March is Women’s History Month. So, thank your mom, grandma, and all the other women in your life who have made you who you are. There are women all around us who have blazed new trails, in science, politics, and more. But who is more of a trailblazer than a rock star?
So, in honor of women’s history month, let’s take a look at some women who have been inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Aretha Franklin
The Queen of Soul was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 1987. While it was long overdue, it was a well-deserved honor to the extremely talented artist. More than 100 of her singles reached Billboard 100 lists, she is one of the best-selling artists of all time, and certainly one of the most influential.
Her family moved to Detroit when she was a child, where here father was a Baptist minister. Her career took off at the time that Motown was all the rage.
She remained in Detroit for the rest of her life, owning several homes in and around the city. This Bloomfield Hills home was one of her most beloved, and includes many personal touches including rose-etched glass and rose embroidered carpeting. The 4,100 square foot home has been on and off the market for $800,000-$1.2 million since her death in 2018, but hasn’t secured a buyer, in spite of renovations and upgrades.
For now, it serves as a legacy to Lady Soul.
Whitney Houston
Aretha’s honorary niece, Whitney Houston, had a voice that could outsing almost anyone. Her life was cut short, when she passed away at 48 in 2012. “The Voice” still holds several records, including for best-selling gospel album, best-selling soundtrack, and most consecutive number one Billboard songs.
Whitney’s famous circular mansion in New Jersey was on the market for five years before it sold in 2014 for $1.5 million. The 12,500 square foot home sits on two parcels of land combined for five acres, has five bedrooms, six bathrooms, recording studio, and more. It was a bargain deal considering Whitney paid $2.7 million for it in 1987.
Whitney was inducted into the Rock and Roll Music Hall of Fame in 202, and she is still considered one of the 100 greatest artists of all time.
Madonna
Madonna is the cultural icon of an entire generation, one of the first artists to fully take advantage of television to advance her career. She set new records, and pushed more boundaries than perhaps any other female musician, and even in her 60s, she’s still redefining her career.
In March 2008, the Queen of Pop was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame, the first year she was eligible.
While married to Guy Ritchie, Madonna moved to London, and fell in love with the city. She has since lived there off and on, along with Lisbon, LA, and New York. The ten-bedroom Georgian structure has six floors, and is worth about $18 million. Because she’s Madonna, she also owns the pad next door-for staff!
In 2021, Madonna bought the Weeknd’s massive LA estate for $19.3 million! He sold the four-year old mansion, which has 12,500 square feet, nine bedrooms (enough for her six kids!), a gorgeous pool, and guest house.
Tina Turner
Tina Turner first rose to fame as part of Ike and Tina Turner, a husband and wife duo that captured everyone with their intense passion and singing, and personality. She is a two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, first with Ike in 1991, and then for her solo body of work in 2021. She has sold more than 100 million records, and is one of the best-selling artists ever!
First performing with Ike and then on her own for 60 years, Tina is an American legacy, but the Queen of Rock and Roll hasn’t actually lived in the United States in decades.
She and her second husband lived in Switzerland in the Chateau Algonquin for many years. In early 2022, the couple bought a $76 million estate outside Zurich. They had to obtain Swiss citizenship in order to purchase the five-acre estate. It’s unclear whether they still rent the Chateau, or if they only need one castle at a time.
These are just a few of the many amazing and talented female musicians who have influenced lives and given us amazing music, entertainment, and inspiration. This month, we can say to women everywhere: Rock on!