Songmakers refers to artists who are taking unusual and challenging approaches to the song form, expanding it beyond the typical singer-songwriter/rock/pop/country/folk paradigm. While they may occasionally draw on those familiar elements, they are using them in unconventional ways. I expect lots of arguments over this…
A
Jessica Adler (US) | Leila Abdul-Rauf (US) | Leila Adu (New Zealand) | Efrat Alony (Israel/Germany) | Alquimia (Mexico/UK) | Laurie Anderson (US) | Marisa Anderson (US) | Karin Dreijer Andersson/Fever Ray (Sweden) |
B
Christine Baczewska (US) | Julianna Barwick (US) | Meredith Bates (Canada) | Hanna Benn (US) | Greetje Bijma (Netherlands) | Iva Bittová (Czech Rep./US) | Björk (Iceland) | Laura Boland/Elska (US) | Suzanne Bonifacio/Space Cubs (US) | Eliza Bozek/MOLTAMOLE (Poland/Germany) | Kitty Brazelton (US) | Lara Buckley/Lala Strega (US) | Shelley Burgon (US) | Kate Bush (UK)
C
Sara Century (US) | Merlin Coleman (US) | Sophie Cooper (UK) | Sharon Crumrine (US)
D
Ami Dang (US/India) | Andra Dare (US) | Danielle Dax (UK) | Catherine Debard/YlangYlang (Canada) | Lisa Degrace (US) | Marissa Deitz (US) | Amy Denio (US) | Elaine di Falco (US) | Delphine Dora (France) | Alexandra Drewchin/Eartheater (US) | Susan DuMett/Vox Vespertinus (US) | Lucy Duncombe (UK)
E
Christa Ebert/Uno Lady (US) | Jewlia Eisenberg (US) | Natasha El-Sergany/somesurprises (US) | Nadah El Shazly (Egypt) | Sidsel Endresen (Norway)
F
Janet Feder (US) | Beth Fleenor (US) | Bekah Fly/Twin Ghost Dog Howl (US) | Haley Fohr/Circuit des Yeux (US) | Rebecca Foon (Canada)
G
Diamanda Galás (US) | Weba Garretson (US) | Katie Gately (US) | Leila Gharib/Sequoya Tiger (Italy) | Barbara Golden (Canada/US) | Ayelet Rose Gottlieb (US) | Alex Guy (US) | Anita Guy/Ms. Soli Tii (UK/Germany)
H
Adele H. (Italy) | Haco (Japan) | Karen Hancock/KnotPineBox (US) | Sue Ann Harkey (US) | Gretta Harley (US) | Liz Harris/Grouper (US) | Emily Hay (US) | Bridget Hayden (UK) | Abby Helasdottir/Gydja (New Zealand) | Holly Herndon (US) | Joane Hétu (Canada) | Veda Hille (Canada) | Shelley Hirsch (US) | Robin Holcomb (US) | Julia Holter (US) | Anna Homler (US) | Cat Hope (Australia) | Viviane Houle (Canada) | Paris Hurley (US)
I
Amanda Irarrázabal (Chile) | Momo Ishiguro (US)
J
Katie Jacobson/Honey Noble (US) | Catherine Jauniaux (Belgium/France) | Erin Jorgensen (US)
K
Lindha Kallerdahl (Sweden) | Atsuko Kamura (Japan/UK) | Moe Kamura (Japan) | Jonna Karanka/KuuPuu (Finland) | Edita Karkoschka (Poland/Germany) | Jessika Kenney (US) | Elise Kermani (US) | Carla Kihlstedt (US) | Dodo Kitching (UK)
L
Lisa LaRue (Keetoowah Cherokee/US) | Hazel Leach (UK/Germany) | Heather Leigh (US/Scotland) | Gina Leishman (UK/US) | Janel Leppin (US) | Annie Lewandowski (US) | Beatrice Lewis (Australia) | Olivia Louvel (France/UK) | Lydia Lunch (US) | Carin Lundhquist (Sweden)
M
Eden MacAdam-Somer (US) | sylvi macCormac (Ireland/Canada) | Rozalind MacPhail (Canada) | Karen Mantler (US) | Anastasia Masloboeva (Russia) | Elsa M’bala (Cameroon) | Nacha Mendez (US) | Ava Mendoza (US) | Friederike Merz (Germany) | Cristin Miller/Stella Haze (US) | Meredith Monk (US) | Meg Mulhearn/Divine Circles (US)
N
Pauline Nadrigny/Lodz (France) | Laura Naukkarinen (Finland) | Amy X Neuberg (US) | Sara Neufeld (Canada) | Nico (Germany/US/UK; 1938-1988) | Syl Niet/niet! (Spain) | Haruko Crow Nishimura (Japan/US) | Tujiko Noriko (Japan/France)
O
Megan O’Donaghue (US/Indonesia) | Aine O’Dwyer (Ireland) | Omebi (US) | Tara Jane O’Neil (US) | Yoko Ono (Japan/US) | Laura Ortman (US)
P
Zeena Parkins (US) | Annette Peacock (US) | Heather Perkins (US) | Ingrid Plum (Denmark/UK) | Nandi Plunkett/Half Waif (US) | Jade Poppyfield (US)
Q
R
Rebecca Ramirez/Pilgrimess (US) | Alyssa Reed-Stuewe (US) | Rita Ro (UK) | May Roosevelt (Greece)
S
Makiko Sakurai (Japan) | Jenny Scheinman (US) | Almut Schlichting (Germany) | Cécile Schott/Colleen (France) | Hannah Selin (US) | Ashley Shomo/Cyclopsycho (US) | Jen Shyu (Taiwan/US) | Jean Smith (Canada) | Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith (US) | Suhalia Rosa (US) | Mazz Swift (US)
T
Tanya Tagaq (Inuk/Canada) | Molly Thompson (US) | Serena Tideman (US) | Cissi Tsang/samarobryrn (Australia) | Cosey Fanni Tutti (UK) | Tenko Ueno (Japan)
U
V
Tamara van der Laarse/The No (Netherlands) | Anda Volley (US) | Kira Vollman (US)
W
Lauren E Walker/Lewtrakimou (US/S. Korea) | Patty Waters (US) | Felisia Westberg (Sweden)
X
Y
Bora Yoon (US/South Korea)
Many Many Women 