The Forty Sexiest Frontwomen in Rock History - Nerve.com

5) Joan Jett

The former Runaway broke big with "I Love Rock 'n' Roll," but it was her cover of the Shondells classic "Crimson and Clover" that solidified her sex appeal for boys (and girls) of the early '80s. With her porno lips, rockstar proto-mullet and runway body, when she sang: "I'm. . . not. . . such. . . a sweet. . . thing/ And. . . I'd . . . do. . . any. . . thing. . . " we all believed her. Oh, did we believe her. Her profound historical importance to women in rock belies the fact that at fifty, she's still doing her thing and looking staggeringly good to boot. — J.M.

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FIVE LIVE FIREBRANDS
Friend of Nerve Izzy Cihak has seen thousands of live performances, and graciously agreed to share his picks for the sexiest five of the female half:

Aja
Stomping and convulsing barefoot across dive bars in designer duds, Nico Vega's frontwoman is both enticing and horrifying. Her centerfold physique arouses a throbbing eroticism and her spasms of Rock'N'Roll angst have you wondering if you'd make it through the night.

Maja Ivarsson
Debbie Harry's Swedish counterpart has been known to splay herself across the front of a stage like a Pin-Up tart and to hurl herself into sweaty crowds for community groping in the tradition of Courtney Love all in the span of a single performance.

Maria Brink
It's no surprise that rock's sexiest MILF was recently asked to pose for Playboy. This poster girl for tattoo culture looks like she's playing the part of Alice's Adventures in C.B.G.B.s, as she flings herself across stages with the reckless abandon of Iggy Pop, without ever managing to unruffle her dress or smudge her makeup.

Adele Bethel
Doused in glitter, Adele Bethel combines the aesthetic of a punk princess and a glamour girl. She's like a classy version of Karen O: you don't have to worry about her dousing herself with cheap beer, but you know she'll probably successfully kick your ass if you ask her to take anything off.

Jillian Iva
It's surely Jillian Iva's onstage antics that have made her the queen of disco punk and acquired her a recent feature on SuicideGirls. Somewhere between a couture model and Johnny Rotten, Ms. Iva is able to flaunt the latest in high fashion while climbing drum kits and literally throwing audiences into the most soulful mosh pits the world has ever known.

4) Liz Phair

Oh, the controversial sexiness of Liz Phair: feminist icon, or kiddie-punk sell-out? While almost everyone agrees that her first album, 1993's Exile in Guyville, was her best, have her subsequent missteps (glossy productions by Avril Lavigne songwriters, etc) damaged her claim to lasting sexiness? We say no. After all, much of Guyville's sexiness came down to the impression of unhinged capriciousness that Phair gave off throughout. Listening to it, it's hard to imagine taking a five-minute drive with Phair without her pulling over and demanding head or something. So while her later albums may not be great, they certainly don't contradict that alluring obstinance. Phair will back us up, too: as she told the Village Voice last year, "I'm a messy, crazy, do-what-I-fucking-want pain in the ass. And, like, I will be forever." Thank God for that. — P.S.

3) Kathleen Hanna

Unofficial spokesperson for riot-grrl, leader of Bikini Kill and major player in early-'90s punk activism and third-wave feminism, Kathleen Hanna was our first rock goddess. She proved that female-made rock music could have a spine and a cause. She made it cool to be brash and funny, to fuse pleasure with politics. When she talks, people listen. Hell, even Kurt Cobain wrote a little song based on graffiti she scrawled in his room one night: "Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit." And the fact that she probably could give a fuck about her sexiness does little to diminish it. — M.L.

2) Debbie Harry

One-time Playboy bunny and clubmate of Andy Warhol, the personification of Blondie hit her sultry (and sketchy) high note in David Cronenberg's techno-philosophical horror flick Videodrome, where she slowly puts out a cigarette on her own flesh. The above video (for a definitive cover of the Nerves' "Hangin' on the Telephone") captures her appeal: Hitchcock-blonde ice queen, with just a touch of mania. — J.M.

