5 Albums That Defined the ’90s Riot Grrrl Movement

Here are five records that helped define the ’90s Riot Grrrl movement.

In the early 1990s, a new kind of punk was brewing; it was raw, political, loud, and unapologetically feminist. The Riot Grrrl movement was far from being just about the music. Instead, it was more like a full-blown cultural uprising.

Fueled by zines, DIY shows, and a middle finger raised high in the air to the mainstream, it gave young women a place to scream back at the world that tried so hard to silence them.

At the heart of it all, were most importantly, the records and the songs that fueled the fire. These were the albums that didn’t just soundtrack the movement, but helped build it brick by brick; the songs were far from being polished, radio-friendly hits.

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From the fast and ferocious punk of Bikini Kill to the snarling, melodic grunge of L7 and the boldness and brashness of Bratmobile, these records captured the movement’s many voices and eras.

What follows is a deep dive into the records that helped define and evolve the Riot Grrrl legacy. Some were born directly from the movement, while others helped blazed the path entirely. Together they tell a story of not only punk revolution, but extremely powerful women and prove that the rock world was never just for the men.

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