Show notes
There's always been a place in our hearts, and on our charts, for girl groups - who are actually women, not girls, but we digress. From the Supremes to the Spice Girls to Blackpink, they've showered us with messages of heartache and girl power. Their harmonies have enchanted us across the genres, whether pop, soul, hip-hop or dance. They emerged long ago, when women were rarely the go-to music stars, and they continue through to today, when it seems like women are the majority of the top artists. On this week's "How We Heard It," the hosts pay tribute to the women who have led the charge in representing an alternate voice to the all-dude acts who used to dominate the music world. Many are vocal groups made up entirely of singers, be it from the 1960s (The Shirelles, Martha & The Vandellas), disco days (The Pointer Sisters, Sister Sledge), the '80s (Bananarama, Expose), the '90s (En Vogue, Wilson Phillips) or more modern times (from Fifth Harmony to Katseye). But this episode doesn't overlook the all-woman bands featuring gals who sing and play all the instruments, including a slew of rocking acts from Los Angeles like The Runaways, The Go-Go's, The Bangles and L7 as well as current bands like Haim, The Beaches and The Linda Lindas. And for good measure, the show also breezes through acts associated with female leads but whose lineups also feature men in supporting roles (like Heart, The Breeders and Wet Leg). Behind every great woman is another great woman, so spice up your life and let them all in.

