Women Power Songs: The 93 Best Songs About Strong Women
Written by: Bobby McNeill
Table of Contents
Music can give listeners a natural energy boost. These women’s power songs are just the thing for all women who need new strength and encouragement.
Let’s face it, and women don’t always have it easy in life. Many women raise their children alone, and they take care of their relatives and have several jobs to make ends meet.
Others fight their way to a leadership position in a male-dominated industry but still earn less than their male colleagues. All these everyday stresses on the body and psyche leave their mark. So it’s all the nicer when a positive playlist, for Motivation provides.
Cause no matter who you are or where you come from, everyone has the right to a righteous life.
We’ve compiled a list of our favorite songs sung by strong women and written for strong women, including powerful songs from Beyoncé, Aretha Franklin, and Madonna. Our female power playlist of over 90 songs includes a good mix of old and new songs, from rappers like M.I.A., Nicki Minaj, TLC, and pop stars like Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Selena Gomez.
The best female power songs:
1. Beyoncé – Run the World (Girls)
Beyoncé is probably the most popular example of a strong woman in current times. She wrote a number of songs in which she advocates for women’s self-confidence and strength. The most famous and successful is the song “Run the World (Girls)”.
The song was released in 2011 on her fourth studio album titled “4”. “Run The World” is a mix of electro-pop and R&B. For the then very R&B-heavy music of Beyoncé, a significant change from the typical style. As the title suggests, Beyoncé declares that women rule the world in this song. It aims at the new generation of self-confident, independent, and successful women.
It is one of the more aggressive songs in terms of content, dealing with the topic of women’s power. Among other things, it also caused controversy for this reason.
2. Aretha Franklin – Respect
Respect is Aretha Franklin’s signature song par excellence. The song was first played in 1967.
What many don’t know is that this was a Cover version is about Otis Redding’s song of the same name from 1965. Franklin changed the lyrics and added the famous R-E-S-P-E-C-T in the chorus. Due to the small changes, the message of the song changed abruptly. As a desperate man, Redding asked the sung-about woman to show him some respect because he was bringing home the money.
On the other hand, Franklin described a confident woman who was aware of her strengths and demanded that her husband value them and treat her with respect. Aretha Franklin set an example for the women’s movement with the song. The song is considered a milestone for emancipation and women’s power, and it earned the singer a place in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
She also received two Grammys in 1968 in the categories “Best Rhythm & Blues Recording” and “Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Vocal Performance, Female.” Rolling Stones magazine awarded “Respect” the number 5 spot in the top 500 greatest songs of all time.
3. Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
It’s hard to believe that “I Will Survive” was originally a B-side song. When the song was released and delivered to radio stations in 1978, the A-side featured Gloria Gaynor’s song “Substitute.” But the D.J.s were much more interested in the B-side with the title “I Will Survive,” which probably everyone knows today as a disco classic.
Gaynor received a Grammy for best disco recording in 1980. This category was awarded only this year. In the song, Gaynor describes the rise of a woman who, after a tough Separation initially fearful and desperate.
But then she rises from the shadow of her ex and realizes that she is much stronger and can do well in life without him. It’s a symbol of strong women who are independent and go their way against all odds and don’t let it get them down.
4. Alicia Keys – Superwoman
“Superwoman” was the fourth and final song from Alicia Key’s third studio album titled “As I Am.” The song was released in 2008 and earned Keys her second consecutive Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Keys said in an MTV video that the song is one of her personal favorites, which always gives her strength when she performs it. The message of the song is as simple as it is powerful.
Alicia Keys addresses all women and declares that every woman is a “Superwoman.” She appeals especially to mothers and working women who struggle through life and never give up a real woman power song.
5. No Doubt – Just A Girl
The song “Just A Girl” was the commercial breakthrough for the American band No Doubt. The song was released on her third studio album, “Tragic Kindom,” in 1995. The song brought them the first chart position in the American charts and some top 10 rankings in various European countries.
For Gwen Stefani, today a role model for strong women of our time, she wrote the first song lyric all by herself. In the song, she let out her frustration about the stereotypical image of women dominated by the patriarchy. Stefani processed in “Just A Girl” this feeling of belittlement as a woman who has fewer rights and is seen as too delicate and fragile to be able to stand alone in the world.
6. TLC – No Scrubs
Scrubs is in the American a colloquial term for a freeloader. The group TLC sums it up: They don’t want freeloaders or posers and they are not easily impressed. It conveys the image of self-confident and strong women who know what they want.
The song appeared on TLC’s third studio album, “Fanmail,” in 1991 and is considered one of the most successful singles of the girl group. In total, the record went 5 times platinum and 3 times gold worldwide. In Germany, Switzerland, and the U.K., “No Scrubs” made it into the Top 10 charts.
In the USA, New Zealand, and Australia, they even reached the top position. The song was nominated in the Record of the Year category at the Grammy Awards.
7. Pink – F**in Perfect
The song “F**in Perfect,” titled simply as “Perfect” in the Clean version, appeared on Pink’s Greatest Hits album “Greatest Hits … So Far” in 2010!!!”. Pink was inspired to this pop ballad mainly by her husband Cary Hart, later explained.
