Who was the biggest female singer of the 90s?

Mariah Carey was the biggest female singer of the 90s, with a long run of number ones including "One Sweet Day", which spent 16 weeks at the top. Whitney Houston and Celine Dion were close rivals.

Who were the top female R&B singers of the 90s?

Mary J. Blige, TLC, Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, Aaliyah, Brandy, Monica, En Vogue, Lauryn Hill and Destiny's Child were among the top female R&B artists of the 90s.

Who were the female rock and alternative singers of the 90s?

Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow, Gwen Stefani, Dolores O'Riordan, Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, Melissa Etheridge and Sarah McLachlan were the leading female rock and alternative voices of the 90s.

Can I get a personalized song in a 90s style?

Yes. With Cantarova you add a name and a few memories, choose pop, R&B, country or another style, review the lyrics and listen to 4 free previews. The full song is ready within minutes.

90s Female Singers: 40 Women Who Defined the Decade

Who were the most popular female singers of the 90s?

Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Celine Dion were the biggest female singers of the 90s. Mariah's "One Sweet Day" with Boyz II Men spent 16 weeks at number one, Whitney's "I Will Always Love You" spent 14 weeks at the top, and Celine's "My Heart Will Go On" became one of the best-selling singles in history. Gwen Stefani, Alanis Morissette, TLC, Janet Jackson and Shania Twain complete the list for most fans.

The pop divas of the 90s

Mariah Carey: "Vision of Love", "Hero", "Fantasy" and "All I Want for Christmas Is You", with a five-octave voice that defined the decade.
Whitney Houston: "I Will Always Love You" from The Bodyguard, one of the best-selling soundtracks ever.
Celine Dion: "My Heart Will Go On", "Because You Loved Me" and "The Power of Love".
Janet Jackson: "That's the Way Love Goes", "Again" and "Together Again".
Madonna: "Vogue" at the start of the decade and "Frozen" and "Ray of Light" at the end.
Toni Braxton: "Un-Break My Heart" and "Breathe Again".
Gloria Estefan: "Coming Out of the Dark", her comeback number one after a serious bus accident.
Paula Abdul: "Opposites Attract" and "Rush Rush".
Britney Spears: "...Baby One More Time", the debut that closed the decade.
Christina Aguilera: "Genie in a Bottle", a number one in 1999.
Jennifer Lopez: "If You Had My Love", her debut number one in 1999.

Queens of 90s R&B and hip-hop soul

Mary J. Blige: "Real Love" and "Not Gon' Cry"; she was called the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul.
TLC: "Waterfalls", "Creep" and "No Scrubs"; CrazySexyCool became one of the best-selling albums by an American girl group.
Lauryn Hill: "Doo Wop (That Thing)"; The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill won the Grammy for Album of the Year.
Aaliyah: "Back and Forth", "One in a Million" and "Are You That Somebody?".
Brandy: "I Wanna Be Down" and "The Boy Is Mine" with Monica, a 13-week number one.
Monica: "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" and "The First Night".
En Vogue: "Hold On" and "Free Your Mind".
Destiny's Child: "No, No, No" and "Bills, Bills, Bills", with a young Beyoncé.
Erykah Badu: "On and On", a defining song of the neo-soul movement.
Sade: "No Ordinary Love", a sultry 1992 hit.
SWV: "Weak", a number one in 1993.

Singer-songwriters and alternative women of the 90s

Alanis Morissette: "You Oughta Know", "Ironic" and "Hand in My Pocket"; Jagged Little Pill sold more than 30 million copies.
Sheryl Crow: "All I Wanna Do" and "If It Makes You Happy"; see our Sheryl Crow songs.
Sarah McLachlan: "Building a Mystery" and "Angel"; she founded the all-female Lilith Fair tour.
Jewel: "Who Will Save Your Soul" and "You Were Meant for Me".
Fiona Apple: "Criminal", a Grammy-winning debut hit.
Tori Amos: "Cornflake Girl" and "Silent All These Years".
Sinéad O'Connor: "Nothing Compares 2 U", the Prince song she made a worldwide number one in 1990.
Lisa Loeb: "Stay (I Missed You)", the first number one by an artist without a record deal.
Joan Osborne: "One of Us".
Natalie Imbruglia: "Torn".
Melissa Etheridge: "Come to My Window" and "I'm the Only One".
Bonnie Raitt: "Something to Talk About" and "I Can't Make You Love Me".
Gwen Stefani of No Doubt: "Just a Girl" and "Don't Speak".
Dolores O'Riordan of the Cranberries: "Linger" and "Zombie"; see our Cranberries songs.

