MY ALL-TIME TOP 100 FEMALE ARTISTS.....

[dandyhighwayman]

HomesPlace said:

I didn't know you were THAT much of a Tori fan.

;D - neither did I for a long while!!!

I somehow found myself buying all of her stuff without actually realising I was doing it (kinda) and she's still the most likely thing you'll find me playing. Now I simply adore her.

Is there a b-sides album available? I don't have many of the singles so would be nice if there was.

[Whitneyfan]

Thanks for all the comments guys, keep 'em coming. Stand by for the only top 40 countdown that matters!

[Whitneyfan]

40. BONNIE TYLER

Essential Listening: "The Best" (1993)

It may not be the coolest thing in the world now to like Bonnie Tyler's music, but you can't deny she has done some absolute classics - including 3 of my favourite songs ever: 'Total eclipse of the heart', 'Holding out for a hero' and 'Lost in france' - they would probably all be in my top100! She also did the original of that classic Tina Turner song, 'The Best'.

TOP 5 TUNES
1. Total eclipse of the heart
2. Holding out for a hero
3. Lost in France
4. It's a heartache
5. Faster than the speed of night

[Whitneyfan]

39. SHERYL CROW

Essential Listening: "The very best of Sheryl Crow" (2003)

Sheryl is probably best described as soft-rock with a country feel. I'm ashamed to say that I haven't got any of her albums other than the best of, but it's such a corker that it's been one of my most listened to albums of the last year. Her version of 'The first cut is the deepest' is as good as Rod Stewart's (and I never thought I'd say that!).

TOP 5 TUNES
1. Run, baby, run
2. Picture
3. The first cut is the deepest
4. Soak up the sun
5. Strong enough

[Whitneyfan]

38. GABRIELLE

Essential Listening: "Rise" (2000)

Anyone who bought Gabrielle's last album 'Play to win', will agree with me that it was an underrated treasure which should have done great things. Her previous 3 albums were also great of course. As soon as she arrived in 1993 with the dance anthem 'Dreams' and her eye-patch, I knew she wasn't just a passing phase. Her 2000 #1 hit 'Rise' was a pure classic!

TOP 5 TUNES
1. Rise
2. Walk on by
3. Give me a little more time
4. Dreams
5. Because of you

[Whitneyfan]

37. JANET JACKSON

Essential Listening: "Rhythm nation 1814" (1989)

While her brother Michael's court case continues, until the rest of the lies against him have been extinguished, Janet manages to make #37 on my list. She's never been as big as Jacko in my book, but that's not to say she isn't a talented lass who has done many a good tune. Her brilliant album 'Rhythm nation' spawned no less than 7 hits, and the could-ve been single 'State of the world'.

TOP 5 TUNES
1. Black cat
2. Escapade
3. Love will never do (without you)
4. Let's wait a while
5. State of the world

[Whitneyfan]

36. GWEN STEFANI

Essential Listening: "No Doubt - The singles 1992-2003" (2003)

I do love her new solo album, but the No Doubt singles album has so many classics on it that it just edges ahead as my favourite. I confess I never bought a No Doubt album before this, but the singles album seems to have it all. I bought the solo album purely because I fell in love with the track 'What you waiting for' immediately on listen, and it was my third favourite song of last year behind 2 Keane tracks! The lady has enough talent to become the next Madonna I think.

TOP 5 TUNES
1. Don't speak
2. It's my life
3. What you waiting for?
4. Bathwater
5. The real thing

[Whitneyfan]

I'll leave it there for tonight I think. Stay tuned though because there's a few more surprises coming up yet!

[Whitneyfan]

35. BEVERLEY CRAVEN

Essential Listening: "Love scenes" (1993)

Some of you will only remember her for the magnificent 'Promise me', and some of you might not remember her at all, but each of the 3 albums she did are splendid - especially the second album 'Love scenes', which included the brilliant 'Mollie's song'. Beverley's voice is both unique and gorgeous and her song-writing ability is a rare talent which should have taken her to great heights, but didn't unfortunately.

TOP 5 TUNES
1. Promise me
2. Mollie's song
3. In those days
4. Woman to woman
5. Phoenix from the fire

[Whitneyfan]

34. DONNA SUMMER

Essential Listening: "Endless summer: Greatest hits" (1994)

Definitely the queen of disco, although I have to admit that I much prefer Bronski Beat & Marc Almond's version of 'I feel love/Love to love you baby' than either of the originals - Is that wrong? Donna's finest moment is her magnificent version of 'MacArthur Park', which, as a song, gets way too much criticism as it is a frigging classic! Some of Donna's finest moments came in the 80's when the disco era had ended and she returned with the fabulous and underrated 'Dinner with Gershwin'. Then in 1989 she joined Stock, Aitken & Waterman and released her second best ever song, 'This time I know it's for real', and a fantastic album in the shape of 'Another place and time'.

TOP 5 TUNES
1. MacArthur park
2. This time I know it's for real
3. Hot stuff
4. No more tears (enough is enough)
5. Dinner with Gershwin

[Whitneyfan]

33. ANASTACIA

Essential Listening: "Anastacia" (2004)

'I'm outta love' was the song that first propelled Anastacia to stardom in late 2000, and it became an instant dance smash. It's also one of the best dancefloor anthems of all-time! The debut album included the fabulous 'Made for loving you', and the following album, 'Freak of nature', was also great. Then she got cancer and went away to recover, returning last year with the best album of her career so far. Anastacia is definitely here to stay!

