The 90s was one of the most beloved decades in music history – and for good reason! It was a time when female-fronted bands dominated the airwaves with dynamic performances and groundbreaking styles.
Whether you loved the Spice Girls, TLC, or Destiny’s Child, there is no doubt that these ladies changed the way we listened to music.
In honor of these legendary groups, we have put together a list of the 100 best girl bands that were responsible for some of the biggest hits of the 90s and inspired many other artists to pick up an instrument.
So sit back and enjoy this trip down memory lane!
Top 10 Girl Bands of the 90s
Picking out the top 10 Girl Bands of the 90s is no easy task. After all, there were many great girl groups that gave hit after hit throughout the decade. However, after a careful selection, we bring to you the top 10 girl bands of the 90s.
This list is purely based on the number of records sold, the number of awards won, worldwide acclaim, and popularity among the general public.
So, here it is.
- Destiny’s Child
- Dixie Chicks.
- En Vogue
- Spice Girls
- TLC
- All Saints
- Indigo Girls (Duo)
- Hole
- Sleater-Kinney
- Babes in Toyland
American Girl Bands of the 90s
American Girl Bands of the 90s were a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. These bands represented a new wave of female empowerment that was taking over the music world.
Bands such as 702 (group), The Good Girls (group), and Jade (R&B group) were just a few of the many American girl bands that were making waves during the decade.
Alongside there were also many others who became some of the biggest music sensations in US history with their catchy music, powerful vocals, and impressive performances.
Here is a list that will give you a taste of what American girl bands were like in the 90s and will hopefully make you want to go and listen to their music.
- 3rd Party
- The Chicks
- 702 (group)
- The Good Girls (group)
- Phajja
- Jade (R&B group)
- Innosense
- Wild Orchid (group)
- Blaque
90s Girl Rock Bands
Rock music has always been dominated by male artists, but it wasn’t until the 1990s that female rockers were finally getting their turn in the spotlight.
The late 80s and early 90s saw an explosion of bands with frontwomen like Courtney Love and Joni Mitchell. In the mid-1990s, grunge became a major force and paved the way for other female bands like Hole and L7 to breakthrough.
These bands have a very special place in our hearts as they helped introduce us to the idea that women could be just as talented as men and that girls could rock just as hard!
Here are 10 of the best girl rock bands of the 90s that we still can’t get enough of.
- Bikini Kill
- Sleater-Kinney
- The Cranberries (Female Fronted)
- Hole
- L7
- No Doubt (Female Fronted)
- Babes in Toyland (band)
- Elastica
- The Donnas
- 7 Year Bitch
Alternative Girl Bands of the 90s
Who says all good music has to come from the mainstream? The alternative girl bands of the 90s made some of the most iconic tunes.
The 90s were a time when grunge and punk went mainstream, and female musicians followed suit. It was a time when women could finally break free from their boy band counterparts and form their own groups. Ones that were raw and unapologetic.
From smashing guitars to screeching vocals, these bands set the stage for female empowerment and equality in music.
Here are some of the best alternative girl bands of the 90s. From Jewel to Hole, these underrated gems deserve some love!
- The Cardigans
- Concrete Blonde
- Skunk Anansie (Female Fronted)
- Garbage (Female Fronted)
- Jack Off Jill
- The Breeders
- 4 Non Blondes
- Echobelly
- Babes In Toyland
- The Cranberries
Pop Girl Bands of the 90s
In the 90s, music was a major part of pop culture. It dominated the radio, set trends, and became a form of expression.
In that decade alone, over 2000 singles reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Pop groups like Spice Girls, TLC, Destiny’s Child, and Pussycat Dolls ruled the music industry.
Although many of these groups have broken up or gone on hiatus, their songs still live on and are just as popular today as they were 20 years ago.
Here are some of the best pop girl bands from the 90s that will have you reminiscing for days.
- Speed (Japanese band)
- En Vogue
- Morning Musume
- Spice Girls
- Destiny’s Child
- Bananarama
- SWV
- All Saints (group)
- Alisha’s Attic
- The Bangles
Punk Girl Bands of the 90s
Listening to punk music feels like another way of defining who you are.
It’s an expression of your frustrations, anger, and your deepest desires. It’s a way to release the pressure inside of you, and it helps you find your own voice.
Punk is defined by its attitude, not any one sound. You can put any kind of instrument into a punk song and it would still be considered punk as long as the attitude is there.
These days, punk music might not be as prevalent as it was in the 90s, but there are still many badass punk girl bands today who are making their voices heard.
Here are the ten best punk girl bands of the 90s that dominated the stage with their attitude and that every fan should know about.
- Bikini Kill
- Bratmobile
- Heavens to Betsy
- Excuse 17
- Huggy Bear
- Cake Like
- Skinned Teen
- Emily’s Sassy Lime
- Sleater-Kinney
- Republica
- Cinder Block (musician)
- 7 Year Bitch
Black Girl Bands of the 90s
Black girl bands were a force in the 90s,
These bands dominated the charts and soundtrack of our lives with songs that made us want to dance, songs that made us want to fall in love, and songs that made us want to be someone new.
