Countdown: Women Who Rock - #1, Debbie Harry

#1 - Debbie Harry

of Blondie

No one should be too shocked by this... Coming in at number one is the original (and the best) uber-cool leading lady, Debbie Harry!! For over three decades she has been the voice of Blondie, contributing classics like 'Heart of Glass,' 'One Way or Another,' 'Rapture' and 'Call Me.' She's gone from iconic punk rocker to disco diva to full blown rock star, inspiring millions of women throughout the world along the way. This countdown is a prime example of how inspirational Harry has been and you can see this when you look at women like Shirley Manson, Courtney Love, Karen O, Gwen Stefani, Florence Welch, Beth Ditto, Juanita Stein and Ella Hooper.

Debbie's versatile vocals, natural beauty and incredible sense of style allowed her to rise to prominence in the male dominated punk scene of the 1970s. She was able to adapt enough over the years to maintain a high level of success and adoration from the public, even during the 15 year hiatus between The Hunter (1982) and No Exit (1997). Along with Alanis Morissette, Harry is the highest selling woman on the list, with album sales in excess of 40 million. She is however the only woman on the list to be inducted into the prestigious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an honour that many rock stars will never have bestowed upon them in their career.

Instead of sitting at home and cashing in on royalties from her back catalogue and the many lame covers other "artists" do of Blondie's songs (eg. Atomic Kitten - 'The Tide Is High' aka bastardisation at its worst), Harry & friends have been back in the studio recording the band's ninth studio album, Panic of Girls, which is to be released this year. They'll also be one of the headliners at next week's Isle of Wight festival alongside The Strokes, La Roux, Crowded House and Vampire Weekend.

Fun Fact: She can rap. Or at least she tries to rap. Rapture is often credited as the first song to reach #1 in the USA with rap vocals. Riiiight.

Key Tracks: 'X-Offender,' 'In The Flesh' and 'Rip Her to Shreds' (Blondie), 'Hanging on the Telephone,' 'Heart of Glass,' 'Sunday Girl,' 'One Way or Another' and 'Dreaming' (Parallel Lines), 'Call Me' (American Gigolo OST), 'Atomic' (Eat to the Beat), 'Rapture' and 'The Tide is High' (Autoamerican), 'Maria' and 'No Exit' (No Exit).

Countdown: Women Who Rock - #2, PJ Harvey

#2 - PJ Harvey

Narrowly missing out on the (in my mind) highly coveted number one spot on the countdown is Britain's leading lady of rock and or roll, Polly Jean Harvey. I'm not going to lie, it was tough not putting PJ at numero uno. A strong enough case could be made as to why she's the number one woman in rock's storied history and it wouldn't be the first time she would have topped such a list. Fans voted her as the greatest woman in rock in Q magazine in 2001; she's a former (and first female) winner of the prestigious Mercury Music Prize for the amazing album Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea and Kurt Cobain was such a huge fan of her work that he listed her debut, Dry, as one of his top 50 albums of all time. If only he had been around to see just how amazing the rest of her work would be.

Musically, Harvey is practically unbeatable. She can play the guitar, piano, bass, violin, cello, bass, saxophone, drums and harmonica. Polly has written and composed her entire solo catalogue, which is like poetry being added over classical music with heavy rock thrown on top of that. Her work has inspired countless imitatators to pick up a guitar and rock out (but Kate Nash, please don't ever try to be like PJ Harvey again. I mean, I love you, but seriously, don't). Tori Amos and Bjork are her peers, graduating from the same class of interesting and engrossing 90s music, an era that hasn't been beaten with anything that has come from the 2000s.

What of PJ Harvey the performer? Step back in time with me to 2001. It's the Sydney leg of the Big Day Out festival and I'm sitting at home minding my own business watching the TV. I switch over to Channel [V] and there's this kind of hot lady in a low cut top with an orange guitar standing on stage. I have no idea who she is but I decide to watch anyway, it's not like I have anything else to do with my life. The fans are cheering a little bit and I've just noticed she doesn't have a band behind her. Oh, she's just started playing the guitar and now she's singing and she's doing this alone. In front of 50, 000 people. And she ROCKS! Did she just sing, "lick my legs, I'm on fire, lick my legs, I'm desire?" I think I'm in love and so is the crowd, listen to that ovation at the end! For your viewing pleasure, I've posted this video of PJ Harvey performing 'Rid of Me' above. I hope you fall in love too.

