10 Best Frontwomen In Rock Music History

Why She's Here: The mid-2000s signaled pop punk's rise to the forefront of mainstream rock music, and bands like Fall Out Boy and Panic! At The Disco led the way with angsty songs that resonated with teenage boys and captured the hearts of teenage girls. Williams showed that girls could hit that mark, too. Originally signed by Atlantic Records as a solo pop singer/songwriter, she negotiated with the label to form a band because she wanted to operate in the framework of alternative rock.

At this point, it's hard to believe that she was just 19 when Paramore broke onto the national scene with its hallmark sophomore album RIOT! because she sang and carried herself with the maturity of a seasoned pop veteran. She gave pop punk a breathtaking alternative to the whininess that pervaded much of the genre, set the stage for female singers to find success in heavier rock and metal, and continues to showcase her excellent pop songwriting skills outside of Paramore. Also, her orange hair bears special mention.

Highlight: "Misery Business," one of several standout tracks from RIOT!, introduced the world to Williams' soaring voice at the height of pop punk's mainstream appeal. She's got the pristine, powerful pipes of an Avril Lavigne but sings with a vitriolic spite that is absent from Paramore's later works and grants her rock respectability.