Earlier this week, in the wee hours of the morning, I was pulling onto my street after dropping my toddler off at day care when I heard the familiar screech of electric guitar crashing into ticking time-bomb drums at the start of Hole’s “Violet.” Granted, like so many women, I was exhausted. Did I already say it was early? Did I mention I have a toddler? Anyway, within seconds I was no longer just a Hudson Valley mom screaming “You should learn how to say NO” at the top of her lungs at 7:30 A.M., while wildly drumming the dashboard of her recently serviced Subaru Outback. I was also teen me, eyes closed, arms crossed, feet planted in the middle of a ’90s mosh pit.
It was a blessed respite from the otherwise unrelenting hail storm of alarming news that hits me from all angles, all day long. In other words, it helped. So much so that I was inspired to pull together a list of songs with similarly satisfying displays of female anger unleashed, songs that display the full range of feminine rage, from X-Ray Spex’s defiant, sax-filled 1977 screamathon “Oh Bondage! Up Yours!” to the boiling-over wrath of Beyoncé, holding a baseball bat and wondering “What’s worse, looking jealous or crazy?” Rage on, sisters. —Melissa Giannini
"Oh Bondage! Up Yours!" by XRay Spex
“Some people think little girls should be seen and not heard,” says a 16-year-old Poly Styrene at the start of this punk-rock call to arms. She doesn’t agree.
"Double Dare Ya" by Bikini Kill
In 1991 (and now) times were (and are) ripe for a revolution, girl-style now.
"Chain of Fools" by Aretha Franklin
More of a karaoke slow-burn than a shout-along, but it would be hard to find a song that better encapsulates the feeling of frustration over the fact that this shit keeps happening.
"Breakin' Dishes" by Rihanna
What’s more satisfying than breaking dishes in a fit of rage? Burning the fool’s clothes and roasting marshmallows on the fire.
"I'm Not Your Mother, I'm Not Your Bitch" by Courtney Barnett
The title says it all.
"You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette
This lover-scorned screamer is all the better when you think about the (unconfirmed) rumor that it's about the actor who played Full House's Uncle Joey.
"Are You Happy Now?" by Michelle Branch
Noughties kids who found themselves on the wrong side of heartbreak easily took on this furious pop-rock anthem.
"Shitlist" by L7
Riot Grrrl legends L7 are just like everyone else when they get pissed off—they take out a pen and literally write down a list "of all you assholes who won't be missed." Very cathartic.
"Press" by Cardi B
For when your life is just too impressive and all those haters are out there ready to take you down, borrow from Cardi's playbook with this vicious screed. But do not literally "kill 'em all." That's illegal!
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