Her coolness is driven further into the stratosphere when you look at the amazing collaborations she's done over the years. Polly dueted with Bjork at the 1994 Brit Awards, performing an insanely cool cover of the Rolling Stone's 'Satisfaction;' she's frequently recorded with Nick Cave; she's guested with Queens of the Stone Age and she's released two critically acclaimed albums with British musician and producer John Parish, including 2009s A Woman A Man Walked By. PJ has proven an inspiration for many current rock acts, including The Kills, Placebo, Peaches, Metric, Florence + The Machine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Melissa Auf Der Maur. For those keeping score at home, four of the other women on this list were just mentioned.

Harvey's own solo work has become increasingly more mellow as she gets a little bit older, with her last release White Chalk (2007) showing a more melodic soft-rock sound. It won't be too long before she's back in the studio and I'm hoping that she makes one last run at the heavy rock sound that defined her throughout the 1990s. At the end of the day though, she could release a massive pop-trash album and I'd still think it was the coolest thing I had ever heard. I can hardly wait.

Key Tracks: 'Sheela-Na-Gig,' 'Water' and 'Hair' (Dry), 'Rid of Me,' 'Man-Size Sextet,' 'Man-Size,' 'Highway '61 Revisited' and 'Dry' (Rid of Me), 'To Bring You My Love,' 'Maniac,' 'Down By the Water,' 'C'mon Billy' and 'The Dancer' (To Bring You My Love), 'Is This Desire,' 'The Wind,' 'A Perfect Day Elise' and 'Angelene' (Is This Desire?), 'Good Fortune,' 'A Place Called Home,' 'The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore,' 'You Said Something' and 'Big Exit' (Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea), 'The Letter,' 'Shame,' 'The End' and 'Who the Fuck?' (Uh Huh Her), 'The Devil,' 'When Under Ether,' 'White Chalk,' 'The Piano' and 'Before Departure' (White Chalk), 'Hardly Wait.'

Countdown: Women Who Rock - #3, Shirley Manson

#3 - Shirley Manson

of Garbage

Nothing that I write here can truly express how much love and respect I have for Garbage's enigmatic and amazing front woman, Shirley Manson. As the chief songwriter during the decade Garbage was releasing albums, Shirley was producing lyrics that were out of this world, yet insanely honest and somewhat relatable. The self-titled album Garbage came out of nowhere in 1996 with the lead single 'Vow' opening with the unforgettable line, "I can't use what I can't abuse; and I can't stop when it comes to you." In one line, the world was hooked.

Her unique voice can contain more emotion than any other woman on this list. It's in no way the strongest and she doesn't have an incredibly high range, but when it comes to emotion Manson wins hands down. Shirley's vocals can make you feel the highest of highs or the lowest of lows. And then there's the sex factor. No one can sound oh so sexy as Shirley Manson. "This is the noise that keeps me awake, my head explodes and my body aches. PUSH IT!" The woman SCREAMS sex appeal. Although she has her own opinion on why she's considered a sex symbol. "I am not a sexy woman, I'm not beautiful, I'm not a sex kitten, I don't flirt with people, yet I've been tagged more of a sex symbol than women who truly are, and that's solely because I don't reveal too much; people are curious."

Manson hasn't courted the same levels of controversy like some of her contemporaries over the years and is more prone to defend other female music stars like Courtney Love, Lady Gaga and, more recently, Taylor Swift after T-Sweezy's MTV VMA scandal with Kanye West. She's kept most of her private life away from the prying eyes of the media and we love her for it. We know her for her music, nothing else should matter. What we do know, is that she's a staunch campaigner for cancer, AIDS and animal protection charities. Manson's pretty much amazing.

She's established one of the most diverse catalogues in alternative rock music with the albums Garbage (1995), Version 2.0 (1998), Beautiful Garbage (2001) and Bleed Like Me (2005). Version 2.0 would become Garbage's most critically acclaimed album, with it notably being nominated for Album of the Year and Best Rock Album at the 1999 Grammys. Just in case you care (I don't see why you would), Version 2.0 is my favourite album of all time. Manson's 'cool' factor would win Garbage a slot on the outstanding soundtrack for Romeo + Juliet, with '#1 Crush.' The band also recorded the title theme for the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough, one of the best Bond themes of all time.