1) Tina Turner

Take one golden klaxon of a voice, slap on the two most ironclad gams in show biz, and what do you get? The most slamming septuagenarian in rock history. Truly the original Bionic Woman, Ms. Turner has sold two-hundred-million records and more tickets than any another solo star, all the while flipping retirement the bird. The rules of Thunderdome are simple, but the rules of being The Queen of Rock and Roll are even simpler: be the freaking best. — C.L.

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60 Comments

how are we defining front women? subquestion: how are we defining rock?

dcf commented on 03/26

It looks like you have Grace Potter's picture at the top, but you don't list her. You should--she's got the pipes, the chops, the cool, the bod, the tunes, and she's sweet as country pie. But all of that doesn't begin to convey the impact she has when she belts it out. I'd put her up against any woman on your list. She's that good--and she wields her sexual artillery with ferocious intensity. Nomad

gw commented on 03/26

This list lacks legitimacy if it leaves out Kim Deal in favor of about 10 of the people in this BS lineup.

JV commented on 03/26

I made my journey from 40 to 1 agreeing with some, violently disagreeing with others, hoping the whole time to see Ms. Susanna Hoffs. Imagine my surprise when I get to number 1 without even a mention of her. How can anyone look at her eyes on the "Walk Like An Egyptian" video and not get that certain tingly feeling? But thanks for an entertaining list, nonetheless. :)

GWG commented on 03/26

How in the world does Tina Turner beat Debbie Harry??????????????

LSD commented on 03/26

YOu guys are lame.

xx commented on 03/26

Beauty and sexiness are of course in the eye (and in this case, ear) of the beholder, but you're nuts for overlooking Shirley Mason.

DER commented on 03/26

I'll ignore the fact that the majority of your frontwomen do not 'rock,' although I understand that's a loose term these days. However, I can't ignore the fact that you had the audacity to include such non-talents as Bjork and Liz Phair and omit the great Theo from The Lunachicks, Exene from X, and Brody from The Distillers. Those are some sexy, bad-ass frontwomen. As least you got Janis, Joan, Patti, Siouxsie and Tina right.

MS commented on 03/26

P.S. Where the hell is Shirley Manson? Her sexy, seething, antagonistic sultriness is far superior to Gwen Stefani's hiccup-singing. As for looks, no contest-hot, alabaster redhead trumps pigeon-toed, bowlegged bleached blonde. Never quite got on the No Doubt/Stefani train. If I want to hear real ska or dance hall, I'll stick to Bad Manners and The Specials, not a pop-faux ska band fronted by Minnie Mouse.

MS commented on 03/26

You omitted Grace Slick. You missed Marriane Faithful. How dare you. You think Bjork is sexy? She's cutesy. You think Patti Smith is sexy? Laurie Anderson has her beat by a mile. At least you got Liz Phair and Nico right. All the singers I mention above I've seen them all perform live except Bjork - I saw her in an airport - have you? I'm afraid your development of the intersection of the higher and lower pleasures is yet undeveloped.

TFT commented on 03/26

Neither of the women from Heart were included because...

CVP commented on 03/26

eh... you bitch about Bjork's looks and presentation and yet there is no commentary on Ms.Ditto, Peaches or Janis' unconventional looks? COME ON... Peaches, Regina, and Feist aren't even frontwomen or are Tori or Fiona frontin bands?? I think not, but the list is more solid than liquid or gas. I applaud editors for getting in some talented women of color as we know how Rock n' Roll in the past has been defined by caucasian songstresses (some far less talented than others but noted)... but shame indeed on no Shirley... or Sheryl.

CT commented on 03/26

Where is Grace Slick????

GS commented on 03/26

Are you fucking kidding me leaving Ani Difranco off this list? For serious?

al commented on 03/26

lucinda williams listen to her lyrics, her song scream of lost love and hot sex

ge commented on 03/26

Rindy Ross (Quarterflash), Anne Wilson in the mid-70s, Nancy Wilson up to the mid 90s, Dale Bozzio (Missing Persons), Teri Nunn (Berlin). You missed some good ones.

