Celebrating Women in Music: An International Women's Day Playlist

March 8, 2020

It’s time to celebrate women and their achievements. Today, March 8, is International Women’s Day, which was first observed in 1911 to call attention to gender inequalities and celebrate women’s courage and empowerment in the face of adversity. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a comprehensive and extremely progressive framework for improving gender equality. This year’s theme is I Am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights, which aims to bring together people of all genders, ages, ethnicities, races, religions, and nationalities in acknowledgment of gender-based violence, economic justice, bodily autonomy, sexual and reproductive health rights, and feminist climate justice. The holiday is a time to recognize the progress that we’ve made and to make bold, decisive actions to enact concrete changes.

Women’s contributions to the workforce and to the creation of culture continue to be disregarded and undervalued. In the music industry, women are scrutinized and mistreated by fans and management alike, while the genre of pop has been repeatedly devalued for its feminine qualities. International Women’s Day is a perfect time to recognize the shortcomings of the music industry and its treatment of women, but it is also an opportunity to praise female artists for the excellent music being made.

From songs geared toward female empowerment to plainly good music, enjoy the following playlist on International Women’s Day, or any day of the year!

So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings—Caroline Polachek

Motion Sickness—Phoebe Bridgers

Pressure to Party—Julia Jacklin

Andromeda—Weyes Blood

California Friends—The Regrettes

Sofia—Clairo

we fell in love in october—girl in red

Not My Baby—Alvvays

Benadryl Dreams—Soccer Mommy

Francis Forever—Mitski

PIENSO EN TU MIRÀ—Rosalía