Hope you all had a great New Years, and if you’re reading this, you’re probably not still hung-over from the night’s festivities. Good job! Anyways, here’s the final chunk of the top ten female artists of the decade. We left off at number 5 last time, with performer M.I.A….
4. Beyonce Knowles: Now I don’t know if she had the best music video of all time (Kanye) but there’s no doubt that Beyonce is one of the hardest working artists of the last ten years. She’s built her career from the ground up, starting with Destiny’s Child in her pre-teen years. She’s come into her own, slowly shedding the signature, manufactured pop image typical of artists in early the 2000’s. With a blow-out album and worldwide tour in 09’, Beyonce’s prolific career is steadfast.
3. Kelly Clarkson– The first American Idol darling, Clarkson has long surpassed expectations of reality TV. She’s a paragon of talent, with a voice that easily sends chills down anyone’s spine.
2. Alicia Keys– A piano child prodigy, Key’s abilities were evident by the time she enrolled in Colombia University at 16. Her first major hit Fallen gained the attention of the music scene in the early 00’s, snagging buzz and Grammys alike. And since then, Key’s success is unrelenting. Whether she’s collaborating with the likes of Jack White or Jay-Z or partaking in solo projects, she has won the praise of fans and critics alike. In 2009, Keys was one of the best selling artists, selling 700,000 albums within two weeks of release.
1. Fiona Apple– The decade’s best female artists is Fiona Apple, producing the critically claimed album Extraordinary Machine in 2005. Apple emerged as an edgy young performer in the 1990’s, shocking the world with her sultry voice and provocative music video for the single Criminal. Apple’s voice is unlike any other; an alto potent with raw emotion. Her piano composition is remarkable, infused with disonance that is more reminiscent of art than noise. Her lyrics too are catchy and gripping. Her language pulls the listener in, as she conjures images of love, loss, happiness, and rage. Extraordinary Machine is one of the top albums of this past decade, for it is in itself a narrative of the artist’s experience. Here’s an incredible video, a testament to Apple’s alarming talent.
The Music Court 
No respect for Jenny Lewis? Shenanigans!
I had some of these in my favourite/ most notable albums of the decade too …. Extraordinary Machine, Diary of Alicia Keys, Arular … disappointed not to see any Christina Aguilera in there. Solid decade she had!