Recommendations for Western All-Female Bands—from Legendary Groups to Promising Newcomers
The idea that rock is for men feels like a thing of the distant past, with energetic all-girl bands thriving today.
This time, we’re casting a wide net across genres—rock, pop, metal, punk, and more—to spotlight Western girl bands admired by band-loving women.
From legendary groups from the days when all-female bands were still rare to the hottest up-and-coming acts, we’ve carefully selected the best to introduce to you.
You’re sure to find your new favorite girl band.
Be sure to check them out!
A Guide to Western All-Female Bands: From Legendary Acts to Promising Newcomers (1–10)
June GloomThe Like
When it comes to stylish girl bands of the 2000s, The Like immediately comes to mind.
Hailing from Los Angeles, California, the band was formed by members who grew up in musical families.
One of their defining traits is that, while they initially played a sound rooted in alternative rock with rough, gritty guitar tones, they later shifted their musical style.
As you can hear on their second album, Release Me, they reinvented themselves with a chic, retro sound influenced by 1960s pop and British music.
This era of The Like may actually be the more well-known one.
Their early work is charming too, so be sure to check out both!
Take It OffThe Donnas
When it comes to the best girl bands born in the ’90s, many would probably name The Donnas.
Formed in 1993 by four classmates, they debuted in 1997—while still in high school—with their self-titled album.
They quickly drew attention as a girl band, even performing in Japan early on.
While they initially played a raw, Ramones-like punk sound—complete with the stylistic touch of all members adopting the “Donnas” surname—they gradually shifted toward an LA metal-inspired style as their musicianship improved, ultimately achieving commercial success as a high-energy, glamorous hard rock band.
Start by listening to their breakthrough classic Spend the Night, a masterpiece whose cover alone signals their transformation into confident, grown-up rockers!
We Got The BeatThe Go-Go’s
With a name that already sounds catchy, the Go-Go’s are a legendary band that scored hits in the early ’80s—when prejudice against all-female bands was still common—and are known as pioneers for later girl bands.
Their debut album, Beauty and the Beat, released in 1981, earned the honor of becoming the first album by an all-female band to reach No.
1 on the U.
S.
charts.
The record is packed with upbeat, feel-good pop songs, including hits like Our Lips Are Sealed, co-written with Terry Hall—famous for his work with The Specials—and the brisk, riff-driven We Got the Beat.
Although the band’s run was relatively short, lead vocalist Belinda Carlisle later achieved major success as a solo artist.
Rebel GirlBikini Kill
Among the girls’ bands that emerged in the 1990s, Bikini Kill stood as a leading force of the so-called Riot Grrrl movement.
Centered on vocalist and primary songwriter Kathleen Hanna, they burst onto the scene with an intense sound influenced by punk and hardcore, wielding lyrics grounded in radical ideas.
Hanna later performed with groups such as Le Tigre, and in 2019 reunited Bikini Kill for a tour.
The style they introduced had a profound impact on the scene, and they are celebrated as a legendary band that inspired many subsequent girls’ bands.
I Want You to Want MeKSM
KSM is a five-member all-girl rock band formed in California, USA, in 2006.
They drew attention for their cover of American rock band Cheap Trick’s “I Want You to Want Me.” Despite all members being teenagers at the time of their debut, the band’s thick twin-guitar sound and the vocals of Shelby Cobra—powerful yet charmingly feminine in a Madonna-like way—clearly define their unique color.
Naked EyeLuscious Jackson
For music lovers who came of age in the 1990s, the name Grand Royal—the label founded by the Beastie Boys—carries a lot of weight.
One of the acts they brought to the world was Luscious Jackson, a girls’ band from New York.
Their sound stood out from existing bands, blending hip-hop-style beats and sampling with, at times, garage-tinged guitars—a quintessentially ’90s, eclectic, mixed-up vibe that drew plenty of attention.
They disbanded in 2000 as the ’90s came to a close, but reunited in 2011 and released new material.
As a band packed with the real spirit of the ’90s—an era when culture itself was all about crossover—they’re a must-hear for younger music fans who want to feel the atmosphere of that time.
No One Little GirlThe Raincoats
A legendary post-punk band from the UK, this all-girl group’s singular personality has profoundly inspired later artists.
Their self-titled debut album, released in 1979, is recognized as one of the most important entries in the early catalog of Rough Trade Records, a long-established label that still wields great influence in the 2020s.
Although they disbanded once in 1984, they reunited in 1994 and have continued at their own pace, even making a miraculous first visit to Japan for concerts in 2010.
Many musicians openly count themselves as fans, and they’re widely known as a band adored by none other than Kurt Cobain.
Don’t expect straightforward pop sounds, but their unique character and flavor—something only they can deliver—have a captivating charm that’s impossible to escape once you’re hooked.