The Best Female Empowerment Songs of Every Decade

What better way to celebrate women's history than through female empowerment songs?

Female empowerment songs can give women the boost they need to embrace their own strength. Throughout the decades, female artists, particularly women of color, gave birth to entire genres.

They got knocked down by those who were afraid of their impressive capabilities, but did that stop them from getting back up? Of course, not!

Take a journey with us through the decade-defining music of our mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers to remember exactly what women are capable of…including you!

1920s: Bessie Smith

Bessie Smith was legendary in the blues world. AP

Why She Was an Icon

Bessie Smith was one of the first stars of the classic blues genre, which was predominantly led by African American women. Her very first single in 1923, “Downhearted Blues,” was largely responsible for helping Columbia Records survive a challenging financial setback.

Throughout the 1920s, she helped establish a new market of music called “race records” that was aimed toward a growing Black audience. During a time when women were expected to run households, not businesses, she stuck out like a sore thumb. She became the highest-paid Black artist in music, and one of the first Black American superstars.

Consider the Times

When Bessie Smith was born, women still couldn’t vote in the United States, and Black Americans faced great risks to do so. While the 19th Amendment opened the vote to women in 1920, discrimination made it nearly impossible for Black men and women to vote in many states.

The earlier 15th Amendment was supposed to grant voting rights to all male citizens. Southern states, however, used discriminatory policies like requiring literacy tests or charging poll taxes to keep Black Americans from casting their vote.

One of Her Top Female Empowerment Songs: ‘Downhearted Blues’

Legacy / Columbia / Amazon

Written by two women, American jazz singer Alberta Hunter and songwriter Lovie Austin, “Downhearted Blues” sold 780,000 copies in just six months. It was one of the first female empowerment songs to become popular. Notable lyrics include:

“I got the world in a jug, the stopper’s in my hand

I’m gonna hold it until you men come under my command”

Listen to Bessie Smith perform “Downhearted Blues” on YouTube.

1930s: Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday was known as “Lady Day” in the music industry. AP

Why She Was an Icon

Known as the First Lady of Blues and “Lady Day”, Eleanora Fagan had a rough childhood. She started out performing in nightclubs in Harlem, and her talent was recognized by music producer John Hammond. She soon signed with Brunswick, and by the end of the decade, she became a pioneer of modern jazz.

Unfortunately, her battle with substance abuse took its toll. Her later career was impacted by her vocal health and legal troubles, but she continued releasing new songs until 1958. She passed away the next year, but she went on to win four Grammy Awards posthumously. She was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and later the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.

Consider the Times

During the Great Depression, the lack of gender equality became even more apparent. About 24.3 percent of American women worked, but the positions open to them were extremely limited. Most professional women were school teachers or nurses, and the rest were left to work in factories.

Women were offered about half the pay as men, so some companies offered jobs to women since most men wouldn’t take such low pay. Because of that, underpaid, overworked women were criticized for taking jobs away from men, really putting Holiday’s accomplishments into perspective.

One of Her Top Female Empowerment Songs: ‘Downhearted Blues’ ‘Billie’s Blues’

Blue Note Records / Amazon

Supposedly, Billie composed her most famous hit spontaneously right before the recording session started. Notable lyrics include:

“I’ve been your slave

Ever since I’ve been your babe

But before I’ll be your dog

I’ll see you in your grave”

Strange Fruit was another powerful song of hers that addressed the lynching of Black Americans in the South. Its release had a substantial impact on her future career.

Listen to Billie Holiday perform “Billie’s Blues” on YouTube.

1940s: Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Sister Rosetta Tharpe is the originator of the “holy rollers” — religious records that sell up to half a million discs. AP

Why She Was an Icon

During the 1940s, talented female musicians were an uncommon sight. It’s not that they didn’t exist, of course. Women at the time were simply dissuaded from doing anything other than managing the home.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe didn’t care, though. She loved to play the guitar and was considered a child prodigy. She was heavily influenced by gospel music, but she essentially carved out a genre of her own. Her style became a mix of spirituals and early rock ‘n’ roll. Her music had an influence on early rock musicians like Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley. She became known as “the Godmother of rock ‘n’ roll” for her contribution to the genre’s development.

Consider the Times

She was among several female artists who opened doors in the music industry. World War II brought the likes of Martha Wilkerson as the first female radio DJ, cheering up troops stationed abroad from a radio station in Los Angeles.