Lately she's tried out the whole actor slash rock star thing, with her first big role as a part of now cancelled TV series, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. For those that are curious, yes, she played a terminator. Rumours of a solo album where going around for a couple of years, with studio execs apparently none too impressed with the dark nature of her demos. Shirley would do the right thing by refusing to release the album any way other than originally intended. What we can look forward to is the possibility of a new Garbage album sometime this year. Any year that a new Garbage album is dropped is a winning year for me. Bring it on.

Key Tracks: 'Vow,' 'Supervixen,' 'Queer,' 'Only Happy When It Rains,' 'As Heaven Is Wide,' 'A Stroke of Luck,' 'Milk,' 'Stupid Girl' and 'Dog New Tricks' (Garbage), 'Push It,' 'I Think I'm Paranoid,' 'Special,' 'Temptation Waits,' 'You Look So Fine,' 'The Trick Is To Keep Breathing,' 'When I Grow Up,' 'Medication' and 'Dumb' (Version 2.0), 'Shut Your Mouth,' 'Androgyny,' 'Breaking Up the Girl,' 'Cherry Lips' and 'Silence is Golden' (Beautiful Garbage), 'Bad Boyfriend,' 'Why Do You Love Me,' 'Metal Heart,' 'It's All Over But the Crying,' 'Boys Wanna Fight,' 'Right Between the Eyes' and 'Sex Is Not The Enemy' (Bleed Like Me), '#1 Crush,' 'The World Is Not Enough.'

...seriously, there are way too many awesome songs to find all the YouTube links for. Enjoy finding them yourselves!

Countdown: Women Who Rock - #4, Courtney Love

#4 - Courtney Love

of Hole

Courtney Love claimed today that she had sex with Kate Moss sometime in the 90s. Two weeks ago she told Howard Stern that she had an affair with former Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, husband of Gwen Stefani. She's lost and regained custody of daughter Frances Bean enough times that most people have stopped counting. At one time she was the most hated woman in music since Yoko Ono. These days it would appear that she's the most pitied, as the world watches her desperately try to cling to whatever lingering threads of fame she has left. Public feuds have dominated her life in the past decade, notably with Billy Corgan, Dave Grohl, Fred Durst and current enemy numero uno, Twitter.

Pissing all over Kurt Cobain's legacy would appear to be one of her favourite hobbies. Love made a neat $50 million in 2006 when she carelessly sold a quarter of Nirvana's publishing catalogue, much to the disgust of Dave Grohl. She allowed her daughter to have a suicide themed party for her 16th birthday. I will repeat that, she allowed her daughter, KURT COBAIN'S DAUGHTER, to have a suicide themed party for her 16th birthday. Apparently one of the games at the party was who can look the most dead. You stay classy Frances Bean. Stints in rehab are almost like a yearly vacation for Love, oops sorry Michelle, that's Courtney Michelle. Because that Courtney Love part of her life is just over. No, wait. She wants to be called Courtney Love again.

I could go on for quite some time about everything that's wrong with Courtney's life but that's not the point of this countdown is it. This countdown is celebrating 20 of the most amazing women who rock. Women who captivate us with their attitude, style, music and passion for it. Take away all of the crap that Courtney Love has become associated with other than her music and it should be quite easy to see that she belongs here. A talented songwriter and musician with kick ass vocals made her one of the most amazing women to ever front a band. That band of course, was Hole.

Hole released three studio album throughout the 90s, Pretty on the Inside, Live Through This and Celebrity Skin. Last month, Nobody's Daughter was released with Love the last original member still standing. All four albums offer a different sound and have been received positively, with only Nobody's Daughter attracting some major critical reviews. Live Through This, released only days after Cobain's suicide, is the standout album of the bunch. It's pure 90s rock, combining elements of grunge with pop. Celebrity Skin contained more of a pop rock sound and went on the become the bands most commercially successful album. Love would release a solo, America's Sweetheart, a commercial and critical failure. Lead single 'Mono' was pretty amazing though.

Love won a legion of fans with her crazy onstage antics and don't give a flying f*** attitude. She spent most of the 1999 Big Day Out flashing the crowd and taunting co-headliner Marilyn Manson and everyone loved her for it. 'Celebrity Skin' would place at #4 on the 1999 JJJ Hottest 100. Courtney was even a critically acclaimed actress for awhile, with her role in The People vs. Larry Flynt garnering her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress. In the late 90s everything seemed so promising for Courtney Love. The first decade of the 2000s saw her undo everything and her reputation now lies in tatters. Let's hope she spends the next decade rebuilding it to its former glory.