SRK commented on 03/26

How the hell isn't Courtney Love on your list?!!! Frontwoman with more to front than Kurt Cobain when they met. So Kathleen Hanna's scrawlings on a wall turned into a really famous Nirvana song but we all remember what Kurt Cobain publicly said about Courtney's bedroom abilities I think! I second complaints about the Kim Deal omission & add my voice to the Shirley Manson supporters.

LHC commented on 03/26

You left out Grace Potter!

JHO commented on 03/26

and where is julie miller.. ... she rocks harder than all of these, it's true.

tc commented on 03/26

Is there anyone who doesn't hate this list? Where are the Wilson sisters? Where is Grace Slick? Where is Belinda Carlisle? Where is Ronnie Spector? What the fuck is Nico doing on this list? As far as I can tell you just made up a list of skinny white girls - with the exception of Tina Turner. It seems pretty clear that women who have bodies like normal women (Anne Wilson, Slick, Carlisle, Courtney Love) were excluded. Do you really want to perpetuate awful female body stereotypes?

commented on 03/27

grace slick? who cares? the sexiest thing she ever did was "we built this city on rock and roll." you missed tracey thorn though. not a rocker per se, but silkyyyy smooth.

GT commented on 03/27

Ah...Kim Deal? No?

mh commented on 03/27

courtney love is way too opportunistic to be sexy. but kim deal should definitely be on here.

fff commented on 03/27

Here's the third mention of Grace Potter. I mean seriously, this is a big oversight. You've got a few sexy women with no talent, a few talented women who aren't sexy and only a bare minimum of sexy+talented. If Grace ain't on that list I'm canceling my non-existent subscription.

qed commented on 03/27

I have to include Martha Davis of The Motels in this list. Although her chanteuse-y days of "Suddenly Last Summer" qualify, it's the earliest Motels of "Counting", when she slinked around the stage in a leather jacket that really should guarantee her appearance here.

ew commented on 03/27

Whither Wendy O Williams of the Plasmatics?

pxxx commented on 03/27

You missed Jennifer Arroyo formerly of Kitty... she's HOTT!!!

GSM commented on 03/27

Dale Bosio Exene from X Sushana Hoffs from the Bangels should be top freaking 5 Kelli Ali from the Sneaker Pimps sexiest lips ever Shirley Manson from Garbage Belinda from the GoGos was in Playboy for chrissakes Dale Bosio

EDK commented on 03/27

Some good selections on this list and some very appalling omissions. I join those who have cited the Wilson sisters, Rindy Ross, Grace Slick and Shirley Manson. To this I would also add Annette Strean, who can inject so much personality and effusive delight into any lyric, and Annie Haslam. For me, a great and powerful voice makes it hot. Attitude, of course, counts for even more.

dcb commented on 03/27

Shirley Manson - Suzi Quatro - Rindy Ross - Kate Bush.

gac commented on 03/27

How does Emily Haines of Metric not make this list?

mda commented on 03/28

Grace Potter has to be #1. Have you ever seen her in concert? That was a bizarre oversight, since you had her pic at the top. And I'm with all the people who also mentioned Shirley Manson.

fb commented on 03/28

You missed Jason Mraz.

FU commented on 03/28

Pretty sure that's Jenny Lewis at the top, not Grace Potter.

prn commented on 03/28

Clearly written by a 40-something Nick Hornbey wannabe, or a committee of people who felt the need to pay homage to certain icons who are great singers but the opposit of sexy (Janis Joplin - sweet jesus; and how is janis there and not Rickie Lee Jones??), this list falls tragically short. This is not an undertaking to be trifled with or riffed like an editorial. Fiona Apple at 29? Chan Marshall at 31? No Shirley Manson, Beth Gibbons, Tanya Donnely, Amanda Palmer, Aimee Mann, Hope Sandoval, Jennifer Charles...I'm debating canceling my Nerve membership. Total disaster.

AM commented on 03/29

You've never heard of Ronnie Spector or Mary Weis from the Shangri-La's? Or Lorrie Collins of the Collins Kids?

BL commented on 03/29

Certainly another example why the Indie bias of music writing is terribly lame. You can't get past the lap fondue critics get over anything Lou Reed touched or women who can hold a tune yet raided Beacon's Closet.

