vh1's "List" of the "Greatest Women of Music" (1992 - Present) Countdown…WTF?!

[Cyn]

….Seriously, after watching one hour of this "countdown", my reaction to it was a resounding "WTF?!"

Even taking into consideration that the countdown was for Women in Music of the Past 20 Years (vh1 did a countdown of the Greatest Women In Music of All-Time a few years back, which Aretha Franklin won), this list is beyond ridiculous.

If you were smart and didn't bother watching, I found the list in its entirety here, and after reading through it, my reaction to it hadn't changed at all, but my next thoughts about it were:

-- "WTF were these idiots smoking?!"
-- "Who the hell decided on this, a bunch of Tweens?!"

Their (vh1's) List:

(the ones bolded by me are my "WTF?" entries)

100. Pussycat Dolls
99. Demi Lovato
98. Ashanti
97. Grace Potter
96. Mandy Moore
95. Wilson Phillips
94. Colbie Caillat
93. Feist
92. Jordin Sparks
91. Monica
90. Regina Spektor
89. Hillary Scott (Lady Antebellum)
88. SWV
87. Robyn
86. Ingrid Michaelson
85. Faith Evans
84. Avril Lavigne
83. Meg White (The White Stripes)
82. Miley Cyrus
81. Spice Girls
80. Sara Bareilles
79. PJ Harvey (Sonic Youth)
77. Hayley Williams (Paramore)
76. Leona Lewis
75. Kim Deal (The Breeders, The Pixies)
74. Paula Abdul
73. Dido
72. Brandy
71. Natalie Merchant
70. Macy Gray
69. Courtney Love
68. Indigo Girls
67. M.I.A.
66. Natasha Bedingfield
65. Liz Phair
64. Eve
63. Jill Scott
62. Leann Rimes
61. Shirley Manson (Garbage)
60. Florence + The Machine
59. Destiny’s Child
58. Miranda Lambert
57. Ke$ha
56. Gloria Estefan
55. Fiona Apple
54. Tori Amos
53. Sarah McLachlan
52. En Vogue
51. Nelly Furtado
50. Lauryn Hill
49. Amy Lee (Evanescence)
48. Aaliyah
47. Kylie Minogue
46. Toni Braxton
45. Lil’ Kim
44. Erykah Badu
43. Taylor Swift
42. Melissa Etheridge
41. Jewel
40. Nicki Minaj
39. Dixie Chicks
38. Salt N Pepa
37. Faith Hill
36. Shakira
35. Shania Twain
34. Queen Latifah
33. Norah Jones
32. Fantasia
31. Cher
30. Sade
29. Bjork
28. k.d. Lang
27. Fergie
26. Amy Winehouse
25. Sheryl Crow
24. Jennifer Hudson
23. Carrie Underwood
22. Annie Lennox
21. Celine Dion
20. Rihanna
19. Kelly Clarkson
18. Missy Elliott
17. Katy Perry
16. Jennifer Lopez
15. Alanis Morissette
14. Alicia Keys
13. Gwen Stefani
12. TLC
11. Britney Spears
10. P!nk
09. Mary J. Blige
08. Christina Aguilera
07. Janet Jackson
06. Whitney Houston
05. Adele
04. Lady Gaga
03. Beyoncé
02. Mariah Carey
01. Madonna

************

What in the fcuk are the likes of

- Pussycat "Talented Only For Slutty Dancing/Lyrics" Dolls
- Miley "Autotune is My BFF" Cyrus,
- Demi "I Was One of the Twerps on 'Barney and Friends'" Lovato,
- Nikki "I Exorcised What Little Talent I Had On The Grammys" Minaj,
- Fantasia "American Idol Mistake Winnter #1" Barrino,
- Jordin "American Idol Mistake Winner #2" Sparks, and
- Mandy "How The Fcuk Did I Make It Onto This List?" Moore

being on this list at all?