Fun Fact: Rolling Stone named her the most controversial women in the history of music.

Key Tracks: 'Teenage Whore' (Pretty on the Inside), 'Violet,' 'Miss World,' 'Doll Parts,' 'Jennifer's Body' and 'I Think That I Would Die' (Live Through This), 'Celebrity Skin,' 'Malibu,' 'Awful,' 'Hit So Hard' and 'Playing Your Song' (Celebrity Skin), 'Mono,' 'Hold On To Me' and 'Never Gonna Be the Same' (America's Sweetheart), 'Skinny Little Bitch' and 'Samantha' (Nobody's Daughter).

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).

Countdown: Women Who Rock - #6, Melissa Auf Der Maur

#6 - Melissa Auf Der Maur

of Hole (1994 - 1999)

Smashing Pumpkins (2000)

Hand of Doom (2002)

&

Melissa Auf Der Maur

Who? I'm assuming that's what many of you might have said when you saw some weird name in the number 6 slot. Let me introduce you to Melissa Auf Der Maur, bonafide rock star. Following the death of Hole bassist Kristen Pfaff, Billy Corgan (of the Smashing Pumpkins) recommended young flame haired bassist Auf Der Maur to Courtney Love. Initially passing up the offer to join one of the hottest bands at the time, Auf Der Maur reconsidered and joined just in time to record Celebrity Skin and catapult Hole into awesomeness. Melissa would get to test her vocals, as she supported Love during her stint with the band.

After completing her 5 year contract with Hole, Melissa would go on tour with The Smashing Pumpkins before forming an all female Black Sabbath tribute band, Hand of Doom, in 2002. She then turned her attention to a solo album, Auf Der Maur (2004), which was released to critical acclaim and saw her tour extensively on the metal circuit. Unfortunately it wouldn't be a commercial success, and follow up album Out of Our Minds was plagued with delays.

So, is time spent in two of the biggest bands in the history of rock and a stellar debut album enough to warrant such a high placing on the list? Add in the fact that her personality, presence and fashion scream rock and I think it's more than enough. If you're not convinced, have a good listen to her tracks and then tell me she doesn't deserve her spot. I suggest you start with 'Followed the Waves.' Amazing song, amazing video.

Key Tracks: 'Celebrity Skin,' 'Malibu,' 'Awful' and 'Use Once & Destroy' (Celebrity Skin); 'Followed the Waves,' 'Taste You,' 'Real a Lie,' 'Skin Receiver,' 'Lightning Is My Girl' and 'My Foggy Notion' (Auf Der Maur); 'Out of Our Minds' and 'This Would Be Paradise' (Out of Our Minds).

Countdown: Women Who Rock - #7, Alanis Morissette

#7 - Alanis Morissette

"It was a slap in the face, how quickly I was replaced and are you thinking of me when you fuck her?" And with those lyrics, the highest selling female rocker of the 90s was born. 'You Oughta Know' became the ultimate break-up song, the perfect f*ck you to an ex and introduced the world to Alanis Morissette and her groundbreaking debut album Jagged Little Pill, released in 1995.

Jagged Little Pill captivated the world, selling over 30 million copies and quickly became the highest selling debut album by an artist EVER. It would earn Morissette four Grammy Awards; Album of the Year and Best Rock Album, as well as Best Rock Song and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for 'You Oughta Know.' Far from a one-hit album, follow up singles 'Hand In My Pocket,' 'Ironic,' 'You Learn' and 'Head Over Feet' all achieved commercial success.

Morissette's second album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998), didn't fare as well as her debut. It was a modest success and received positive reviews but everyone was looking for angry Alanis who was nowhere to be found. The lyrics were just as honest and probably more insightful but few of the songs were as addictive to the ears as those on Jagged Little Pill. 'Thank U' became the only international hit on the album and 'So Pure' would garner a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.

Under Rug Swept (2002), So-Called Chaos (2004) and Flavours of Entaglement (2008) moved further towards an adult-contemporary pop sound and are basically afterthoughts in the mainstream consciousness, although there are some gems hidden within. If Alanis had produced the sophomore album that everyone wanted to hear, then I'm sure that she would have been closer to #1 on this list and still a huge star today. Alanis has been a huge influence on many stars of today including (fellow Canadian) Avril Lavigne, P!nk, Kelly Clarkson, Shakira and even Beyonce Knowles who keeps 'You Oughta Know' in her set list for live shows!

