There really is something special about a girl with a guitar who can knock out a song you would actually not be ashamed to own on your iPod.

But, why? Is it because, unlike their Hollywood counterparts, they actually have some kind of talent? Or is it because, unlike their Hollywood counterparts, they remind you of the smart girl at school who suddenly became really hot in later years?

Or could it be because, unlike their Hollywood counterparts, they are the kind of girls you might possibly, possibly, possibly have a chance with? That is, of course, if record sales are down and you are the only straight guy who actually goes backstage to tell them how much you like their music.

Now, we know what you are thinking – and we agree. The concept of an ‘indie’ music genre has become so blurred nowadays it’s become almost obsolete. But we needed an easy tag to stick all these sexy girls under, and this one seemed the most appropriate.

It could equally be called ‘The 28 Sexiest Women Who Can Knock Out A Tune [Usually Involving A Guitar] That we Would Not Be Ashamed To Have On Our iPods‘, but we thought it might be too long.

Besides, to show the age of some of our writers, we have even included some artists who were even around at a time when ‘indie music’ actually meant something.

As always, not that you need any encouragement you miserable bastards, please tell us your suggestions.

28. Lovefoxxx (CSS)


27. Neko Case (The New Pornographers)

26. Melissa Auf de Maur (Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins)

25. Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin (Tegan and Sara)

24. Maura Davis (Denali, Ambulette)

23. Nicole Atkins (Nicole Atkins & the Sea)

22. Whitney McGraw (Page France)

21. Juliana Hatfield (Blake Babies, The Juliana Hatfield Three)

20. Maria Taylor (Now It’s Overhead, Azure Ray, solo)

19. Hayley Williams (Paramore)

18. Maya Arulpragasam aka M.I.A.

17. Annie Clark aka St. Vincent (The Polyphonic Spree, Sufjan Stevens)

16. Charlotte Hatherley (Ash, Client)

15. Aimee Mann

14. Geike Arnaert (Hooverphonic)

13. Kazu Makino (Blonde Redhead)

12. Liz Phair

11. Tanya Donnelly (Throwing Muses, The Breeders, Belly, Solo)

10. Emily Haines (Metric, Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton and Broken Social Scene)

9. Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth, Harry Crews, Free Kitten)

8. Bjork (Sugarcubes, solo)


7. Alison Mosshart (The Kills)


6. Joanna Newsom


5. Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star)

4. Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley, solo)

3. Leslie Feist (Feist, Broken Social Scene, By Divine Right)

2. Katrina Kerns (Sufjan Stevens)


1. Cat Power

Not the fact that her real name is Chan Marshall (pronounced ‘Shaun’), nor that she has recently become the face of Chanel, handpicked by Karl Lagerfeld himself.

No, we refer to the Winehouse – sized back catalogue of problems that recently looked set to cut short her career.

Marshall had been getting herself a reputation for stage fright, cutting gigs short, refusing to face the audience, and re-starting songs repeatedly.  

Then, in 2006 she had her third spell in hospital, suffering from depression, stress and alcohol problems (her rider did include a case of beer and a bottle of scotch), and the showbiz vultures began to circle.

However, this is certainly no Britney, and following a full recovery, she is touring to promote her eighth album, planning a ninth later this year, and generally being celebrated by all and sundry.

As well as the Chanel appointment, Marshall has played some career-defining gigs, kicking the nerves to the kerb and seemingly enjoying herself. She’s even playing Jude Law’s girlfriend in forthcoming movie My Blueberry Nights, but hey, everyone’s got a cross to bear.

The nanny-chaser isn’t here tonight, but interest remains high. Bobby Gillespie is lounging in the VIP area with Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine, and downstairs, a capacity crowd are anxiously awaiting their heroine.

We get her band, the Dirty Delta Blues, first, and after they strike up a mood of sultry excellence, Cat Power emerges stage left, cigarette in hand. It seems we have the Marshall of old when she turns to her organist (who also finishes the ciggy) for opener Don’t Explain, but as she settles in, not even the smoking ban brigade is worried.

Her thick, dark voice pours over the audience in a set mainly taken from current covers album Jukebox, giving particularly incredible performances of Sinatra’s New York, New York and She’s Got You by Patsy Cline. There’s still plenty of room for surprises though, and we get plenty during a fine show, with a version of Tracks of My Tears that would floor even Smokey Robinson.

Of course, there’s still a little Cat Power eccentricity left to go round, and she treats us to her strange shuffle-jog of a dance (quite good) and her cockney accent (less so).

Still, while Dick Van Dyke can rest easy, it seems that Cat Power has truly turned a corner in all other areas of her game. She’s so at home here that she chats to the crowd, picks up the flowers thrown onstage and balls up the setlists before leaving, serving them up as curveballs to the back rows.

So it seems that soon, you won’t have any need for the case history. All you’ll need to know is that if you get the chance to see this lady sing, you really should grab it with both hands.

[story by Tom Atkinson]