Miriam Abramson also made waves by co-founding Atlantic Records with her husband and his partner. She managed the company’s production and finances, a role historically only given to men.

One of Her Top Female Empowerment Songs: ‘Downhearted Blues’ ‘Shout Sister Shout’

Sunset Boulevard Records / Amazon

The work of Sister Rosetta Tharpe was so groundbreaking that a biography was later written named after this signature song. Noteworthy yrics include:

“There’s a way to be brilliant

A way to be a fool

A way to get to heaven

Observe the golden rule

A way to get a sweetheart,

A way to get a wife

But the day you quit me brother

That’s the day you lose your life”

Listen to Sister Rosetta Tharpe perform “Shout Sister Shout” on YouTube.

1950s: Celia Cruz

Celia Cruz was known as the “Queen of Salsa.” AP

Why She Was an Icon

Nicknamed the “Queen of Salsa,” Celia Cruz transcended cultural barriers on multiple fronts. She grew up in Cuba, and her music drew from both Big Band and Afro-Cuban musical stylings. When Cuba’s revolution took place, she was exiled and never expected to return to her homeland.

Instead of letting her career fizzle out, though, she became the guiding light of Latin music in the U.S. During the 1970s, she was the face of New York’s Latino music scene, and her career spanned over half a century.

Consider the Times

During the 1950s, the birth control pill didn’t exist. With less control over their reproductive health, many women settled for lives as homemakers. This obviously wasn’t the case for Celia Cruz, and she wasn’t the only one.

In the first-ever Grammy Awards ceremony, Ella Fitzgerald won two awards. Only two other women were recognized: opera singer Renata Tebaldi and pop singer Keely Smith.

One of Her Top Female Empowerment Songs: ‘Downhearted Blues’ ‘Bemba Colora’

Universal Music Latino / Amazon

The exact meaning of Cruz’s song “Bemba Colora” is a little hazy in translation, but the title means something along the lines of “a big, red lower lip.” Some believe this is referring to a man with red lipstick on his lips from his infidelities. Judging by the translated lyrics, she really wasn’t having any of that nonsense:

“Si tu marido te pega

Dale golpes tu tambien

Y si no puedes con la mano

Metele una cosa en la costilla pues”

Translation in English:

“If your husband beats you

Then throw punches right back at him

And if you can’t do it with your fists

Then stick something sharp in his ribs”

Cruz later replaced the line “Bemba Colora” with “Yo soy Celia Cruz.” Each performance was packed with incredible energy, passion and cultural affirmation.

Watch Celia Cruz perform “Bemba Colora” on YouTube.

1960s: Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin performs at the NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on July 25, 2012, in Los Angeles. Chris Pizzello / AP

Why She Was an Icon

American singer, songwriter, actress and activist, Aretha Louise Franklin started her career early, discovering her passion for singing during church. It took a while for her to gain footing, but by the end of the 1960s, she had established herself as the official “Queen of Soul.”

She was awarded countless honors including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Arts. She was the first woman in history to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2020, she was also inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame.

Consider the Times

The ’60s were a time of great change for women. President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law in 1963, forbidding wage discrimination based on gender.

A year later, President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, an article that prohibited employment discrimination based on gender, religion, race or nationality.

One of Her Top Female Empowerment Songs: ‘Downhearted Blues’ ‘Think’

Atlantic Catalog Group / Amazon

Franklin’s feminist anthem “Think” reached No. 7 on the Hot 100, and for good reason. It’s all about women demanding better treatment. Noteworthy lyrics include:

“There ain’t nothing you could ask

I could answer you but I won’t (I won’t)

But I was gonna change, but I’m not

If you keep doing things I don’t”

Of course, “Respect” became another one of her most empowering hits, influencing generations of women to this day.

Listen to Aretha Franklin perform “Think” on YouTube.

1970s: Joan Baez

Inductee Joan Baez performs live in New York. Charles Sykes / AP

Why She’s an Icon

Joan Baez first drew public attention at the Newport Folk Festival of 1959. She released an album the next year, and she quickly became known for her anti-war, pro-pacifism lyrics. She was a strong proponent of social justice and was the biggest face of folk music during that era.

Most famously, she sang “We Shall Overcome” next to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the March on Washington. She was a passionate activist, spreading her message of powerful, peaceful resistance through her music.

Consider the Times

Increasing social unrest carried on throughout the 1960s and ’70s. From racial inequality to the Vietnam War, activism manifested itself in many ways.