In the song, Pink calls on her listeners to accept themselves and that everyone is perfect. In addition to the content message, the music video also received much praise. It shows how young girls deal with doubt, self-loathing, and depression and how this drives many to suicide. The singer is making a statement and calling for a new generation of strong women.
The song reached number 1 in both the pop charts and the adult pop charts in the Billboard charts. At that time, Pink broke the record for the most number-one placements in both charts. In Germany, Austria, and the United Kingdom, Pink entered the top ten with the song. In Switzerland, it only reached number 15.
8. Christina Aguilera – Fighter
Christina Aguilera broke away from her old management with her second studio album, “Stripped” (2002), to break new ground and release more profound songs. From this album comes “Fighter,” which was released in 2003.
The song is a mixture of rock and R&B due to the guitar elements. It is the first song of Aguilera that has a rocky note. The singer thanks a man who bullied and hurt her in the music. Because this experience made her stronger and, as she explains in the song, made her the woman she is today.
The song is one of Christina Aguilera’s biggest female power songs to this day. Nevertheless, it is not the most successful song of the singer, and only in England was she able to climb up to the top 10 with it.
Germany, Switzerland, USA, and Austria it was only enough for the Top 20.
9. Destiny’s Child – Independent Women
The song first appeared on the soundtrack to the 2000 film Charlie’s Angels. Later the song was included on the third studio album “Survivor” by the girl group Destinys Child. The girls around Beyoncé Knowles describe their independence and other women who want to be treated equally in their partnership.
They are aimed at women who take charge of their lives, provide for themselves, and do not rely on financial support from men. In the charts of many countries, the song was a huge success. “Independent Women” held the #1 spot on the Billboard charts for 11 consecutive weeks in the U.S. alone.
In the airplay charts of the radio stations, the song was in the first place for 10 weeks. With over 600.000 physical singles sold, “Independent Women” went platinum in the U.K.
10. Katy Perry – Roar
Katy Perry’s “Roar” was a chart success and an anthem for strong women. In the song, the singer describes how she initially held back and allowed herself to be intimidated.
But then came the liberation blow, and stands up for her right like a tiger and did not let herself be pushed around anymore. In the song, she calls on her listeners to be strong and not let themselves be made small. Perry received over 2 times gold, 41 times platinum, and even 1-time diamond for the song. The music video is considered one of the most-watched YouTube with over 2.7 billion views.
The song also received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.
11. Demi Lovato – Confident
“Confident” is the second release from Demi Lovato’s eponymous fifth studio album released in 2015. With over 600.000 downloads, the single was able to reach platinum status in the U.S. In the song, Lovato shows off her newfound confidence.
The singer demonstrates what the image of a strong woman can look like in today’s world.
12. Megan Trainor – All About That Bass
“All About That Bass” was the debut single of singer-songwriter Megan Trainor. In the song, the young singer describes the advantages of fuller women and at the same time criticizes body-shaming and the unrealistic image of women that has become entrenched in people’s minds as a result of Photoshop revisions. Trainor herself rejects any retouching of her pictures and music videos and encourages a new generation of strong women who can accept themselves as they are.
The song was a real chart success. It reached number 1 in the USA, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and the U.K., among others. The song was awarded one times diamond, 41 times platinum, and 2 times gold worldwide.
13. Shania Twain – Man! I Feel Like a Woman
This song is a release from the third studio album “Come On Over” by the Canadian singer and songwriter Shania Twain from the year 1999. In the song, Shania Twain breaks with the gender stereotypes and the etiquette imposed on women.
It’s about having fun as a woman and not worrying about what’s considered ladylike. The song went platinum 4 times and gold 1 time internationally. Twain also received her second Grammy in “Best Female Country Vocal Performance” in 2000.
14. Jennifer Lopez – Ain’t your Mama
The song “Ain’t your Mama” was written by Megan Trainor and released on Jennifer Lopez’s album “Por Primera Vez” in 2016. The song marked a chart comeback for Lopez in some European countries after more than four years.
In Germany, “Ain’t Your Mama” reached the top 5, Austria number 11 and Switzerland number 16. The single was awarded 2 times diamond, 5 times platinum, and 3 times gold. In the song, Jennifer Lopez laments the role of women who have to mother their partners instead of living in an equal relationship at eye level. She demands women’s power and calls for a break from this stereotypical role distribution.
The singer received a lot of positive feedback for this message, including from Hilary Clinton, whose speech she sampled at the beginning of the music video.
15. Selena Gomez & The Scene – Who Says
This song is also about self-confidence and girl power. The song’s core message is not to let anyone tell you that you can’t do something or that you are less worthy than others. With this, Gomez joins the ranks of the many songs by strong women.
She won an award at the Teen Choice Awards in 2011 with this song. She went triple platinum for the song with over 3 million singles sold. Outside the U.S., however, success was limited.
In Germany, it reached number 44 in the charts, in Austria only number 62.
The women’s power movement has been experiencing a resurgence in recent years. This is clearly shown by the charts of the past years. The social and political developments of the past time seem to play an important role. Maybe that’s one reason for this new trend in the music industry.
Famous singers like Beyoncé, Pink, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez, and Megan Trainor are the new generation of strong women. They are raising their voices for the rights and needs of their gender comrades worldwide.
