Countdown: Women Who Rock - #5, Karen O

#5 - Karen O

of Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Who doesn't love Karen O? As part of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs she's been at the forefront of the Indie Rock scene for nearly a decade, becoming a fashion icon, sex symbol and fully fledged rock star. Since the release of Fever to Tell (2003) she's also shown incredible growth musically and become an inspiration for women AND men looking to break into the scene.

Fever to Tell was a groundbreaking album which has become appreciated much more over time. It made countless best of the decade lists and featured the massive alternative hit 'Maps,' which really caught the attention of the masses. Follow-up Show Your Bones (2006) was much more subdued than its predecessor but it gained the band even more popularity which can be strongly attributed to hit single 'Gold Lion.'

The latest album, It's Blitz (2009), received almost universal critical acclaim and took the band in a more electronic direction. O's vocals and lyrics were praised in virtually every review. Recording the soundtrack for the film version of Where The Wild Things Are saw even more praise pointed in Karen's direction and saw her 'cool cred' sky rocket. The soundtrack was recorded under the name Karen O & The Kids and featured many of O's friends from the Indie realm.

Karen O has a reputation for delivering unforgettable and crazy shows and I strongly encourage you to look into seeing her and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs live if you ever get the chance. It may be some time until we hear a new album from the Yeahs, but we can expect that when they do return, Karen O will have come up with something insanely cool that everyone can't help but to love.

Key Tracks: 'Miles Away' (Yeah Yeah Yeahs EP), 'Date With a Night,' 'Maps,' 'Y Control' and 'Modern Romance' (Fever to Tell), 'Gold Lion,' 'Turn Into' and 'Phenomena' (Show Your Bones), 'Zero,' 'Heads Will Roll,' 'Dull Life,' 'Runaway' and 'Skeletons' (It's Blitz).