There are still many people out there who prefer 80s classical music over the new pop music that we listen to nowadays.
But why? The only difference is that the classical singers, especially the 80s female singers. The soul that the 80s female singers poured into their songs gives them a new life every time we hear them.
Yet, I have listed 15 of the best 80s female singers in the industry. It is also good that most of them are still alive and still making their presence known.
Table of Contents
Gwen Stefani
I’ll start things off with my favorite and one of THE most famous 80s female singers in the world, Gwen Stefani, who is 52 years old.
Her birth date is the 3rd of October 1969, and her hometown is Fullerton, California, USA. She hails from the land of Hollywood.
Some people also call her Gwen Shelton. Her complete name is Gwen Renée Stefani. She was born in a Catholic family and grew up in a religious environment.
Both her mom and dad came from Europe to America. Her dad was an Italian immigrant, and her mom was an Irish immigrant.
Her family was pretty well-off, as her dad used to work for the Japanese multinational corporation, Yahama as a marketing executive.
This 80s female singer’s mom was an accountant for some time, but later she decided to leave her job to become a housewife.
It was Gwen Stefani’s luck that her parents were also fans of music, and they were the ones who inspired her to become a singer.
At first, she joined the popular music band, No Doubt, and she used to work as a keyboardist. But due to some reason, the group halted its operations for some time.
That is why Gwen Stefani was left with a few options, either leave the industry or go off on her own. She chose the latter.
She became a singer in 1986. However she released her first album, “No Doubt,” in 1992 with the band, No Doubt, but it took her 18 years to give her solo debut album.
This 80s female singer gave out her solo debut album in 2004, named “Love. Angel. Music. Baby.” by working with Interscope Records.
Till now, she has given out four studio albums. Her second, third, and fourth albums were “The Sweet Escape,” “This Is What The Truth Feels Like,” and “You Make It Feel Like Christmas” in 2006, 2016, and 2017, respectively.
Gwen Stefani’s most famous song is considered to be “Cool.”
Her Instagram following: 13.7 million+
Spotify monthly listeners: 12.9 million+
SoundCloud following: 16,000+
Dolly Parton
This 80s female singer was born on the 19th of January 1946 in Pittman Center, Tennessee, USA. She is 76 years old.
Initially, she used to write songs for other artists as a songwriter. She got so successful as a songwriter that she decided to enter the industry as an artist (singer).
Dolly Rebecca Parton is her birth name. Besides being a successful singer, this 80s female singer is also great at acting and other business ventures.
She is mostly known for her contribution to country music. Her family didn’t have many resources, as they used to live in a tiny house.
Dolly Parton has eleven other siblings as well; three of her siblings died of several causes. His dad was a farmer, and after some time, her dad bought a small farm.
To keep the ball rolling for his farm, his dad used to work several different jobs. Dolly Parton says his dad wasn’t much educated, but he was among the smartest business people she knew.
You can also call her mom a super mother. As her mother often used to be ill because of her consistent pregnancies.
However, she used to sing to amuse her kids and keep the environment happy. She says that her mother became her inspiration to become a musical artist.
She joined the industry in 1956. The famous singer Porter Wagoner offered Dolly Parton to join his organization.
During her career, she has released 48 studio albums. Her 1st album was “Hello, I’m Dolly,” which was released in 1967.
And her latest album came out in 2022, named “Run, Rose, Run,” by working with Butterfly Records (the label she owns).
“I Will Always Love You” is among her top songs.
Dolly Parton’s Instagram following: 5.1 million+
Spotify monthly listeners: 10.6 million+
SoundCloud following: 13,800+
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue was born on the 28th of May 1968 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Her complete name is Kylie Ann Minogue.
She is around 53 years old as of May 2022. Besides Australian nationality, she also holds British citizenship.
The British press also calls her the “Princess Of Pop.” This 80s female singer is THE highest and best-selling musical artist from Australia.
No other Australian artist has matched Kylie Minogue in selling music records worldwide, as she has sold around 80 million+ music records.
