Lilith Fair wasn’t exactly a genre, but it was a celebration of female artists in the late 1990s. Discouraged by radio programmers and concert promoters who didn’t think it was commercially viable to have two female artists perform back to back, Sarah McLachlan launched the Lilith Fair festival in the summer of 1997. The concept was to feature only female artists or female-led bands. More than 30 dates featured over 70 performers. The festival was successful enough to spawn follow-ups in 1998 and 1999.
This list was generated by taking all those artists who performed from 1997 to 1999 and ranking their songs. Songs released after 1999 were excluded.
Click here to see other genre-specific song lists.
Spotify Podcast:
Check out the Dave’s Music Database podcast episode Lilith Fair: The 25th Anniversary which references songs on this list. Premiere: September 6, 2022 at 7pm CST. New episodes based on Dave’s Music Database lists are posted every Tuesday at 7pm CST.
DMDB Top 1%:
1. Sinéad O’Connor “Nothing Compares 2 U” (1990)
2. Tracy Chapman “Fast Car” (1988)
3. Pretenders “Brass in Pocket (I’m Special)” (1979)
4. Sheryl Crow “All I Wanna Do” (1993)
DMDB Top 2%:
5. Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories “Stay (I Missed You)” (1994)
6. Jewel “You Were Meant for Me” (1995)
7. Suzanne Vega “Luka” (1987)
8. Joan Osborne “One of Us” (1995)
9. Tracy Chapman “Give Me One Reason” (1995)
10. Shawn Colvin “Sunny Came Home” (1996)
11. Jewel “Foolish Games” (1995)
12. Sarah McLachlan “Building a Mystery” (1997)
DMDB Top 5%:
13. Dido “Thank You” (1999)
14. Sixpence None the Richer “Kiss Me” (1998)
15. Pretenders “Back on the Chain Gang” (1982)
16. Bonnie Raitt “Something to Talk About” (1991)
17. Sarah McLachlan “Angel” (1997)
18. The Cardigans “Lovefool” (1996)
19. Pretenders “I’ll Stand by You” (1994)
20. Bonnie Raitt “I Can’t Make You Love Me” (1991)
21. Pretenders “Middle of the Road” (1983)
22. Pretenders “2000 Miles” (1983)
23. Indigo Girls “Closer to Fine” (1989)
24. Paula Cole “I Don’t Want to Wait” (1996)
25. Neneh Cherry “Buffalo Stance” (1988)
26. Dixie Chicks “Wide Open Spaces” (1998)
27. Sheryl Crow “Everyday Is a Winding Road” (1996)
28. Jewel “Who Will Save Your Soul” (1995)
29. Bonnie Raitt “Love Sneakin’ Up on You” (1994)
30. Meredith Brooks “Bitch” (1997)
31. Des’ree “You Gotta Be” (1994)
32. Paula Cole “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” (1996)
33. Sheryl Crow “My Favorite Mistake” (1998)
34. Sheryl Crow “Strong Enough” (1993)
35. Sheryl Crow “If It Makes You Happy” (1996)
36. Tracy Chapman “Talkin’ ‘Bout a Revolution” (1988)
DMDB Top 10%:
37. Fiona Apple “Criminal” (1996)
38. Sarah McLachlan “I Will Remember You” (1995)
39. Monica “The First Night” (1998)
40. Pretenders “Don’t Get Me Wrong” (1986)
41. K’s Choice “Not an Addict” (1996)
42. Natalie Merchant “Wonder” (1995)
43. Sarah McLachlan “Possession” (1993)
44. Mary Chapin Carpenter “Passionate Kisses” (1992)
45. Suzanne Vega with DNA “Tom’s Diner” (1990)
46. Sheryl Crow “A Change Would Do You Good” (1996)
47. Shawn Colvin “Every Little Thing He Does Is Magic” (1994)
48. Pretenders “Stop Your Sobbing” (1979)
49. Martina McBride “Independence Day” (1994)
50. Billie Myers “Kiss the Rain” (1997)
51. Natalie Merchant “Carnival” (1995)
52. Monica “Angel of Mine” (1998)
53. Cowboy Junkies “Sweet Jane” (1988)
54. Sinéad O’Connor “Mandinka” (1987)
55. Shawn Colvin “I Don’t Know Why” (1992)
56. Natalie Merchant “Kind and Generous” (1998)
57. Sinéad O’Connor “The House of the Rising Sun” (1994)
58. Sheryl Crow “Leaving Las Vegas” (1993)
59. Tracy Bonham “Mother Mother” (1996)
60. Bonnie Raitt “Nick of Time” (1989)
61. Sarah McLachlan “Adia” (1997)
62. Tracy Chapman “Crossroads” (1989)
63. 10,000 Maniacs “Because the Night” (live, 1993)
64. Indigo Girls “Galileo” (1992)
65. Tracy Chapman “Baby Can I Hold You” (1988)
66. Erykah Badu “On and On” (1997)
67. Lisa Loeb “I Do” (1997)
68. Sheryl Crow “Can’t Cry Anymore” (1993)
69. 10,000 Maniacs “These Are Days” (1992)
70. Tracy Chapman “The House of the Rising Sun” (1990)
DMDB Top 20%:
71. Heather Nova “Walk This World” (1995)
72. Deborah Cox “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here” (1998)
73. Sinéad O’Connor “Troy” (1987)
74. Dixie Chicks “Cowboy Take Me Away” (1999)
75. 10,000 Maniacs “Like the Weather” (1987)
76. Jewel “Hands” (1998)
77. Letters to Cleo “Here and Now” (1995)
78. Dido “Here with Me” (1999)
79. Luscious Jackson “Naked Eye” (1996)
80. 10,000 Maniacs “What’s the Matter Here?” (1987)
81. Sarah McLachlan “Sweet Surrender” (1997)
82. Sheryl Crow “Anything But Down” (1998)
83. Pretenders “Talk of the Town” (1980)
84. Sinéad O’Connor “The Emperor’s New Clothes” (1990)
85. 10,000 Maniacs “Trouble Me” (1989)
86. Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” (1997)
87. Sarah McLachlan “Ice Cream” (1993)
88. Pretenders “Message of Love’ (1981)
89. Fiona Apple “Shadowboxer” (1996)
90. Bonnie Raitt “You Got It” (1995)
91. Suzanne Vega with Joe Jackson “Left of Center” (1986)
92. Sheryl Crow “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (1999)
93. Sixpence None the Richer “There She Goes” (1999)
94. Indigo Girls “Power of Two” (1994)
95. Pretenders “My City Was Gone” (1982)
96. Fiona Apple “Fast As You Can” (1999)
97. Liz Phair “Supernova” (1994)
98. Alana Davis “32 Flavors” (1997)
99. Indigo Girls “Hammer and a Nail” (1990)
100. Aimee Mann “Save Me” (1999)
Resources/Related Links:
First posted 6/24/2022; last updated 9/7/2022. | 
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