pepa
Before there was even a term for “slut-shaming,” Salt-N-Pepaslammed the practice in “None of Your Business,” decrying judging women for being sexual beings. “How many rules am I to break before you understand / That your double-standards don’t mean s—t to me? I know exactly what you say when I turn and walk away,” they rap, “But that’s ok ‘cause I don’t let it get it to me.”
24. “Just a Girl,” No Doubt
“Just a Girl” was the first No Doubtsong that Gwen Stefaniwrote without the aid of her brother and then-bandmate, Eric—and it was largely inspired by her family’s dynamics surrounding her gender. “My parents were quite strict with me and I was living at home, even into my 20s,” she told PEOPLE. “And I would have to come home and knock my parents’ door. And it was frustrating because I was already like older. I can remember thinking, ‘Wow, I’m in the car right now, I’m driving home, it’s like one in the morning and if something did happen to me, I’m vulnerable because I’m a girl.’ And you start to think, ‘Wow, maybe people actually look at me different because I am a female.’”
25. “Quiet,” MILCK
MILCK (real name Connie Lim) originally wrote “Quiet” about her struggles with anorexia and domestic violence. In 2017, “Quiet” became an anthem of the Women’s March, where Lim performed an a capella arrangement of the tune with other marchers. She told USA Today in 2019 that despite the implications of performing “Quiet” at the Women’s March, it wasn’t meant to be a statement for or against any particular person in the government, including President Donald Trump. “When I first released the song, I put on my site like, ‘I’m a survivor of abuse and anorexia and this is my song in response to it.’ And so when the song went viral, it became ’the anti-Trump song,’ it was like a really political thing,” Lim said. “And I’m so glad I stuck to the truth…I was like, I’m not going to try to please others and say, oh yeah, this is not political. I just stuck with what it really was, my truth.”
26. “Superwoman,” Alicia Keys
Alicia Keyshonors all the superwomen with her 2007 Grammy-winning track “Superwoman,” channeling The Beatlesand gospel influences to assure all of us that even when we’re a “mess,” we’re powerful, strong and resilient. She told MTV News that the song is one of her favorites that she’s written. “It’s just very inspirational, because I wrote it when I really needed to hear some words that said to me that, even when you’re not perfect, and you’re kind of out of it, and you’re off, and you’re feeling like a mess, you’re still a superwoman,” she said. “The song, every time I sing it, makes me feel inspired to be however I am that day.”
27. “Hot Topic,” Le Tigre
No, it’s not an ode to mall goth style. Le Tigre’s “Hot Topic” celebrates feminists throughout history, especially in music. The song rattles off names including other artists on this list (Yoko Ono, Joan Jett and The Slits among them), as well as Billie Jean King, Angela Davis and Gertrude Stein.
28. “U.N.I.T.Y.,” Queen Latifah
Queen Latifahstands up for all the women who’ve been called derogatory, misogynist names by men in “U.N.I.T.Y.” The New Jersey native calls out men who disrespect the women they desire, from domestic abusers to cat-callers to gropers on the street—and she does it with both tenacity and compassion. Long live the Queen, indeed.
29. “Sisters O Sisters,” Yoko Ono
Yoko Onorecognized long ago that if we want a better world, well, we probably can’t rely on men to make that happen. “Sisters, O sisters / Let’s give up no more / It’s never too late / To build a new world,” she warbles in this 1972 tune, which features her late husband John Lennonon guitar.
30. “Just Because I’m a Woman,” Dolly Parton
Dolly Partondoes not suffer fools, even her own husband. She says “Just Because I’m a Woman” was inspired by an argument with her longtime love, Carl Dean, explaining, “When I was first married, Carl and I were very happy. Then eight months in he suddenly asked me whether I’d been with anyone else before we got together. I told him I had and he was so upset, he had a hard time getting over it. That’s why I wrote it: ‘My mistakes are no worse than yours, just because I’m a woman.’ Carl hates for me to tell the story, but I say to him, ‘I’ve got to tell the truth, don’t I?’” The song was a success despite not getting much airplay, which Parton believes is because the track was too “women’s-libby.”
31. “Boss,” Fifth Harmony
Though Fifth Harmonymay be no more, “Boss” lives on: No other song on this list drops the name “Michelle Obama” or celebrates having a “purse so heavy / Gettin’ Oprahdollars.”