TOP 5 TUNES
1. I'm outta love
2. Left outside alone
3. Sick and tired
4. Paid my dues
5. Made for loving you

[Whitneyfan]

32. DENIECE, LORRAINE & DORIS PEARSON

Essential Listening: "Five Star - Silk and steel" (1986)

My favourite group of the eighties! Five Star had hit after hit after hit between 1985 & 1988 and were dubbed the new Jackson 5. Then it all went wrong, they stopped having hits, became bankrupt and just disappeared. I've managed to get hold of all the albums they've released since, and their last album, 'Eclipse' is definitely worth a listen if you can get hold of a copy! Even though there's only 3 of them now I still think they're fab!

TOP 5 TUNES
1. System addict
2. Let me be the one
3. Rain or shine
4. The slightest touch
5. Stay out of my life

[Whitneyfan]

31. CARLY SIMON

Essential Listening: "Nobody does it better: the very best of Carly Simon" (1999)

It's hard to believe that such a great singer/songwriter like Carly Simon has had so few hits in the UK - 'Give me all night', from 1987, should have been a #1. I can't believe it missed the top 75 completely! Her greatest hits is an essential album for any music collection, with every track a classic! 'You're so vain' is one of those masterpieces which will sound good for ever!

TOP 5 TUNES
1. You're so vain
2. Coming around again
3. Nobody does it better
4. Give me all night
5. Why

[Whitneyfan]

30. THE POINTER SISTERS

Essential Listening: "Break out" (1984)

During the few years that the Pointer Sisters were really successful, they released no less than 4 of the greatest songs ever recorded! That's some feat considering they only had 10 hits altogether. Their other songs were also great, and they should have been a lot more massive than they were! 'Jump (for my love)' was recently revived by Girls Aloud, and they actually didn't do too bad a job of it, although nothing could ever compare to the genius of the original!

TOP 5 TUNES
1. Jump (for my love)
2. Slowhand
3. I'm so excited
4. Automatic
5. Dare me

[Whitneyfan]

29. DIDO

Essential Listening: "No angel" (2000)

I know there's a lot of Dido-haters out there, but she also must have a lot of fans too, as both of her albums have done extraordinarily well. The reason for that is simply that they are both works of genius, and her voice really gets to you every time. I must admit I really liked Eminem's 'Stan', until I heard 'Thank you', which is from where it is sampled, and now I think Eminem killed the song! By far the best new artist to come out of the millennium so far!

TOP 5 TUNES
1. Thank you
2. Here with me
3. White flag
4. Take my hand
5. Don't leave home

[Whitneyfan]

28. BANANARAMA

Essential Listening: "The very best of Bananarama" (2001)

I chose this compilation over the earlier one as it includes their nineties hits as well. Bananarama were simply the definitive girl-group of the eighties, and their hits sound as great today as they ever did. 'Love in the first degree' must surely be one of Pete Waterman's finest ever moments, and 'Venus' is one of those few songs that are far better than the original.

TOP 5 TUNES
1. Love in the first degree
2. Venus
3. Robert De Niro's waiting
4. I want you back
5. I heard a rumour

[Whitneyfan]

27. SHANIA TWAIN

Essential Listening: "Come on over" (1998)

She would have been higher a couple of years back but I think she's past her peak to be honest. 'Come on over' (the original version, before they changed the versions of 'That don't impress me much' and 'From this moment on') was an absolute master-piece and one of the best albums I've ever heard! 'The woman in me' was a fanatastic country album, and 'Up!' was a good album, but it had less of a country feel than her previous albums. For her to do well again she needs to ditch the pop and go back to doing country, which is what she is best at!

TOP 5 TUNES
1. You're still the one
2. That don't impress me much (original album version)
3. From this moment on
4. I won't leave you lonely
5. Whose bed have your boots been under

[dandyhighwayman]

whitneyfan said:

31. CARLY SIMON

Essential Listening: "Nobody does it better: the very best of Carly Simon" (1999)

It's hard to believe that such a great singer/songwriter like Carly Simon has had so few hits in the UK - 'Give me all night', from 1987, should have been a #1. I can't believe it missed the top 75 completely! Her greatest hits is an essential album for any music collection, with every track a classic! 'You're so vain' is one of those masterpieces which will sound good for ever!

TOP 5 TUNES
1. You're so vain
2. Coming around again
3. Nobody does it better
4. Give me all night
5. Why

Good call here - I like Carly Simon a lot. Nice to see you place her so high.

[Whitneyfan]

26. TIFFANY

Essential Listening: "The color of silence" (2000)

Yes you did read that right - Tiffany is my 26th favourite female artist ever!! I loved her back in '88 when she burst on the scene with 'I think we're alone now', and followed it up with the fabulous 'Could've been'. Her second album was even better than the first and I thought she'd be around for ages. However, this wasn't to be and she never released any more albums in the UK. I discovered in 2000 that she'd released a new album in the US and immediately ordered a copy from amazon. It turned out to be one of the best purchases of the year - a truly outstanding album, moving on from her pop style it was more like listening to Alanis Morissette than Tiffany, but the album is a true classic!

TOP 5 TUNES
1. Could've been
2. I think we're alone now
3. Hold an old friend's hand
4. All this time
5. I will not breakdown

[Whitneyfan]

25. DUSTY SPRINGFIELD

Essential Listening: "The very best of Dusty Springfield" (1998)

Truly the best female artist of the sixties, Dusty had a voice that was perfect and pure, and her music will never die. I'm ashamed to say I haven't got any of her studio albums and feel I should at least own 'Dusty in Memphis' as it's widely regarded as a classic.

TOP 5 TUNES
1. You don't have to say you love me
2. Son of a preacher man
3. What have I done to deserve this
4. I only want to be with you
5. Nothing has been proved