Key Tracks: 'You Oughta Know,' 'Mary Jane,' 'Ironic,' 'All I Really Want,' 'Head Over Feet,' 'You Learn' and 'Hand In My Pocket' (Jagged Little Pill); 'Thank U,' 'Unsent,' 'So Pure' and 'That I Would Be Good' (Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie); 'Uninvited' (City of Angels OST); 'Hands Clean' (Under Rug Swept); 'Underneath' (Flavours of Entaglement).

Countdown: Women Who Rock - #8, Meg White

#8 - Meg White

of White Stripes

I'll start this one off by letting you know Meg is here as drumming superstar Meg White, not vocalist Meg White. With that out of the way, let's begin. The White Stripes have earned critical acclaim and become one of the most successful alternative bands in the world since they rose to prominence with the release of White Blood Cells in 2001. Much of their success is credited to Jack White's signature vocals, songwriting talents and the amazing things he can do with a guitar. While it is undeniable that Jack White is as true a rock star as there has ever been, you can't forget about Meg and what she contributes to making The White Stripes work.

She creates an essential balance within the group with her sometimes reserved and somewhat limited methods of drumming. There's generally a lot going on in a typical White Stripes song, with Jack's often frantic delivery on vocals and epic guitar riffs. Meg keeps everything together on the drums, exactly what a good drummer is supposed to do. This doesn't mean that she won't let loose at times and when she does it's pretty amazing.

Presence, personality and style all contribute to making Meg a fascinating woman of rock. She always seems so cool, almost aloof to whatever is going on around her. In interviews she'll keep quiet, seemingly too shy to talk about herself but she'll give little bits of information away every now and then, maintaining a feeling of mystery. After keeping quiet for some time, The White Stripes released Under Great White Northern Lights, a documentary following the band on a tour of Canada which has since had a live album released under the same name.

Key Tracks: 'Fell in Love With a Girl' (White Blood Cells), 'Seven Nation Army,' 'The Hardest Button to Button' and 'I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself' (Elephant), 'Blue Orchid,' 'My Doorbell' and 'The Denial Twist' (Get Behind Me Satan), 'Conquest' (Icky Thump)

Countdown: Women Who Rock - #9, Amy Lee

#9 - Amy Lee

of Evanescence

Coming in at #9, it's the Gothic Queen of Rock, Amy Lee. Amy IS Evanescence and she has the most powerful voice out of all the women you'll see on this list. Her powerhouse vocals separate her from the countless copycats that have emerged in goth rock since Evanescence rose to prominence in 2003 with the release of Fallen.

The first two singles from the album, 'Bring Me to Life' and 'Going Under,' showed us exactly what Lee brought to the world of rock and shot the band to the top of the charts worldwide. Then came 'My Immortal,' a true showcase for Lee's abilities, both as a songwriter and a vocalist. The album version was a pure piano ballad, yet it was adapted to more of a rock power ballad for its commercial release. 'Everybody's Fool' put the band right back into hard rock and the music video was an insight into Lee's mind showing her thoughts on self image and the commercial world we live in. Fallen would go on to be nominated and lose for Album of the Year at the Grammys but the band wouldn't go home empty handed as they won Best New Artist.

The Open Door, Evanescence's second studio album, would be released in 2006 and went straight to the top of the charts. It sold poorly in comparison to Fallen but was well received critically, many citing the darker direction and Lee's songwriting as its greatest successes. 'Call Me When You're Sober' would be the only chart hit from the album, with 'Lithium' and 'Sweet Sacrifice' finding some success on the alternative rock charts.

Amy has worked on some side projects, singing alongside Korn on 'Freak On a Leash' on their MTV Unplugged set, she recorded 'Broken' with Seether for The Punisher soundtrack (which was a chart success) and contributed her own version of 'Sally's Song' from The Nightmare Before Christmas for Nightmare Revisited, released last year. Her fashion style inspired thousands of emo girls, but I probably shouldn't give her kudos for that. What else... she can rock a guitar, is an amazing pianist and can even bust out a tune on the harp.