GTO commented on 03/29

How anyone could compile this list and not put Grace Slick on is mind boggling.

mo commented on 03/29

Not bad, but you utterly missed Shirley Manson from Garbage and Christina Amphlett from the Divinyls.

SB commented on 03/30

Thank you for ommitting Madonna. She's about as arousing as dipping your genitals into a glass of cold listerine.

jj commented on 03/31

Melissa Etheridge? C'mon....

stfu commented on 04/02

I could bitch about the content of this list, but instead I will only point out one factual error that I spotted. Nico died in a CYCLING accident. As in pushbike. She fell off her bike while riding and and struck her head, which caused a brain hemmorrhage. Mototcycle crash sounds sexier, but the real details are just sad.

DM commented on 04/03

No Grace Slick? You lost me there...

JH commented on 04/04

Or what of Wendy James of Transvision Vamp? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ygvg3E54mg&feature=related Her nice-but-slutty bottle-blonde in a short skirt look was the very epitome of Rock-chick sexy. She was the stuff of many wicked teenage fantasies in the late 80's.

AJ commented on 04/05

hanna should have been no. 1. As soon as she started screeching that lovely sound it was 1994, i heard bikini kill for the first time and I was in love w/ a girl who would want me for about 7 seconds and then want me no more. Goddam.

sj commented on 04/05

This is an exceptionally amazing list....with one HUGE, glaring ommission. Where is Pat Benatar??? Also, Dusty Springfield? Pat Benatar should be in the top 5 (as should Annie Lennox) and she kicks Chrissie Hynde's bony ass in jeans, sorry. Great choice for number one, Tina Turner is immortal!!!

MRG commented on 04/07

WOW. Beth Fucking Ditto. No Shirley Manson? No Emily Haines? Nerve has been irrelevant for a while now, but this really, REALLY seals the deal. I hope this shit collapses. And to think I once fucked in that office. And only now do I feel dirty having done it.

TM commented on 04/08

Where are the rest of the black and woman of color frontwomen (Diana, Aretha, Donna, Betty Davis, Vanity, MeShell, Sheila E., etc.)? This list is so not sexy.

jc commented on 04/09

No Christina Martinez from boss hog? .. your logic is flawed

Sw commented on 04/11

All so true but I can't believe the Indigo Girls aren't on this list!!!

les commented on 04/15

This is the most retarded list I've ever seen. Liz Phair is a hack and not sexy AT ALL (not to mention can't write a song to save her own life) and somehow she's above Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks and into the TOP FIVE? Puhlease. The people at Nerve need to learn about the history of Rock n' Roll, not kowtow to their lame instincts to enshrine trendy hipsters as rock legends. The vast majority of the women in the list all gained prominence in the last few years and a number of them are completely insignificant. What about Tracey Thorn? What about Sarah McLachlan? Ronnie Spector? Dianna Ross? Grace Slick? FAIL.

MF commented on 04/17

Every Aussie male who read this list is crying. You missed THE greatest - Christina Amphlett of the Divinyls. Not only did the Divinyls pioneer the Australian rock scene Chrissie was the epitomy of SEX.

AAA commented on 04/22

Where is Brandi Carlile?!

EFHW commented on 04/24

where the fuck is natalie merchant !!!!!!!!??????????

mmb1 commented on 05/01

What about the Wilson sisters..... They where hot

IN commented on 08/30

Where is ALANIS MORISSETTE??????????????????????????????? SHAKIRA - LATINA ROCK GODDESS???????????????????????????????? STRANGE, VERY STRANGE LIST....

234 commented on 09/21

DOLORES O'RIORDAN OF THE CRANBERRIES?????????????????

SFUH commented on 09/21

Kate Bush??????!!!!!??????? WTF

SLU commented on 12/10

no Brody Dalle????? and Alison Mosshart deserves to be MUCH higher in the list. most of these aren't even rock n' roll

jno commented on 12/13

No Brody Dalle? Seriously? You people suck. D:

Ray commented on 01/21

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