Whenever I need a female empowerment anthem to get pumped up, I think of the Spice Girls with their girl power message or Beyonce’s fierceness. However, there are so many fun, female-focused songs by some kick ass women that should also be recognized.
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Spice Girls – Never Give Up On The Good Times
Let’s start with the pop group who rose to fame on the idea of girl power, the Spice Girls. Though Never Give Up On The Good Times might not be the quintessential anthem about female empowerment, it is a fun one that will get you pumped up before or at your next workout.
Beyonce – Run the World (Girls)
This song might be the most appropriate song for this list. I just love the lyric about women being strong enough to bear children and then getting back to business.
The Pussycat Dolls – I Don’t Need A Man
This is a song about not needing a man for happiness and we love it. Sing it ladies!
Destiny’s Child – Independent Women
Destiny’s Child were known for empowering women but perhaps their best known female anthem was the millennium hit that came from the soundtrack for Charlie’s Angels.
Britney Spears – Stronger
Brit’s songs in the early 2000s were generally more about relationships than girl power but this song told girls to stand on their own two feet and that’s why we think it should be included in the list.
Meghan Trainor – No
We love this song for telling women that you can tell men to take a hike and that’s why we think it should be included on this list.
Katy Perry – Roar
Of the many female-focused hits in Katy’s discography we could have included, Roar stands above the rest as a real uplifting song. Special shout out to the song Firework which could have easily been substituted for Roar on this list.
Christina Aguilera – Fighter
Christina gets us into fighting form with this 2002 hit.
Demi Lovato – Confident
Demi came back onto the scene in 2015 with a vengeance with the release of her appropriately titled album Confident. Her most empowering track is of the same name.
Aretha Franklin – Respect
We can’t not include this classic from the queen of gospel, Ms. Aretha Franklin. The timeless hit still holds up today.
Rachel Platten – Fight Song
There’s a reason why Hilary Clinton chose this song as her campaign theme song. Though she didn’t win the election, we still enjoyed hearing it at her rallies.
Kelly Clarkson – Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)
We love this rockin’ anthem from Kelly Clarkson off of her 5th studio album, also of the same name.
Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
A classic girl power disco anthem. We love this song for its lyrics just as much as it gets us dancing.
Taylor Swift – Shake It Off
Taylor says it best in this song about confidence, just shake it off.
Shania Twain – Man! I Feel Like A Woman
This Shania classic might have been our go-to pre-drinking anthem but it also works as a good song to get pumped up to during a workout.
Hailee Steinfeld – Love Myself
We couldn’t agree more Hailee, love yourself before anyone else.
Eurythmics, Aretha Franklin – Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves
Annie Lennox’s feminist hit is made even more powerful with help from the gospel queen, Aretha Franklin on the track.
Fifth Harmony – BO$$ (BOSS)
The sassy lyrics in this song make us want to earn “Oprah dollars” too!
