Most Memorable Women's Empowerment Anthems (VIDEO)

With Women's History Month in full swing, HuffPost BlackVoices thought it would be an appropriate time to reminisce about some of our favorite anthems about women’s empowerment.

From the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin demanding a little “Respect” to international pop star Beyonce telling men to put a ring on it, the following ten hits has definitely etched their mark into women’s history.

We’re well aware that we may have omitted a few, but let us know your favorites in the comments section.

WATCH

Comments

[Pam James]

06:38 PM on 03/06/2012

Alicia Key's Superwoman is empowering!

[Pam James]

06:36 PM on 03/06/2012

Patti Labelle's New Attitude is empowering!

[qthedancer]

09:32 AM on 03/06/2012

Let me add: Joan Armatrading "Steppin' Out". This song saved my sanity more than once.

[Pam James]

05:35 AM on 03/06/2012

Old School Aretha, Gloria Gaynor, Chaka Khan spoke to me the most. Definitely Janet Jackson was overlooked with Control and Vanessa Williams "I got work to do." I even enjoyed Cydni Luper Time after Time and True Colors it was definitely making a statement of women taking the lead and honesty.

[Pam James]

05:30 AM on 03/06/2012

I am not a Beyonce fan at all, but I always thought Independent Woman and Survivor were good anthems for women in her collection.

[kultkonn98]

05:49 PM on 03/05/2012

I would have thought that I'd see 'Independent Woman' from Destiny's Child before 'Survivor'. Interesting...

[bettyjoseph3801]

04:34 PM on 03/05/2012

I agree B Smith, how could yall leave JJ Control, that made young woman all over take control and listen!

[Brannon Smith]

03:17 PM on 03/05/2012

Janet Jackson — Control?

[michelleobamaok]

02:39 PM on 03/05/2012

I SEE THE MEDIA IS still in the business of lying to and misleading people.

How in the world is Beyawnce's puxxay popping and yodeling empowering to women? There are women and girls worldwide who are forced into servitude as prostitutes and child brides.
There are young girls and women forced into prostitution, right here in America.

I wish Huffpost would stop accepting money from Jayz's and Beyawnce's camp.

[dveo]

03:31 PM on 03/05/2012

PuXXay popping? What vid are you watching? This aint Nellys TIP DRILL video. thats Puxxy popping. Its called CHOREOGRAPHY and there was NOTHING indecent about it. Stop reaching. oh and that song was written by a man...The Dream, Google it.

[michelleobamaok]

07:20 PM on 03/05/2012

You're a man, so you don't get it. Puxxay IS empowering to you. And that's as far as your education will take you. This discussion is for grown-ups only.

[wetcoastm]

04:25 PM on 03/05/2012

Yeah the song is catchy. But the video is hardly empowering.

I let my kids watch it once. Then I had to stop them for trying to emulate the dance moves every time the song plays. The video is almost the opposite of the song. It is funny when you are so used to sexualized images in modern media that it takes seeing your kids trying to copy those images to snap out of the programming.

That does not mean the human body is bad, I don't understand when people freak out about toddlers seeing their parents naked, however that video reminds me of the early madonna video when she is in the window of a peep show performing. It is like the spreading of the legs and gyrating is Beyonce saying if you want what I am showing you you have to pay for it.