Dear Santa, More Girl Rock For Christmas Please

Dear Harmonix,

Happy Christmas and how are you? I hope you are well. We are all enjoying Rock Band to excess. Thanks for releasing The Sounds as DLC! But as you can probably guess some of us female fans want more music featuring female vocals. Orange Crush seems like it should be easy but it's not, as it turns out!

So I was wondering if you could possibly release more girl-rocking songs as downloadable content in the future. That would make my year!

Here is my wishlist. Some of these would be perfect for a Goth Pack as well, which I hope you are also working on. And they have all been tested v. scientifically for singability in my shower. Thanks!!

Sincerely,

Jane

P.S. I LOVE YOU! XOXO and Happy New Year!

*******

Jane's Wishlist for Girl Rock:

Patti Smith - Because The Night
L7 - Pretend that We're Dead
Luscious Jackson - Naked Eye
Concrete Blonde - Joey (maybe too mellow? but so catchy!!)
Bikini Kill - Rebel Girl
Le Tigre - Deceptacon (ok this might be tough but it's SO GOOD!!!)
Lush - Ladykillers (I <3 Miki!!!!)
Elastica - Connection, Stutter
The Go Gos - We Got the Beat, Our Lips Are Sealed
Rilo Kiley - Portions for Foxes
Veruca Salt - Seether
The Breeders - Cannonball
Pat Benatar - Hit Me with Your Best Shot
No Doubt - Just a Girl
Siouxsie Sioux and the Banshees - Hong Kong Garden, Kiss Them for Me
Sleater-Kinney - One More Hour (ok, no bass, but two guitars!!)
Heart - Barracuda
Liz Phair - Rock Me
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - Bad Reputation
The Cranberries - Dreams
PJ Harvey - A Perfect Day Elise

Comments

[Andrew]

I would buy this game if it only had half these tracks (specifically the PJ/Sleater/Le Tigre parts). Awesome list; I hope Harmonix are reading...

[J.]

Good starter list. I have to wonder if the lack of female voices is any more unfair than the entirety of pop music. I don't think it's untoward to point out that most of the above artists had rather brief careers in popular music.

More Liz Phair. Six Feet One, Glory, Why Can't I, Whip-Smart (H.W.C., Supernova for yuks, though I doubt they could get the lyrics approved.) Fifty Foot Queenie by PJ Harvey would be fun, too.

Charlotte Hatherley! Bastardo, Summer, Behave.

More by Heart or The Lovemongers, which is the sisterly Wilson part of the original band. They did a cover of Battle of Evermore that I liked. Yeah, it's a Zeppelin song.

Pink would be fun, but she isn't known for her guitar and drum songs. Who Knew, U + Ur Hand.

The Plasmatics would be fun, too. The guitar parts are fairly repetitive and Wendy O. Williams lyrics seem tailored mainly to let her act out on stage and scream more than sing. Going Wild, maybe.

[Roger Benningfield]

You're right, more girl acts are desperately needed. My wife and niece really struggle with a lotta the existing vocals, and sheesh, how many times can one person endure singing Maps? :)

My suggestions:

Alanis - "You Oughta Know", maybe "Uninvited"
Alannah Myles - "Black Velvet"
Aly & AJ - "Rush"
Eurythmics - "Missionary Man"
Avril - "Complicated"
Bif Naked - "Lucky" (possibly too slow)
Blondie - "Call Me"
Brandi Carlisle - "The Story"
Hole - "Malibu" & "Awful"
Kendall Payne - "Supermodels"
Letters To Cleo - "Here and Now"
Storm Large - "Ladylike"
The Donnas - "Take It Off"

...and my right field pick:

Loretta Lynn & Jack White - "Portland, OR"

[Jens Alfke]

I would be so tempted to buy any game that would let me play or sing "Rebel Girl"!

I love the idea of Guitar Hero / Rock Band, but the music selection seems like mostly the kind of mainstream hard rock I was already turning my nose up at in high school. Music for middle-aged construction workers who comb their mullets over their bald spots. WTF?

PS: Oh, and can you use your rock-star connections to get them to add "I Start To Explode" and "Endless Affair"? I'd love to play those =)

[xtraman]

nice list
don't forget about
something from Rasputina!!
anything off the album "how we quit the forest" would be great..
or X-Ray Spex

[kpallist]

Great list, Jane! I'd add something from The Donnas, something from Halfcocked, and something from Von Iva.

I added my own wishlist, of a different kind:
http://www.kimpallister.com/2007/12/rock-band-drunken-doozies-download.html

Enjoy!

[fish]

anything sung by Kim Deal.

also, please go work at harmonix and make it happen.

wait, how come you dont work there yet?
you guys are a perfect match!

[G.i.t.C.L]

Just thought I'd drop a recommendation in here. Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter is some good music. And if you're feeling adventurous you can also check out her collaboration with Sunn O))) and Boris, entitled The Singing Belle.

http://jessesykes.com/

And of course everything with Beth Gibbons in it is a must-have. Her collaboration with Rustin' Man has really grown on me recently.

http://www.portishead.co.uk/

[kellee]

Word!! I can't believe the lack of female vocalists. Did we mention Hot Boxin' by Donnas?

[raina1up]

i've been thinking the same thing 'bout RB. I don't want to waste my prime feminine karaoke voice on Black Hole Sun. Seriously, more pat benetar and sleater-kinney!