A Ranking of the Top Female Vocalists in Music History

Cool, before the word was ever commodified, Debbie Harry turned punk into pop and made Blondie the most stylish punch in the face the ‘70s ever got. Her voice wasn’t trained—it was tuned to attitude. Heart of Glass shimmered. Call Me punched. She blurred genres—disco, new wave, reggae—without ever smudging her swagger.

Debbie wasn’t just a singer. She was energy. Icy. Ironic. Irresistible. Blondie’s hits made it to the mainstream, but Debbie never lost her underground edge. Her blonde was weaponized, her sneer permanent. If CBGBs had a patron saint in stilettos, it was her, and she never needed saving.