10 Feminist Anthems for International Women's Day!

Little Simz - Woman

A majestic and powerful celebration of women everywhere from one of the most important artists of our time. In 2021, Little Simz said: "I love it when I see women doing their thing and looking flawless; I’m here for that. It’s empowering, it’s inspiring; I wanted to say thank you and I wanted to celebrate them."

Enough said!

Eurythmics (ft Aretha Franklin) - Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves

One of the all-time great collaborations, this banger is every misogynist's worst nightmare. An emboldening celebration of being a woman, Annie Lennox and Aretha are absolutely killing it here - and coming up for 40 years old (!!!) it's no less relevant today than it was in 1985.

Courtney Barnett - Nameless, Faceless

Aussie indie queen Courtney Barnett wrote this as a response to having read a flurry of sexist trolls abusing her online - and it's a hell of a response. In it, she paraphrases 'The Handmaid's Tale' author Margaret Atwood - 'men are afraid that women will laugh at them, women are afraid that men will kill them' - a powerful and pertinent statement that drives straight to the heart of the inherent inequality and injustice of our still patriarchal society.

Chaka Khan - I'm Every Woman

The debut solo single by the great Chaka Khan, this timeless banger from 1978 celebrated womanhood in a different way, with lyrics that spoke less about outright liberation and more about how she has the strength to support and uplift her man. She refuses to be the victim, and seems to focus on all the things that she alone could accomplish.

Janelle Monae (feat Erykah Badu) - Q.U.E.E.N

Janelle Monae is one of the most talented people on earth - actor, singer, songwriter, performer - a force of nature! The title is an acronym of "Queer, Untouchables, Emigrants, Excommunicated, and Negroid", and it hones in on both the empowerment of women and the need for women to control their own images, coupled with the legitimacy of other marginalised groups.

In Monae's own words, it "represents the underdogs, those who are often times marginalised. We wanted to do a female-empowerment song together and just highlight how two strong women, two strong black women, can come together and do something inspiring for the community."

Mahalia Jackson - We Shall Overcome

A slight bending of the rules here, as this soaring song focuses more on the civil rights movement. It would be sung in glorious defiance at marches across America, with Jackson known to sing it at meetings. We reckon the central message, however, can be applied to any sort of resistance, and Mahalia Jackson's performance on this record is something to behold. Rise up! Rise up and sing!

Lesley Gore - You Don't Own Me

In 1963, this defiant roar of emancipation by the 17 year old Lesley Gore must have been quite the shock. It may come as something of a disappointment to find the song was written by two men - David White and John Madara - but its conception was borne of an anger they felt at the time that so many pop songs were written by men for women to sing about an almost slavish and swooning devotion to men. Good on 'em!

Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know

There's not a great deal of subtlety in this scathing, rebellious and route-one slice of 90s angst from Alanis Morissette. It's basically a musical middle finger to the man who left her, as she tells him he ain't gonna find anyone better than her. And why not? Why should women suffer in silence? She's angry, she's blunt and she's taking absolutely no prisoners.

Aretha Franklin - Respect

An anthem for women who are fed up of being fed up! Written by Otis Redding, the song was initially from the perspective of a man - until Aretha triumphantly rearranged and transformed it into a cry for female empowerment.

Madonna - Express Yourself

Madonna crashed onto the scene in the 80s and represented a turning point for feminism in pop. Completely in control of her own image and her own desires, this is an expression of fierce independence, a feminist call-to-arms - and a total banger for good measure. You don't mess with Madonna!

And so to all women everywhere - we salute you!