During her career, she has won one Grammy, three Brits, and seventeen 17 ARIA Awards so far, and by the looks of it, she isn’t stopping anytime soon.
Her mom was a ballet dancer, and her dad was an accountant. She has two other siblings; her brother is a cameraman, and her sister, inspired by Kylie Minogue, decided to become a singer.
She belonged to a middle-class family, and from time to time, they had to change their homes and neighborhoods to make ends meet.
Because living in Melbourne was rather expensive at the time, and today as well. Kylie Minogue didn’t like these continuous movements at all.
This 80s female singer didn’t much socialize with her neighbors because whenever she used to befriend anyone, it was already time to move from that neighborhood/area.
And not just the neighborhood; she didn’t have many friends at school either. During all that time, she learned to play piano and violin.
She was determined to become a singer from a young age, and she did become one in 1979; it has been 43+ years since she has been singing, songwriting, and acting.
However she joined the industry in 1979, but it took her nine years to release her debut studio album, “Kylie,” in 1988.
So far, she has given out fifteen studio albums. Some of them are “Enjoy Yourself,” “Rhythm Of Love,” “Let’s Get To It,” “Kylie Minogue,” and others.
“Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” is among her most famous songs.
Kylie Minogue’s Instagram following: 2.3 million+
Spotify monthly listeners: 7.2 million+
SoundCloud following: 92,400+
Cyndi Lauper
This 80s female singer’s complete is rather long; if you really want to know, have it. Her complete name is Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton.
Guess I should stick to her stage name, right? Her birthday falls on the 22nd of June, and her birth year is 1953.
She is both an activist and actress. Cyndi Lauper is among the veteran 80s female singers in the music industry.
Her hometown is New York City, USA. She tied the knot with David Thornton in 1991, and luckily, they are still together. They also have one kid.
Cyndi Lauper began doing all this in 1977, and it has been 44+ years since she has been singing and songwriting.
So far, she has won Grammys, Emmys, and Tony Awards. Cyndi Lauper is among the best-selling musical artist of modern times.
During her 45+ years of career, she has worked with five music labels. Those labels are Sire Records, Portrait Records, Daylight Records, Epic Records, and Downtown Records.
Both her parents were of European descent, as her dad had German and Swiss ancestral roots, and her mom had Italian ancestral roots.
She was born in a Catholic religious family. Cyndi Lauper’s mom and dad got divorced when she was a toddler. Later, his mom tied the knot with someone else, but due to some reason, his mom got divorced again.
Cyndi Lauper was always fond of music and used to listen to “The Beatles” and other famous music bands when she was a kid.
This 80s female singer joined the music industry in 1977, and six years later, in 1983, she gave out her first album, “She’s So Unusual.”
As of May 2022, she has given out eleven studio albums. Her latest album came out in 2016, named “Detour.”
“Girls Just Want To Have Fun” is among her top and best songs.
Cyndi Lauper’s Instagram following: 1.2 million+
Spotify monthly listeners: 11 million+
SoundCloud following: 5,200+
Stevie Nicks
Stevie Nicks’ first studio album was “Bella Donna,” which came out in 1981 by working with Modern Records and ATCO Records.
It has been over 40 years since the release of her first album. During her career, she has won several awards. She is 73 years old.
You can also call her the “Reigning Queen of Rock and Roll.” She is among the greatest songwriters and singers of all time.
She is also among the best-selling artists, as she has sold more than 50 million music records only in the United States Of America.
This 80s female singer was born on the 26th of May 1948 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. She began doing this in 1966.
During her life, she has been in four relationships; one of them was her husband, and three of them were her boyfriends.
First, she began dating Lindsay Buckingham in 1969, and they got separated in 1976. Then, she started dating Don Henley in 1977, and they also got separated in 1978.
After that, she married Kim Anderson in 1983, and they got divorced the same. And finally, she dated Joe Walsh from 1983 to 1986.
Stevie Nick’s most famous song is “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.”
Her Instagram following: 980,000+
Spotify monthly listeners: 5.2 million+
SoundCloud following: 16,800+
Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar’s melodious voice will live for eternity. She is among THE most influential and top 80s female singers of South Asia.