Lee has gained an almost diva-like reputation, with several members of the band quitting due to their inability to work with her and she's even fired a couple of others. This would be an issue if anyone actually cared about the other band members, but let's be honest... no one does. Everyone knows that Evanescence's real draw card is Amy Lee. The single 'Together Again' is out now, a Help For Haiti charity song and a new album is to be released this year.

Key Tracks: 'Away From Me' and 'Fields of Innocence' (Origin), 'Tourniquet,' 'Imaginary,' 'Taking Over Me' and 'Bring Me To Life' (Fallen), 'Farther Away' and 'Breathe No More' (Anywhere But Home), 'Call Me When You're Sober,' 'Lithium,' 'Like You,' 'The Last Song I'm Wasting on You,' 'Snow White Queen' and 'Good Enough' (The Open Door), 'Sally's Song' (Nightmare Revisited), 'Together Again.'

Countdown: Women Who Rock - #10, Gwen Stefani

#10 - Gwen Stefani

of No Doubt

"I'm just a girl,

Take a good look at me

Just your typical prototype."

The Gwen Stefani of today is super pop in its finest form. No Doubt Gwen is a completely different entity, obtaining commercial success that few female rockers have ever achieved with the release of Tragic Kingdom in 1995. Tragic Kingdom went diamond in the US, eventually selling over 16 million copies worldwide. 'Don't Speak,' the third single off the album, spent a record breaking 16 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart, becoming the band's most popular and signature song.

The overwhelming mainstream success didn't keep up though on follow up album, Return of Saturn, which had less of a pop-rock focus. Gwen showed that she was continuing to grow as a frontwoman and it's here that she was achieving popularity as a fashion icon, a status she maintains to this day. Return of Saturn would receive a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album, losing out to the Foo Fighters There Is Nothing Left to Lose.

Stefani credits Blondie's Debbie Harry as a major influence and this was oh so very clear with the release of Rock Steady. Reggae and Dancehall heavily influenced the album and brought No Doubt back to the forefront of the mainstream. 'Hey Baby' was a massive success, but contained almost nothing of the No Doubt of old and paved the way for Gwen to launch her solo career.

No Doubt has been back on the touring circuit since last year and is back in the studio with an album to be release sometime this year. It could be the career defining album that either solidifies their position as one of the greatest rock bands, more in line with Tragic Kingdom, or takes them further down the road they started with Rock Steady. I'll take option one thanks. Rock Gwen.... rocks.

Key Tracks: 'Just a Girl,' 'Sunday Morning,' 'Don't Speak' and 'Spiderwebs' (Tragic Kingdom), 'Ex-Girlfriend,' 'Bathwater,' 'Simple Kind of Life' and 'New' (Return of Saturn), 'Hella Good' and 'Underneath It All' (Rock Steady), 'It's My Life.'

Countdown: Women Who Rock - #11, Alison Mosshart

#11 - Alison Mosshart

of The Kills

and The Dead Weather

Taking the final spot before the (I'm sure) much anticipated top 10, it's Alison Mosshart! She's been everywhere over the last couple of years with her own work as part of rock duo The Kills, featuring on songs with Placebo, Arctic Monkeys, Primal Scream and The Last Shadow Puppets and of course as the female lead in Jack White's supergroup The Dead Weather.

Alison is slowly creeping into the mainstream consciousness and new albums from The Dead Weather and The Kills should only catapult her to rock superstar levels of fame. Not just a pretty face, Mosshart is a talented songwriter in her own right, even co-writing 8 tracks on The Dead Weather's debut Horehound.

Her voice is versatile, it can be quite sweet or extremely harsh and fits in nicely with different genres. If you're a country fan, check out the fantastic cover The Kills did of Patsy Cline's 'Crazy.' Outstanding.

Key Tracks: 'Fuck the People' (Keep on Your Mean Side), 'Love is a Deserter' and 'No Wow' (No Wow), 'Cheap and Cheerful' 'U R A Fever' and 'Black Balloon' (Midnight Boom), 'Are Friends Electric,' 'Treat Me Like Your Mother' and 'Hang You From the Heavens' (Horehound).

Countdown: Women Who Rock - #12, Sarah McLeod

#12 - Sarah McLeod

of The Superjesus

The Superjesus may be long dead and their lead singer may have moved into the club scene but in the 90s and early 2000s Sarah McLeod was the first lady of Australian rock. She had the look, the attitude and the perfect rock voice, like an angel that smoked a pack of cigarettes a day.