One of these facets of activism was through a return to folk music, which was historically based in simple yet morally idealistic values. Baez’s music stood as a uniting voice.

One of Her Top Female Empowerment Songs: ‘Downhearted Blues’ ‘We Shall Overcome’

Vanguard / Amazon

The original rendition of the song, “We Shall Overcome,” has its roots in slave culture dating back to the 1800s when slaves sang work songs to pass the day by and maintain some sort of connection with each other as their culture was being actively erased by their owners. Baez’s song is about banding together — something that beautifully defined the collaboration between the civil rights and women’s rights movements of the time.

“We shall organize, we shall organize

We shall organize today

Deep in my heart I do believe

We shall overcome someday”

Listen to Joan Baez perform “We Shall Overcome” on YouTube.

1980s: Diana Ross

Diana Ross performs at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in May 2019. Amy Harris / AP

Why She’s an Icon

Best known as the lead singer of The Supremes, one of Motown’s most memorable vocal groups, Diana Ross had a powerful voice all her own. She was named “Female Entertainer of the Century” by Billboard magazine, and she’s the only female artist to have No. 1 hits as a member of an ensemble, trio, duet and as a soloist.

She had a top 10 U.K. hit in five different decades. She has since been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was given the Guinness World Record during the 1990s for having more hits of any female artist, with a total of 70 hit singles!

Consider the Times

On Sept. 25, 1981, Sandra Day O’Connor became the first woman on the Supreme Court. Back then, a mere 6 percent of federal judges were women. The 1980s offered considerably more opportunities for women than previous decades, but it’s sobering to realize how sexist our society was not only 40 years ago.

One of Her Top Female Empowerment Songs: ‘Downhearted Blues’ ‘I’m Coming Out’

Uni / Motown / Amazon

Ross had many empowering songs, but this one is still kicking butt. It peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100 chart for two straight weeks in November 2020! It’s one she’s performed first at almost all her concerts since the 1980s. Noteworthy lyrics include:

“The time has come for me

To break out of this shell

I have to shout

That I am coming out”

Listen to Diana Ross perform “I’m Coming Out” on YouTube.

1990s: Lauryn Hill

Singer Lauryn Hill at the Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, England, on June 28, 2019. Grant Pollard / AP

Why She’s an Icon

Lauryn Hill was one of the hardest hitters in R&B. She broke too many records to count: first woman to be nominated in 10 categories in under a year, first woman to win five trophies in a night, first hip-hop record to win Album of the Year … need we continue?

One of the factors that made Hill’s music so radical and monumental was her resistance to conforming to her industry by expressing her struggles with emotion and heartfelt lyricism through her music.

Consider the Times

Hill felt her industry was narrow-minded and fraught with creative limitations. Black R&B artists were subjugated by the music industry that tried to capitalize on the mainstream rise of Black culture.

While Black female artists had more visibility than they used to, the music industry forced them into highly stereotyped and limiting genres.

One of Her Top Female Empowerment Songs: ‘Downhearted Blues’ ‘Everything Is Everything’

Ruffhouse / Columbia / Amazon

“Everything Is Everything,” is a love-letter to tight-knit black communities across America about overcoming battles of personal and social strife. The term, “everything is everything,” is actually a slang term meaning that “all is well.”

“Everything is everything

What is meant to be, will be

After winter, must come spring

Change, it comes eventually

Let me tell ya that”

Hill wrote this song as a tribute to her return to a better mental space after two years of struggle, in which she’d suffered a breakup of both her romantic relationship and her former music group, The Fugees, as well as her loss of faith in God.

Watch Lauryn Hill perform “Everything Is Everything” on YouTube.

2000s: Beyonce

Beyonce attends the “Lion King” premiere in London. Joel C Ryan / AP

Why She’s an Icon

Did you know Beyonce is the first Black woman to head Coachella? Yep, and it didn’t happen until 2018. She’s the most nominated woman in Grammy history and the second-most awarded person. At the BET Awards and the Soul Train Awards, she reigns supreme.

Besides her numerous accolades, Beyonce is also world-renowned for owning her beauty, hard work and personality. She’s unapologetically herself and encourages other women to be the same. Themes in her music include everything from body positivity and racial injustice to celebrating African culture. She’s broken numerous barriers for Black female artists by calling out offensive stereotypes of Black women in the media and supporting the causes she stands for in her work.