Her real name is Hema Mangeshkar. She was born on the 28th of September 1929 in Indore, Indore State, British Raj, which is now known as Madhya Pradesh, India.
This 80s female singer has received many great titles from her fans. Some of those titles are “Queen Of Melody” and “Voice Of The Millennium.”
She began her music career in 1942, five years before the partition of the sub-continent in 1947. She even got the highest civilian award in India from the government.
Lata Mangeshkar got COVID in January 2022, and she was suffering from several multiple organ syndromes and also pneumonia.
These diseases eventually took her life on the 6th of February 2022 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Among her dozens of songs, “Lag Jaa Gale (Hug Me)” stands out as the best.
Lata Mangeshkar’s Instagram following: 781,000+
Spotify monthly listeners: 5 million+
SoundCloud following: 7,300+
Gloria Estefan
This 80s female singer was born on the 1st of September 1957 in Havana, Cuba. She is 64 years old as of May 2022.
Her complete birth name is Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García. This 80s female singer holds both Cuban and American nationality.
She didn’t begin her career independently but as a member of Miami Latin Boys (now known as Miami Sound Machine).
It is believed that Gloria Estefan was the artist that paved the way for many great musical artists like Shakira, Selena Perez, J.Lo., and many other Latin artists.
She officially became a singer in 1975, but it took her fourteen years to release her debut solo album, “Cuts Both Ways,” in 1989.
Till now, she has released fourteen studio albums. Her two latest albums were “The Standards,” which came out in 2013, and “Brazil305,” which was released in 2020.
Her most famous song is considered to be “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You.”
Gloria Estefan’s Instagram following: 690,000+
Spotify monthly listeners: 6.4 million+
SoundCloud following: 2,300+
Sade Adu
Her complete name is Helen Folasade Adu. Her hometown is Ibadan, Colony, and Protectorate of Nigeria. She is 63 years old.
Sade Adu’s birthday falls on the 16th of January, and her birth year is 1959. It has been more than 40 years since she began singing.
Besides singing, she also excels at songwriting and acting. She tied the knot with Carlos Pliego in 1989, and they got divorced in 1995.
Then after twelve years, she started dating Ian Watts in 2007, and they are still together. Sade Adu has one kid.
She has worked with four music labels throughout her career. Those labels are Portrait Records, Epic Records, RCA Records, and Sony Music Entertainment.
“Diamond Life” was this 80s female singer’s debut album, which came out in 1984. Her second album was “Promise,” which was released in 1985.
This 80s female singer has given out six studio albums till now. Her latest album was “Soldier Of Love,” which was released in 2010.
Her most famous song is “Smooth Operator.”
Sade Adu’s Instagram following: 563,000+
Spotify monthly listeners: 4.8 million+
SoundCloud following: 650+
Vanessa Williams
She was born on the 18th of March 1963 in New York City, USA. She is 59 years old. Her complete name is Vanessa Lynn Williams.
Vanessa Williams has married thrice throughout her life. This 80s female singer married Ramon Hervey II in 1987, and ten years later, in 1997, they got divorced.
Rich Fox was her second, and Jim Skrip was he third husband. Vanessa Williams has four kids. She has also become Miss America and Miss New York.
This 80s female singer started her career in 1979, and nine years later, she released her debut album, “The Right Stuff,” in 1988.
So far, she has given out eight albums. Her latest album was “The Real Thing,” which was released in 2009 by working with Concord Records.
Her most famous song is “Save The Best For Last.”
Vanessa Williams’ Instagram following: 558,000+
Spotify monthly listeners: 1.3 million+
SoundCloud following: 360+
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox’s birth date is the 25th of December 1954, and her hometown is Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom.
She is 67 years old. This 80s female singer’s complete or real name is Ann Lennox. Besides being a singer, this 80s female singer is also a great songwriter and a political activist.
Annie Lennox began learning to play piano and violin from a young age. She learned the importance of money, as she had to work several part-time jobs to earn a living.
