“Going to see an all-girl rock group, one has to bring a mixture of condescension and paranoia. What if they are good?” New study reveals how female guitarists have been denied credibility in the music press for over 60 years

From L-R: Lita Ford, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Vicki Peterson, Yvette Young, Joni Mitchell, St. Vincent, Orianthi, Memphis Minnie, Joan Jett.

Where are all the great female electric guitarists? Not in music magazines, according to new academic research published in the Journal of Popular Music Studies.

The study, conducted by guitarist and MA student Isabella Fincher, analyzes coverage of 43 influential female guitarists between 1959 and 2023 in 10 established American press outlets. It includes pioneering players like Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt, St. Vincent, Joan Jett, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Memphis Minnie.