Consider the Times

The 2000s continued the trend of female firsts. Halle Berry became the first-ever African American woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress, and Nancy Pelosi became the first female speaker of the House.

After Pelosi won a second time in 2019, she became the only lawmaker to hold the position twice in the past 50 years. With no one yet following in their footsteps, they’re both standing on lonely pedestals in their respective fields.

One of Her Top Female Empowerment Songs: ‘Downhearted Blues’ ‘Run the World’

Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia / Amazon

Released in 2011, “Run the World” is one of several killer Beyonce anthems. It just doesn’t get better than this. How can you listen to it without getting pumped? On YouTube, the official music video currently has 2.5 million likes! Noteworthy lyrics include:

“This goes out to all the women getting it in, you on your grind

To all the men that respect what I do, please accept my shine

Boy, you know you love it

How we’re smart enough to make these millions

Strong enough to bear the children

Then get back to business”

Watch Beyonce perform “Run the World” on YouTube.

2010s: Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige performs at the Essence Festival on July 6, 2019, in New Orleans. Amy Harris / AP

Why She’s an Icon

Mary Jane Blige technically got her start back in the 1990s, but her music has transcended the decades that followed. She has released 13 studio albums and sold 80 million worldwide, won 12 Billboard Music Awards, nine Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards and three Golden Globe nominations.

She also earned an Academy Award nomination for both Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song for the movie “Mudbound”. She is, so far, the only person who has been nominated for both acting and songwriting in the same year. She was ranked No. 9 in a list of the 100 Greatest Women in Music in 2012 and was recently nominated for the 2021 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Consider the Times

We’ve come a long, long way from the days when women only worked as school teachers and nurses, but we’re not finished. The American military just removed its ban against women serving in combat in 2013. Three years later, Hillary Clinton was the first woman in history to be nominated for president by one of the two major political parties.

While her nomination deserves celebration, the way it was received is telling. After her opponent, Donald Trump, called her a “nasty woman,” the media spent a great deal of time fretting over Hilary’s likeability. There were far more comments about her clothes and presentation than there were about any of her male opponents. A year later in January 2017, a Woman’s March became the largest single-day protest in the U.S. to date.

One of Her Top Female Empowerment Songs: ‘Downhearted Blues’ ‘Strength of a Woman’

Capitol / Amazon

Drawing from her personal experiences, including a painful split from her husband and manager, Mary J. Blige’s simple lyrics are relatable to just about every woman on the planet. Noteworthy lyrics include:

“We’re the wisdom like a guiding light

We’re the trees left standing through the storms of life

We’ve come so high and we’ve come so far

Can’t hold us back”

Watch Mary J. Blige perform “Strength of a Woman” on YouTube.

2020: Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande attends the 2016 American Music Awards held on Nov. 20, 2016, in Los Angeles. zz/DP/AAD/STAR MAX/IPx / AP

Why She’s an Icon

Ariana Grande-Butera started a career on Broadway at just 15. She moved on to play lead roles on two popular Nickelodeon tween shows. In 2011, her YouTube covers helped her land a record deal with Republic Records, and it’s all history from there. The lead single on her first album, “The Way,” made it to the top 10 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

She has since become the first woman to hold the top three spots on the list at the same time. In 2020, she also broke the record for the most No. 1 debuts. She’s the most streamed female artist on both Apple Music and Spotify, and she’s the most followed female artist on Spotify and YouTube. She’s also been the most followed woman on Instagram since 2019!

Consider the Times

In 2020, a historic number of women ran for political office in the United States. Some people had a problem with that, even though 75 percent of Senate seats are still held by men.

One of Her Top Female Empowerment Songs: ‘Downhearted Blues’ ‘God Is a Woman’

Republic Records / Amazon

It’s hard to pick just one powerful Ariana Grande song because they’re kind of her whole thing, but this is one of her best. Noteworthy lyrics include:

“You, you love it how I move you

You love it how I touch you

My one, when all is said and done

You’ll believe God is a woman”

Ariana Grande’s success shows just how far women have come — particularly women of color. The women at the beginning of this list couldn’t vote. They had to forge paths of their own through unchartered (and unfriendly) territory. If women like Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday and Aretha Franklin hadn’t dedicated their lives, dedicated decades of emotional labor to their craft, Ariana wouldn’t be up on stage singing the words of a new generation of empowering female songs: “You’ll believe God is a woman.”

Watch Ariana Grande perform “God Is a Woman” on YouTube.