32. “Hard Out Here,” Lily Allen
There are a lot of people who think that just because women can vote and have jobs in most developed countries now that life is peachy for all of us. Lily Allenis here to tear that idea to shreds, because there’s still a long way to go and a lot of work to be done. “There’s a glass ceilin’ to break, uh-huh, there’s money to make / And now it’s time to speed it up ‘cause I can’t move at this pace,” she sings, later adding, “We’ve never had it so good, uh-huh, we’re out of the woods / And if you can’t detect the sarcasm, you’ve misunderstood.”
33. “B—h,” Meredith Brooks
Like Chaka Khan, Meredith Brooks is every woman—with a mildly profane twist. The song’s co-writer, Shelly Peiken, told The Tennessean that she and Brooks knew they had something special even before the song, a massive 1997 hit, was released. “I think it was unique. The word [‘b—h’] had been used before. By the Stones, Elton John. But nobody had ever referred to themselves. I think it took a little massaging for Capitol to get radio to play it at first. I think they were thinking of [censoring it]. But they didn’t. " She added, “20 years later today, the word ‘b—h’ on the radio would be mild.”
34. “We Run This,” Missy Elliott
The criminally underrated Missy Elliottpointed out to the world that women “run this” years before Bey reminded us. She also reclaimed the word “b—h” with aplomb (because honestly, that’s how Missy does everything) on “She’s a B—h,” and numerous other Elliott tracks embrace women for who they are, not who they’re told they should be: In “I’m Really Hot,” Elliott embraces her own curves; in “Best Friends” with Aaliyah, she dispels the envious cat-fighting tropes plaguing female stars. In “Work It,” Elliott is frank about her sexuality and encourages other women to live their intimate and professional lives however they see fit.
35. “I Am Woman,” Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy belted out in 1972 what we all knew about ourselves and still do, deep down: We are strong. We are invincible. We are women. But back in 1970 when Reddy’s then-husband and manager approached her label to record the song, Capitol Records gave them a ton of pushback. Still, Reddy persisted, and over a year after its release, it finally topped the charts. Reddy told Houston Public Mediain 2014 that the song may have been divinely inspired, “It came to me and it wouldn’t leave me. It was simply a phrase that—over and over, ‘I am strong, I am invincible, I am woman,’” she recalled. “And I thought, well, this has to be a song.”
36. “Joan of Arc,” Little Mix
While British girl group Little Mix, like the Spice Girlsbefore them, have a lot of girl power-infused hits, “Joan of Arc” is particularly fresh and fierce. In the track, the singers describe themselves as goddesses and celebrate their beauty and feminism, singing, “Man, I feel like Cleopatra / Joan Of Arc, Queen of Hearts, yeah / Tonight, it’s only me that matters / Oh, you are the feminist type? / Hell yeah, I am!”
37. “Is There Life Out There,” Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire’s music video for “Is There Life Out There” almost got banned from CMT for “putting the message before the music,” according to Entertainment Weekly, but her record label backed her up—and we’re thankful that they did. The song reflects on a woman who married at 20 and wants to expand her horizons and improve her life. It’s astonishing today that that idea was so offensive before, and that’s what makes the song so important.
38. “Soulmate,” Lizzo
Lizzois the new queen of self-love, and she demonstrates it beautifully on “Soulmate,” where she reminds us all that loving ourselves is the most rewarding relationship we’ll ever have. “And she never tell me to exercise / We always get extra fries / And you know the sex is fire / And I gotta testify / I get flowers every Sunday / I’ma marry me one day,” Lizzo says in the song.
39. “Time’s Up,” Song Suffragettes
Song Suffragettes, a Nashville, Tenn., based, 23-deep female songwriting collective, teamed up in 2018 to support the Time’s Up movement. One of the song’s writers, Kalie Shorr, told Taste of Countrythat the song was inspired by all the women wearing black in solidarity with the movement at the Golden Globes. “It came together so easily and flawlessly because the amazing girls of Song Suffragettes were so passionate about the cause and willing to move around their schedules to make it happen,” she said. The lyrics include the powerful lines, “Now the way it is becomes the way it was / Yeah, you’ll always lose when you’re fighting love / They say good things come to those who wait / But we’ve waited long enough.”
40. “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” Cyndi Lauper
Though “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” is a great party song, it also has feminist tones, especially the lines “Some boys take a beautiful girl / And hide her away from the rest of the world / I want to be the one to walk in the sun / Oh girls, they want to have fun.” “It was very blatantly feminist,” Cyndi Lauper told The Atlantic. “I would say, ‘Yeah, I’m a feminist, I burnt my training bra at the first demonstration. You got a problem with that?’” She added, “It just means that girls want to have the same damn experience that any man could have.” Can’t get enough feminist tunes? Check out Kelly Clarkson’s 15 most inspiring songs ever.