************

Also, the following women,

- #79 - P.J. Harvey
- #75 - Kim Deal (Bassist and Lead Singer, The Pixies and Rhythm Guitarist and Lead Singer, The Breeders)
- #68 - Indigo Girls
- #61 - Shirley Manson (Lead Singer, Garbage(
- #56 - Gloria Estafan (Lead Singer, Miami Sound Machine, Solo Artist)
- #54 - Tori Amos
- #53 - Sarah McLachlan (in addition to her Solo Career, the founder of a "little" festival called Lilith Fair
- #42 - Melissa Etheridge
- #37 - Faith Hill
- #35 - Shania Twain
- #34 - Queen Latifah
- #31 - Cher (She's mothercukin' CHER?!, FFS, only one of the greatest icons of Women in Music?!)
- #22 - Annie Lennox
- #21 - Celine Dion

should all be much higher up in the list. I'm absolutely gobsmacked that the likes of Sarah McLachlan., Faith Hill, Shania Twain, Motherfcukin CHER, and Celine Dion aren't in the Top 20 at the very least, and I don't even much like their music .

Even more are these singers/artists placements:

- #76 - Leona Lewis (debut album in 2007)
- #67 - M.I.A. (debut album in 2007)
- #58 - Miranda Lambert (debut album 2005)
- #57 - Ke$ha (debut album, Animal, in 2010)
- #43 - Taylor Swift (debut album in 2006))
- #20 - Rihanna (shouldn't be anywhere near the Top 20, much less in it; debut album in 2005)
- #19 - Kelly Clarkson (I could see her in the 20-30 range, but Top 20? Not yet.)
- #17 - Katy Perry (all flash and no substance; Auto-Tune Queen; debut album 2008)
- #11 - Britney Spears (Tween Pop Pwinces; some may argue in favor of her placement, but I think her singing sucks )
- #05 - Adele (she's awesome, but #5 when she's only been around for 3 years?)

(Apologies for the long-winded rant above; it should be obvious that this BS pisses me off )

**********

My question is, why the hell isn't Johnette Napolitano (bassist and lead singer of Concrete Blonde) on this list?

Who would you include/exclude from this list to make it better?

[Tesla]

Where the hell is Aimee Mann? I agree. That whole list is a WTF.

[Cyn]

Where the hell is Aimee Mann? I agree. That whole list is a WTF.

Good question.

Another one is Chrissie Hyndes.

[Wyliefan]

Just looking at the country singers, because you truly don't want to get me started on the rest, I'd move Miranda Lambert up the list. And I'd move Faith Hill down. Way down. Like, off. Sorry, Cyn. I do agree with you about putting Shania higher, though.

As for all the overrated youngsters, you know they just put those on there to attract the key demographic to the TV special.

[Smiley0884]

Wow, that list is an absolute joke!!! UGH!


ETA: Right on that it's all tweens!!! I do think Miley/Demi are talented, but they haven't done enough to be considered "Greatest of all time" By any means. And neither have the Pussy cat dolls, Niki Minaj, Ke$ha, ect.

[jamesy]

Ke$ha

One of the hotels in Vegas has Dealertainers, which as blackjack dealers dressed like celebrities. Every so often they get on a little stage and "perform" a song. I could not figure out who the random blonde girl was until she was announced as Ke$ha. I thought that was particularly fitting.

[falling_dance]

I wish Sinead O'Connor and St. Vincent had made the list.

[PDilemma]

Why is Wilson Phillips on that list? And how did you not bold them? Or the Spice Girls?

And Carrie Underwood?? She should be off just for that ridiculous "Jesus Take the Wheel" song. And don't even get me started on the "vandalize a pick-up truck" song--don't even know what it's called.

[Wyliefan]

It's called "Before He Cheats."

[FiveRinger]

Why is Wilson Phillips on that list? And how did you not bold them? Or the Spice Girls?

And Carrie Underwood?? She should be off just for that ridiculous "Jesus Take the Wheel" song. And don't even get me started on the "vandalize a pick-up truck" song--don't even know what it's called.

