Lilith

From the percussive acoustic folk of Ani Difranco to the country torch 'n' twang of k. d. lang to the raw-throated rock of Alanis Morissette, what unites these diverse women is strength. It takes just one listen to hear that strength — as songwriters, as musicians, as singers, and as women.

These rock, alternative, R&B, and country songs offer a small sampling of the vast range of music created by the women of the Lilith Fair. Whether it's the jackhammer rock of Heart, the ethereal dreamscapes of Jane Siberry, or the pop confection of the Sundays, these songs transcend genre and gender.

Delving a little deeper (and beginning with Helen Reddy's epic of independence, "I Am Woman," the song that may have started it all), these songs by women, but for everyone, live where love isn't a weakness and independence reigns supreme.

Folk and alternative, country and pure rock 'n' roll: these songs of longing and love, of independence and moments of raw emotion are as wide-ranging as the women who wrote and perform them. And that's the point: Lilith Fair celebrated the incredible range of female artists, united by the quality of their work and their inner strength — as does this selection of songs.