The five best songs from the riot grrrl movement
More than a movement, riot grrrl ignited a spark within an entire generation of women in the 1990s. Steeped in sisterhood, bands like Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, and Heavens to Betsy were at the forefront, playing DIY shows, passing out handmade zines with titles like Girl Germs and Jigsaw, and organising underground meetings to discuss issues ranging from sexual harassment to reproductive rights in the US. It wasn’t just music — it was a call to arms.
Of course, the movement didn’t emerge in a vacuum. It’s safe to say that there was a fair amount of cultural unrest throughout the decade. Anita Hill’s televised testimony on workplace harassment, the increasing awareness of date rape on college campuses, and the growing sense that feminism’s second wave had yet to finish what it started led to the creation of the perfect storm. The riot grrrls were punk feminists who weren’t asking for permission — they were taking the mic and reclaiming the stage, both musically and politically.
Such bands were heavily influenced by female punk and rock performers of the 1970s to the mid-1980s. While many of these musicians came from a variety of backgrounds and styles, as a group, they anticipated many of the era’s sounds and thematic attributes, many of whom included The Slits, Siouxsie Sioux, The Raincoats, Joan Jett and Kim Gordon.
Here’s a roundup of five major tracks that didn’t just soundtrack an era, they allowed women to scream from the rooftops that the personal is political, and if you weren’t listening, well, they made sure that you were.
The five best songs from the riot grrrl movement
Bikini Kill – ‘Rebel Girl’
The 1993 track was a definitive anthem of the riot grrrl phenomenon. Written by Kathleen Hanna to honour the women of the movement, it captures the euphoria of feminist solidarity and the rejection of heteronormativity. Hanna’s voice drips with urgency as she sings about female empowerment, celebrating the strength and revolutionary spirit of women.
Every movement needs something that it can hang its hat on, and ‘Rebel Girl‘, in every which way, is tantamount to a manifesto. In fact, it may well be the most important song of the 1990s.
Bratmobile – ‘Cool Schmool’
Bratmobile’s ‘Cool Schmool’ is a snarky, guitar-driven banger that captures the chaotic, fun, and irreverent spirit of the era. With lines like, “I don’t wanna sit around and talk about the Wipers!” the song mocks the gatekeeping pushed by male-dominated punk scenes. Allison Wolfe’s bratty vocals are a perfect match for the band’s no-frills garage-punk sound.
There is plenty of irony, wit and lo-fi swagger in the mix. Returning to it years later, there is a beautiful sense of time and place, too. Bratmobile welcome you back to their suburban garage in the 1990s, where old sea monkey tanks were tossed aside for guitars instead.
Heavens to Betsy – ‘My Red Self’
Before Corin Tucker co-founded Sleater-Kinney, she was part of Heavens to Betsy, one of the rawest and most emotionally intense bands of the riot grrrl movement. Allison Wolfe’s signature sneer and the band’s lo-fi, garage-punk vibe made the track ‘My Red Self’, a tongue-in-cheek middle finger to the pressures and expectations girls faced, both within and outside the punk community. It’s witty, biting, and full of the band’s trademark in-your-face sarcasm.
The bassline broods with a driving purpose, and the vocals are beautifully, vulnerably layered on top. It might not be polished, but that adds to its raw and earnest charm.
L7 – ‘Pretend We’re Dead’
While L7 often straddled the line between grunge and punk, their fearless approach to feminism and support for the riot grrrl ethos made them essential to the conversation. ‘Pretend We’re Dead’ is loud and unapologetic, a single from their classic 1992 album Bricks Are Heavy. The song’s relentless guitar riffs combined with Donita Sparks’ snarling conjure up a confident, take-no-prisoners attitude to jam to.
L7 weren’t afraid to get political either, famously forming Rock for Choice, a pro-choice benefit series. Here, that bold sentiment also rings out. The track is punk in its purest sense, pushing the boundaries even further.
Sleater-Kinney – ‘Dig Me Out’
Sleater-Kinney arrived a bit later in the day but carried the riot grrrl torch with unmatched ferocity. ‘Dig Me Out’, the title track from their breakout album, is a blistering explosion of emotion and guitar riffs. Tucker’s distinctive vibrato and Carrie Brownstein’s razor-sharp guitar skills make for a heart-pounding anthem about longing, frustration, and the right to be heard. The song’s unrelenting energy shows how the riot grrrl period evolved into something even bigger than imagined, laying the groundwork for future generations of feminist rock.
Fast forward to today, the spirit of the moment is still very much alive and is by no means being kept under a lid. Riot grrrl has seeped into the 21st century’s mainstream sound, weaving its way into pop, indie, and punk, resonating with new generations who understand that fighting for gender equality, body autonomy, and freedom of expression is still a battle worth fighting. Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Wolf Alice’s Ellie Rowsell, and even bands from younger generations like The Linda Lindas are all part of the same rallying cry for change, and their work certainly isn’t over yet.
