Sleater-Kinney

It took a few feminist punks from the Pacific Northwest to give rock music a much-needed dose of empowerment in a post-Nirvana world. Formed in 1994 by two singer/guitarist powerhouses—Heavens to Betsy’s Corin Tucker and Excuse 17’s Carrie Brownstein—Sleater-Kinney grew out of Olympia, Washington’s riot grrrl scene, flexing their activist-punk roots on a pair of scrappy, snarky manifestos with their 1995 self-titled debut and 1996’s Call the Doctor. Drummer Janet Weiss of Quasi officially joined the band for 1997’s Dig Me Out, a decade-defining statement powered by Weiss’ ferocious thrashing and Tucker and Brownstein’s interlocking guitar-and-vocal intensity. The trio continued to push forward fast, releasing a string of personal and politically fueled albums, peaking with 2005’s visceral rock tour de force The Woods. After a decade-long hiatus—which included Brownstein’s turn as cocreator and costar of the Emmy-winning sketch-comedy series Portlandia—the band came back stronger and more popular than ever with 2015’s incendiary No Cities To Love and 2019’s St. Vincent-produced experimental pivot The Center Won’t Hold, which was quickly followed by Weiss’ departure. The original duo continued on with 2021’s self-produced Path of Wellness, staying true to Sleater-Kinney’s raw power and relentless independence.