A lot of people would say McLeod is a poor choice for the list. The Superjesus released three albums, two of which were minor successes and had no massively popular singles. Her own solo album, 2005s Beauty Was a Tiger, didn't exactly light up the charts either. But it doesn't change the fact that Sarah McLeod was a true rocker, right up to the point that 'He Doesn't Love You' was remixed and went to #1 on the club charts. She was the inspiration behind many Aussie girls picking up a guitar.

If you ever get a chance, track down and listen to Beauty Was a Tiger. Go back and listen to The Superjesus' Sumo and Jet Age. If you're really up for it, look on iTunes for acoustic releases that Sarah has. Hopefully you won't be disappointed.

Key Tracks: 'Down Again' and 'Now and Then' (Sumo), 'Secret Agent Man,' 'Enough to Know,' 'Gravity' and 'Second Sun' (Jet Age), 'He Doesn't Love You' and 'All But Gone' (Beauty Was a Tiger).

Countdown: Women Who Rock - #13, Florence Welch

#13 - Florence Welch

of Florence + The Machine

At this moment in time, Florence Welch is the most intriguing woman in rock music. Last year's release of Lungs brought the flame haired wonder international acclaim and captivated listeners with beautifully crafted lyrics and fascinating musical arrangements.

She can be a vocal powerhouse ('You've Got the Love' and 'Cosmic Love'), a straight up rocker ('Kiss With a Fist') or she might just cut you up ('Girl With One Eye'). Who doesn't like a crazy chick? Fans can expect to hear some new material by the end of the year, with her sophomore album to be released in 2011. Florence has described the newer tracks as being a bit dancey but quite dark. 2011 can't come soon enough.

Key Tracks: Every single song on Lungs, especially 'You've Got the Love,' 'Cosmic Love,' 'Girl With One Eye,' 'Dog Days Are Over,' and 'Howl.'

Countdown: Women Who Rock, #14 - Beth Ditto

#14 - Beth Ditto

of Gossip

She is woman, hear her roar. It's easy to dismiss her as a wreck who really needs to wear more clothes than she does, but there's no denying the girl's got a hell of a lot of talent. And she's got the rock and roll attitude down... Beth Ditto doesn't give a flying fuck what we think of her!

Gossip burst onto the scene in 2006 with the release of 'Standing in the Way of Control,' introducing the world to their headstrong leader Beth Ditto. She's not your typical music star, she's comfortable being a plus sized woman and has become a strong campaigner for gay rights.

But what of her music? Three piece band, Gossip, can tear up the stage and Beth's booming vocals and crazy onstage antics are without a doubt the band's main attractions. 'Heavy Cross,' released last year, brought the band more commercial attention than ever and things can only get better. Expect to see a lot more of Beth Ditto in the future... hopefully not too much.

Key Tracks: 'Jealous Girls,' 'Standing in the Way of Control' and 'Your Mangled Heart' (Standing in the Way of Control), 'Love Long Distance,' 'Four Letter Word' and 'Heavy Cross' (Music For Men).

Countdown: Women Who Rock: #15, Cristina Scabbia

#15 - Cristina Scabbia

of Lacuna Coil

Hailing from Milan, Italy, Cristina Scabbia is quite possibly the biggest female name on the metal scene. As the frontwoman/co-vocalist of Lacuna Coil, Scabbia has attracted a devoted fan base, which I'm pretty sure has NOTHING to do with the fact that she is smoking hot and can belt out a tune with the best of them.

For those of you that might be a bit turned off by the metal genre, take a look at some of Lacuna Coil's earlier albums like In a Reverie and Comalies which excel through Cristina's melodic vocals against the guitar and drum heavy tunes.

Key Tracks: 'Falling Again' (In a Reverie), 'Heaven's a Lie' (Comalies), 'Our Truth' (Karmacode), 'Spellbound' (Shallow Life).

Countdown: Women Who Rock, #16 - Patience Hodgson

#16 - Patience Hodgson

of The Grates

Watching Patience perform on stage is a thing of beauty. She'll bounce around for an entire set, usually in fancy dress (which includes Batgirl, Snow White and the Power Rangers!), and you can't help but take on board her energy and enthusiasm.

But don't let her fun and happy demeanor fool you, the girl can rock. And some of her songs are surprisingly dark, for instance check out 'Feels Like Pain' from The Grates' Gravity Won't Get You High.

