Girl Power

Sugar and spice and everything . . . hot — that's what our Girl Power Basics are made of. We've got the living-strong soundtrack for all you independent women, from P!nk's kiss-off anthem "So What" and Katy Perry's fine, fresh, and fierce West Coast anthem "California Gurls," to Jessica Mauboy's kinky-slinky club anthem "Get 'Em Girls" (like Perry's tune, also featuring Snoop Dogg) and Washington's rocked-up "Sunday Best." Meanwhile, Adele unleashes her pipes-to-die-for on "Make You Feel My Love" — one of the standout tracks at the heart of the '00s old-school girl-soul revival — alongside soul sisters Beyoncé, Amy Winehouse, and Duffy.

Power on into Next Steps for more girl-power glory.

When diva supreme Mary J. Blige lays down the law on "No More Drama," you'd better believe she means to stand her ground; the beauty of our Girl Power Essentials is that every artist tells it like it is, each in her own fabulous way. So, while Katie White from the Ting Tings insists "That's Not My Name" over infectious handclaps and a rubber-ball rhythm section, Gossip's Beth Ditto belts out "Heavy Cross" with a simmering underlay of funk-rock, and Shakira gives the sound of the pan-pipes a super-sexy overhaul on "Whenever, Wherever." Take your pick, girls: the songs that give a shout-out to sisters everywhere are only a download away.

We know you want more — hit Deep Cuts to get it.

Deep Cuts get down and dirty, as Gabriella Cilmi warns all potential suitors there's "nothing sweet about me" and gets the men tied up in knots, Peaches says stuff that's unrepeatable in polite company, and the Veronicas make the case for independence in no uncertain terms on "Everything I'm Not." Jenny Lewis rocks it up, knocks it down, and throws it back on "See Fernando," M.I.A. piles on the street-tough attitude in bucket-loads with her Clash-sampling standout single from 2008, "Paper Planes," and La Roux becomes an unstoppable force by strapping on that shimmering suit of electro-pop armour, "Bulletproof."

Ladies! It's the 21st century, and there's never been a better time to celebrate all that is great and glorious about being a woman in control. With that in mind, we bring you our Girl Power Essentials, three playlists to back you up in high style, whether you want to hit the dance floor and express your gorgeousness to "Remedy" by Little Boots, sear the ears off any fool who reckons he's "all that" to the tune of Vanessa Amorosi's "This Is Who I Am," or simply sing along with the Spice Girls as they spell it out, pop-style, for a wide-eyed "Wannabe." There's lots more, from Ladyhawke's ultra-energized "My Delirium" to Lily Allen's sideways look at fame, "The Fear," and every track has been handpicked to remind the world that us girls are not just here to stay — we're takin' over.