She joined the music industry in 1976, and it has been 45+ years since she began singing and songwriting.
Her debut album was “Diva,” which came out in 1992, sixteen years after her debut as a singer in the music industry.
“Little Bird” is among her most famous songs.
Annie Lennox’s Instagram following: 510,000+
Spotify monthly listeners: 11.4 million+
SoundCloud following: 2,500+
Joan Jett
Joan Jett’s most famous album is “I Love Rock ‘n Roll,” which was released in 1981 by working with Boardwalk Records.
Her birth date is the 22nd of September 1958, and her hometown is Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, USA.
She is 63 years old. During her career, she has worked with ten different music labels. The most famous labels among them are Epic Records, Warner Record Inc., and Mercury Records.
This 80s female singer has given out thirteen studio albums so far. The latest of them is “Changeup.”
“Bad Reputation” is among her most famous songs.
Joan Jett’s Instagram following: 477,000+
Spotify monthly listeners: 5.5 million+
SoundCloud following: 2,500+
Paula Abdul
This 80s female singer’s birth date is the 19th of June 1962, and her hometown is San Fernando, California, USA.
She is 59 years old. Her birth name is Paula Julie Abdul. She didn’t begin as a singer but as a cheerleader when she was eighteen years old.
Paula Abdul’s most famous album is considered to be “Forever Your Girl,” which is also her debut studio album that was released in 1988.
Her second and third albums are “Spellbound” and “Head Over Heels,” which were released in 1991 and 1995, respectively.
“Straight Up” is among her most famous songs.
Paula Abdul’s Instagram following: 467,000+
Spotify monthly listeners: 1.5 million+
SoundCloud following: Almost 1000.
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John’s real name is Dame Olivia Newton-John. Her birthday falls on the 26th of September, and her birth year is 1948.
Her hometown is Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England. She is 73 years old. She is also a famous entrepreneur, actress, activist, and songwriter.
She started her music career in 1963. This 80s female singer tied the knot with Matt Lattanzi in 1984, and after eleven years of being together, they got divorced in 1995.
Then she married John Easterling in 2008, and they are still together. She is also the mother of famous singer Chloe Lattanzi.
She is both an Australian and British. Her debut album came out in 1971, named “If Not For You,” by working with Festival Records.
“Hopelessly Devoted To You” is among her most popular songs.
Olivia Newton-John’s Instagram following: 475,000+
Spotify monthly listeners: 6.6 million+
SoundCloud following: Almost 900.
Grace Jones
Grace Beverly Jones is her real name. She was born on the 19th of May 1948 in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, Jamaica.
She is among the most famous non-American musical artists in the world. This 80s female singer is 74 years old.
Grace Jones has been married to Atila Altaunbay since 1996, and they have one kid. She is also a songwriter, actress, and model.
Her career began in 1973, and four years later, she gave out her debut album, “Portfolio,” in 1977 by working with Island Records.
“Slave To The Rhythm” is her most popular song.
Grace Jones’ Instagram following: 313,000+
Spotify monthly listeners: 1.14 million+
SoundCloud following: 2,200+
Samantha Fox
And last but not least, I present to you the 56-years-old 80s female singer, Samantha Fox, who was born on the 15th of April 1966.
Her hometown is Mile End, London, England. You can also call her Sam Fox if you want to. Before becoming a singer, she was a model for five years (from 1983 to 1987).
She began her musical (singing) career in 1986, and in the same year, she gave out her debut album, “Touch Me.”
This 80s female singer has released six albums so far. The latest of those albums is “Angel with an Attitude,” which was released in 2005.
Her most famous song is considered to be “Touch Me (I Want Your Body).”
Samantha Fox’s Instagram following: 106,000+
Spotify monthly listeners: 403,000+
SoundCloud following: 540+
Conclusion
I have talked descriptively about some of the best 80s female singers in the music industry. Among them, my favorite singer is Lata Mangeshkar.
Let me know in the comments about your favorite 80s female singer. I’ll wait. Thanks for reading this far. PEACE!