Country women of the 90s

Shania Twain: "You're Still the One" and "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!"; Come On Over became the best-selling country album by a woman.
Faith Hill: "This Kiss" and "Breathe".
LeAnn Rimes: "Blue" and "How Do I Live"; she won Best New Artist at 14.
Trisha Yearwood: "She's in Love with the Boy" and her version of "How Do I Live".

Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Deana Carter and the Dixie Chicks also had some of the decade's biggest country hits; see our Reba McEntire songs and 90s country songs.

Latin and international stars of the 90s

Selena, the Queen of Tejano music, scored hits like "Como la Flor" and "Amor Prohibido" before her death in 1995; her crossover album Dreaming of You debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 that summer. Shakira broke through across Latin America with Pies Descalzos and Dónde Están los Ladrones?, and Iceland's Björk brought an experimental edge to pop with "Human Behaviour" and "Army of Me".

Girl groups of the 90s

The 90s were the last great era of girl groups. Wilson Phillips opened the decade with "Hold On", TLC and En Vogue ruled R&B, the Spice Girls took "Wannabe" to number one in dozens of countries, and Destiny's Child and All Saints carried the sound into the next decade. For more, see our 90s wedding songs.

The story behind I Will Always Love You

"I Will Always Love You" was written and first recorded by Dolly Parton in 1974. For the 1992 film The Bodyguard, Whitney Houston recorded a new version that opens with her voice alone before the band and the famous key change come in. It spent 14 weeks at number one, and The Bodyguard soundtrack became one of the best-selling albums of all time.

The story behind My Heart Will Go On

"My Heart Will Go On" was written by James Horner and Will Jennings for the 1997 film Titanic. Celine Dion was not sure about it at first, but her recording became a worldwide number one, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and took home the Grammys for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

All I Want for Christmas Is You

Mariah Carey released "All I Want for Christmas Is You" on her 1994 holiday album, Merry Christmas. It grew more popular every year, and in December 2019, 25 years after its release, it finally reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It now returns to the top of the charts nearly every holiday season; see our best Christmas songs for more.

Why the 90s were a big decade for women in music

In the 90s, women topped every chart at once. Divas like Mariah Carey and Celine Dion broke sales records, R&B stars like Mary J. Blige and TLC brought hip-hop and soul together, and singer-songwriters like Alanis Morissette, Sarah McLachlan and Jewel proved that confessional songs could sell millions. In 1997 McLachlan launched Lilith Fair, an all-female touring festival, after promoters said a tour headlined only by women would not sell. It became one of the most successful tours of its time.

90s female singers for karaoke

For karaoke night, "Torn", "Ironic", "You Oughta Know", "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!", "Wannabe" and "No Scrubs" are crowd favorites, and "I Will Always Love You" and "My Heart Will Go On" are the ultimate showstoppers for confident singers. For more, see our best karaoke songs.

90s female singers for a wedding

Many couples who grew up in the 90s choose these voices for their wedding: "You're Still the One", "Because You Loved Me", "This Kiss" and "I Will Always Love You" for a first dance, and "Wannabe", "No Scrubs" and "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" for the dance floor. For more, see our 90s wedding songs.

90s female singers for a girls' night or a road trip

For a girls' night in or a road trip with friends, build a playlist around "Waterfalls", "Wannabe", "Torn", "Genie in a Bottle", "Hold On", "Stay (I Missed You)" and "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!". For more, see our bachelorette party songs and songs about strong women.

90s female singers for a 40th or 50th birthday

For anyone who was a teenager in the 90s, these voices are the soundtrack of their youth. For a 40th or 50th birthday party, mix the divas with the girl groups: "Fantasy", "Waterfalls", "Wannabe", "Torn" and "Genie in a Bottle" will have everyone singing. For more ideas, see our birthday songs.

From the 80s to the 2000s

For the decade before, see our 80s female singers, and for more 90s music, our 90s rap songs and 90s country songs.

A song in the style of the 90s

For anyone who grew up with these voices, a personalized song in a 90s pop, R&B or country style can be a perfect gift: their name, your shared memories and a sound that takes them back. It makes a great birthday, anniversary or best friend gift.

How to create a personalized song

Choose a style from 14 genres: pop, R&B, country and more.
Add their name.
Share three memories or details about them.
Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $35.99, or $40.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Give them a song of their own: create a song and hear four previews for free.

40 Female Singers of the 90s and Their Biggest Songs