Patience has been touring the USA this year promoting the band's second album, Teeth Lost, Hearts Won, and will follow this up with a brand new record sometime in late 2010. Get excited!

Key Tracks: 'Rock Boys,' 'Science is Golden' and 'Inside/Outside' (Gravity Won't Get You High), 'Burn Bridges,' 'Carve Your Name' and 'Two Kinds of Right' (Teeth Lost, Hearts Won).

The Grates - Burn Bridges

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbxa6j-WXMs

Countdown: Women Who Rock, #17 - Juanita Stein

#17 - Juanita Stein

She's mysterious. She's intelligent. She's sexy. Juanita Stein IS the embodiment of the spirit of rock music. When Waikiki left Australia's shores for London, transforming into Howling Bells, no one expected Juanita to become the dark indie goddess that we saw on the Bells' first album.

This girl is cooler than cool. I don't know how to explain her voice other than it is 'the sex.' In a perfect world Howling Bells' third studio album, hopefully to be released in 2010, will bring them all the international attention that they deserve and let Juanita show off to a much larger audience.

Key Tracks: 'Low Happening,' 'Broken Bones' and 'Blessed Night' (Howling Bells), 'Cities Burning Down' and 'Digital Hearts' (Radio Wars).

Howling Bells - Low Happening

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S10cuVVxF7c

Countdown: Women Who Rock, #18 - Sheryl Crow

#18 - Sheryl Crow

The quintessential '90s Americana' Queen of rock. It's almost hard to believe that Tuesday Night Music Club was released in 1994! Wait, what's Tuesday Night Music Club? Um, that's her first album... the one that won Album of the Year at the Grammys. The one that made her a bonafide star and sold over ten million copies worldwide.

An argument could be made that she's more of a pop/country artist than a genuine rock star these days, but in the 90s it was a different story. 'If It Makes You Happy' and 'All I Wanna Do' were crossover hits, making the top 10 in every major market. 'Are You Strong Enough' was a hugely successful rock ballad with country influences. And she did a Bond theme! Sheryl Crow deserves her place on the list and is, today, generally forgotten by music lovers outside of the USA. Shame.

Key Tracks: 'I Shall Believe' (Tuesday Night Music Club), 'If It Makes You Happy' and 'Everday Is A Winding Road' (Sheryl Crow), 'Tomorrow Never Dies,' 'My Favourite Mistake' (The Globe Sessions).

Sheryl Crow - My Favourite Mistake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmIlUKo4dQc

Countdown: Women Who Rock, #19 - Katy Steele

#19 - Katy Steele

One spot above Ella is another Australian rocker, Katy Steele of Little Birdy fame. Little Birdy burst onto the scene in late 2003 and Katy has been one of the coolest singers to grace the stage ever since. For those of you who might be unfamiliar with Ms Steele, try to imagine what Karen O would be like if she was from Australia. Ok, not the best comparison, but whatever.

As you can see from the picture above, the woman can command an audience and has built a reputation for giving fans an unforgettable performance each and every time. Katy can rock a guitar, dresses to impress and has developed herself into one of Australia's most prolific songwriters. Maybe she spent some time learning from brother Luke, of Sleepy Jacksons and Empire of the Sun fame.

Key Tracks: 'Relapse,' 'Excited' and 'Baby Blue' (BigBigLove), 'Please Don't Lay Me Down' and 'Come On, Come On' (Hollywood), 'Brother' (Confetti).

Little Birdy - Brother

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCZN3cwJfEs

Countdown: Women Who Rock, #20 - Ella Hooper

#20 - Ella Hooper

Practically all of Killing Heidi's success in the early 2000s can be attributed to that babe of a front woman, Ella Hooper. With her leading the way, the band was able to top the Australian charts and dominate the 2000 ARIA Awards, winning Best Album and Best Group among others.

During Killing Heidi's criminally short career, Ella proved herself a definitive 'rock chick' with her distinct look, her powerful presence onstage and of course, her voice. She's not up to much these days, but you can catch her on Spicks and Specks every now and then and she's still touring with her brother Jesse in their acoustic duo The Verses.

Key Tracks: 'Mascara' and 'Superman/Supergirl' (Reflector), 'Outside of Me' and 'The Days' (Present), 'I Am' and 'Running Underwater' (Killing Heidi).

Killing Heidi - I Am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ROrq3XtvEI