Throughout punk rock’s history, there have been lots of popular bands. However, not all of these bands were made up entirely of men. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at three influential punk rock bands led by females.
Blondie
Formed in 1974, and led by Deborah Harry, Blondie quickly became one of New York City’s punk rock pioneers. Unlike many other punk bands, Blondie’s sound contained lots of melodies and hooks that gave them a pop-punk sound. A few of this band’s most notable songs are “One Way or Another,” “Heart of Glass,” and “Rapture.” It didn’t take long until Blondie appeared in punk rock images worldwide.
The Runaways
While they failed to make big waves upon debuting, many people fondly remember the Runaways as a legendary punk rock band. The Runaways were also one of the first all-female punk rock groups. A few of this band’s hits were “Cherry Bomb” and “Queens of Noise.” While they were only active from 1975-1979, a few of this band’s members went on to have success in later decades. The most notably successful members of The Runaways were Lita Ford and Joan Jett.
Siouxsie and the Banshees
In 1976, an iconic group of musicians formed Siouxsie and the Banshees in London, England. The combination of John McKay’s legendary guitar work and vocalist Siouxsie Sioux would lead this band to quickly become an influence to many people. Soon, Siouxsie’s iconic appearance would quickly become featured in many punk rock images. This band reformed for a brief reunion in 2002.