I don't agree with most of the list. But, Wilson Phillips and Spice Girls did make an impact on music. Now, I don't like the impact, but they made one, none the less.

There's just no reason for Carrie Underwood to be on the list.

They should have made an age requirement or longevity requirement or something.

[julieann]

That whole list is a joke

[BigB08822]

I think this list was all or partly voted on? That probably explains a huge amount of the It also HEAVILY favors more recent artists. I love love love Adele but should she honestly be in the top 5? A year ago most people I know didn't even know who she was. I realize both albums have been stellar and 21 is a masterpiece but I think it takes a bit longer than 2 albums to assert yourself in the top 20, much less the top 5. Nicki Minaj is another joke, she has had exactly 1 hit and makes the list at all, much less in the top 40. She benefits from being so current. I don't have a problem with Kelly Clarkson being top 20 since she has been around for 10 years now and has one of the best voices in pop music, plus Breakaway was one of the best pop albums of the 2000's, IMO. I am completely biased when it comes to Kelly, though.

[overedge]

Wow, that list is an absolute joke!!! UGH!

Any list of "greatest women in music" that includes the Pussycat Dolls is automatically invalid. That's like having a list of "greatest men in music" that includes Milli Vanilli.

[Beefcake]

Simmer down, now. First off, it's VH1 ... not exactly THE last word in music. Second, in VH1's defense, it's not like there were a lot of great women to choose from ... as the list is from "1992 ... present."

The prior 20 years -- 1972-1992 -- OTOH, would've been worth discussing! (Psst:O'Connor, Hynde, Mann, and what-not would be in that era ... left off here due to the referenced window.)

If Lil' Kim and Katy Perry are on this list, then Miley also deserves to be on this list, and in fact salvia girl wuzrobbed by being listed below Paula Abdul. In fact, II, any famous singer from that era (but Jessica Simpson) listed below Paula or not listed at all wuzrobbed.

Why all the hating on Carrie Underwood? I must be out of touch as to what is good. Oh, wait, is it because she had the nerve to sing about Jesus?

[allezfred]

Meh, it's just a list. Put together another list and I'm sure a whole bunch of other people will pick holes in that one too. It's a bit of fun and not meant to be taken too seriously.

Another one is Chrissie Hyndes.

Has Chrissie Hyndes done anything of note in the past 20 years? Cause if she has I'm blanking on it.

Cher had "Believe" and that's been about it. We do have her to thank for autotuning though.

I wish Sinead O'Connor and St. Vincent had made the list.

Much as I love Sinead O'Connor and her amazing voice, her worldwide peak was 1990.

Who is St. Vincent?

I don't have a problem with Kelly Clarkson being top 20 since she has been around for 10 years now and has one of the best voices in pop music, plus Breakaway was one of the best pop albums of the 2000's, IMO. I am completely biased when it comes to Kelly, though.

Not completely biased. You were very restrained and didn't put her name forward when we were discussing who should play Whitney Houston in a biopic.

[allezfred]

Why all the hating on Carrie Underwood? I must be out of touch as to what is good. Oh, wait, is it because she had the nerve to sing about Jesus?

It's because it's crap and unintentionally hilarious.

[Beefcake]

It's because it's crap and unintentionally hilarious.

Shut up! You'll let the cat out of the bag ... and I won't be able to say "Jesus took the wheel" next time I'm caught speeding.

[Smiley0884]

It's called "Before He Cheats."

I love that song Given the people on the list, I don't know why anyone is complaining about Carrie Underwood. She's got a fantastic voice, and managed to find a personality since she won Idol.

[duane]

I think Britney Spears deserves to be in the top 5.

[FiveRinger]

Did they give any requirements to be on the list?

Where are Tina Turner, Gladys Knight and Diana Ross? And Aretha isn't on the list, either? All of this just came to me as I re-read the list. Unbelievable.