They also played a crucial role in representing and uplifting Black girls and women who were so often left out or ignored.
With that said, here is a list that features some of the black girl bands to ever grace the stage.
- Destiny’s Child
- Before Dark
- BlackGirl
- Futrel
- Brownstone
- The Braxtons
- Salt-N-Pepa
- The Conscious Daughters
- Kut Klose
- Mary Mary
- Total (girl group)
Country Girl Bands of 90s
With the rise in female empowerment, there are more women making music than ever before. Country music is no exception to this rule.
Country music has been a staple of American culture for decades with influences from folk, bluegrass, and blues traditions. With the 1990s came a plethora of new country girl bands with fresh sounds and original songs.
These girl bands were not only known for their catchy tunes, but also for their authentic lyrics and strong female roles.
- The Chicks
- The Judds
- SHeDAISY
- Sweethearts of the Rodeo
- The Kinleys
- The Pointer Sisters
- The Forester Sisters
- Sweethearts of the Rodeo
- The Lynns
Indie Girl Bands of the 90s
A lot of the time, popular music is owned by a handful of major labels. If you’re an Indie artist or band, you have to work hard to get your music out there. If you’re not obscure, it’s possible that you’ll be overlooked.
But in the 90s and with the widespread use of the internet, it became easier for artists to communicate with one another and share their music with listeners all around the world.
This led to an explosion of female-fronted indie bands that defied the gender stereotypes of the time and left their mark on this era. Not only did these girl bands become famous in their own right, but they also set the groundwork for future indie musicians.
Here are ten bands that have stood out in music history.
- Metric
- Sleater-Kinney
- Echobelly
- Catatonia
- No Doubt
- Bikini Kill
- The Cranberries
- Velocity Girl
- Tegan And Sara
- Dressy Bessy
Grunge Girl Bands of the 90s
Grunge girl bands of the 90s are remembered for their different sense of style. Musically, they were a bit more on the punk side and brought new sounds to the table that was different from what was popular at the time.
Some of these bands last to this day and some have been forgotten but what they all have in common is that they were part of a movement that challenged the status quo and brought women to the forefront in a male-dominated scene.
Here’s our list of female-fronted grunge bands of the 90s.
- Hole
- Babes in Toyland
- L7
- Veruca Salt
- Garbage
- 7 Year Bitch
- Bikini Kill
- Sleater-Kinney
- Sonic Youth
- Lunachicks
- The Distillers
Australian Girl Bands of 90s
Let’s face it, the 1990s were a huge decade for music. And as a result, there were some really great Australian girl bands during this time.
In fact, some of them had more success internationally than they did in their home country! But alas, all good things must come to an end and many of these bands disbanded by the turn of the century.
Still, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best Australian girl bands from the 90s that you may want to check out.
- Nervo (Duo)
- Girlfriend
- Lash
- Bardot
- Jackson Mendoza (Duo)
- Cherry
- Sister2Sister
- The Star Girls
- Girl Monstar
- Rhapsody
- Teen Queens
British Girl Bands of 90s
In the 90s, the UK music scene was at an all-time high in popularity with bands like Spice Girls, Atomic Kitten, Girl Thing, Honeyz, etc., dominating the charts.
These girls had it all: they were talented, fashionable, and charismatic. Together, they helped shape a generation with their music videos and lyrics.
Although some of these girl bands are no longer together, they still prove that the spirit of girl power is alive and well.
- Spice Girls
- Sugababes
- Atomic Kitten
- Girl Thing
- Precious
- Honeyz
- Kindred Spirit
- Faith Hope & Charity
- Fierce
- Floetry
- Madasun
- TSD
Irish Girl Bands of 90s
Women in Ireland have always been at the forefront of Irish culture. And in the 1990s, you could say that there was a plethora of talented Irish singers and musicians.
These Irish girls bands weren’t just representing their country; they were representing Irish culture and heritage.
Here is a list of the 6 best Irish Girl bands of the 90s that cemented Ireland as a space for strong, independent women with the talent to spare.
- The Cranberries
- Bellefire
- B*Witched
- The Corrs
- The Nolans
- All Saints
Asian Girl Bands of 90s
Music genres are always changing. Countries like Japan, China, and South Korea have been influencing pop culture for decades. From their own versions of language to their own versions of fashion, the Asian continent has been influencing the world in a lot of different ways.
Here are 7 Asian girl bands from the 90s that should be remembered for their contributions to music.
- SPEED
- Emily’s Sassy Lime
- Baby Vox
- S.E.S.
- MAX
- Fin K.L
- Morning Musume
Conclusion
There you have it, folks – a list of 100 girl bands from the 90s that should be remembered for their contributions to music. We hope you enjoyed this list as much as we enjoyed compiling it. Thanks for reading!
