Abstract

Revenge of the Girl Bands

Far from the frenzy of corporate sponsorship, girls with guitars are writing smart songs about sex, politics and their inner lives--and they are not afraid to make the music loud. While teen pop stars Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera dominate the airwaves, indie artists Sleater-Kinney grace many critics' top ten lists, the most visible of a rising tide of alternative girl bands whose devoted followers are not just consumers but makers of culture in their own right. This scene's earliest roots are in the seventies, when the first wave of independent lesbian music labels emerged. Today, although the pendulum of mainstream rock journalism has swung away from the highly touted and self-congratulatory "year of women in rock," girl bands continue to make raucous and innovative music.