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According to a national poll, the hottest female song of all time as voted by Australian Internet users, is Aretha’s Franklin’s Respect.
Creators of the Hummingbird 100 Hottest Female Songs said the national poll addresses an oversight by the Triple J Hottest 100 of all time in July this year, where not a single female artist was represented, begging the question from outraged bloggers, media and music lovers – where were all the ladies?
The Hummingbird100 poll was launched in October and in seven weeks, Australians went online to cast 62,000 votes on the website, forming a fascinating list of the greatest songs by women of all time. The results of the Hummingbird 100 hottest female songs were then broadcast last weekend on the cable TV music channel, MAX.
Soul diva Aretha Franklin stamped her authority on the list, with the iconic Respect a clear winner. She also grabbed the #72 spot with You make me feel like A Natural Woman.
The female artists most represented in the list were Pink and Beyonce Knowles/Destiny’s Child, with 7 songs each making the top 100. The queen of pop, Madonna, maintained her presence with four entries, three of which were in the top 20. The highest ranking Australian artist was Kate Miller Heidke with her song the Last Day on Earth taking the #55 spot.
Matthew Coyte, Editor-in-Chief of Rolling Stone magazine said he was surprised by the number of the recent songs which made the list.
“It’s interesting there’s such a high percentage of songs from the past five years in the list. It shows that when it comes to female musicians, the voters are more willing to let new acts into their top ten, rather than looking to the classics,” he said.
“Aretha Franklin taking out number one isn’t a surprise to me, as she also topped our Rolling Stone Greatest Singers Of All Time list as well. ‘Respect’ remains one of the most enduring ‘girl power’ songs ever written. I’m just surprised that there aren’t more Aussie singers on the list. Where’s the Divinyls?”
HUMMINGBIRD 100 FEMALE SONGS OF ALL TIME
- Respect
- Pink – So What
- Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
- Abba – Dancing Queen
- Madonna – Like a Prayer
- Lady Gaga – PokerFace
- Bangles – Eternal Flame
- Fergie – Big Girls Dont Cry
- Blondie – Heart of Glass
- Madonna – Like a Virgin
- Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse Of The Heart
- Katy Perry – I Kissed a Girl
- Madonna – Vogue
- Rihanna – Umbrella
- Beyonce Knowles – Single Ladies
- Lady Gaga – Just Dance
- Gwen Stefani – Holla Back Girl
- TLC – Waterfalls
- Roberta Flack – Killing Me Softly
- Alanis Morrisette – You Oughta Know
- Bette Midler – Wind Beneath My Wings
- Pink – Dear Mr. President
- Nancy Sinatra – These Boots Are Made For Walking
- Beyonce Knowles – Crazy In Love
- Diana Ross – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
- Leona Lewis – Bleeding Love
- Roxette – It Must Have Been Love
- Blondie – Call Me
- Beyonce Knowles – Halo
- Tina Turner – Whats Love Got to Do With It
- Fleetwood Mac – Own Way
- Alanis Morrisette – Ironic
- No Doubt – Don’t Speak
- Cyndi Lauper – Girls just wanna have fun
- Fergie – Glamourousv
- Pink – Funhouse
- Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You
- Destiny’s Child – Bootylicious
- Bangles – Walk Like An Egyptian
- Aaliyah – Try Again
- Christina Aguilera – Lady Marmalade
- Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes
- Destiny’s Child – Say My Name
- Irene Cara – Flash Dance
- Bic Runga – Sway
- TLC – No Scrubs
- Kate Bush – Wuthering Heights
- Sinead O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U
- Carly Simon – You’re So Vain
- Toni Braxton – Unbreak My Heart
- Rihanna – Disturbia
- Madonna – Papa Don’t Preach
- Roxette – Listen to Your Heart
- Christina Aguilera – Genie In A Bottle
- Kate Miller-Heidke – The Last Day on Earth
- Toni Basil – Mickey
- Kylie Minogue – Can’t Get You Out of My Head
- Salt N Pepa – Push it!
- Shakira – Hips Don’t Lie
- Alicia Keys – Fallin
- Tracey Chapman – Fast Car
- Destiny’s Child – Independent Women
- Dusty Springfield – Son Of A Preacher Man
- Pink – Who Knew
- Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time
- M.I.A – Paper Planes
- Lily Allen – Not Fair
- Portishead – Glory Box
- Sarah McLachlan – Angel
- Alicia Keys – If I Aint Got You
- Tori Amos – Cornflake Girl
- Aretha Franklin – (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
- Pink – Get the Party Started
- Carole King – I Feel the Earth Move
- Alanis Morrisette – Hand In My Pocket
- Amy Winehouse – Rehab
- Gwen Stefani – What You Waiting For?
- Berlin – Take My Breathe Away
- Cranberries – Zombie
- Lily Allen – F**k You
- Sia – Breathe Me
- Roxette – The Look
- Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance With Somebody
- Pink – Sober
- Belinda Carlisle – Summer Rain
- Regina Spektor – Fidelity
- Blondie – The Tide Is High
- Paramore – Decode
- Pink – Just Like A Pill
- Lesley Gore – It`s My Party
- Lauryn Hill – Doo Wop (That Thing)
- Taylor Swift – Love Story
- La Roux – Bulletproof
- Roxette – Joyride
- Christina Aguilera – What a Girl Wants
- Beyonce Knowles – If I Were A Boy
- Dolly Parton – Jolene
- Etta James – At Last
- Regina Spektor – Samson
- Rihanna – Take A Bow
Yumi Stynes from MAX, says the list provides an insight into the way Australians embrace a classic song – no matter what its age.
“I am constantly surprised how present classic songs are in the lives of younger people. It seems that a great song really does live on in history. Sometimes you can hear a current pop song and just know that it will have a life beyond right now,” she said.
“There is something so magical about a really great song! I have a total weakness for Rihanna – I think she’s so fierce and gorgeous and edgy, and even though her songs are massively over-produced.”
An event to celebrate the countdown was held in Melbourne on 29 November at the Dockland’s Woolshed venue. Yumi Stynes from MAX hosted the event, with Blackdogs and Zoe Badwi performing many of the Hummingbird 100 live to an excited crowd.