We were asked by a fan to provide a list of popular female Canadian singers of the 1980s. When we think of the 80s, Canadian male superstars come to mind – Bryan Adams and Corey Hart in particular. Also, there were the bands like Loverboy, Glass Tiger, and Men Without Hats. So how about female soloists? First of all, there were a number of groups led by female singers who scored hits such as the following:
Martha and the Muffins / M+M (Martha Johnson)
Rough Trade (Carole Pope)
Toronto (Annie “Holly” Woods)
National Velvet (Maria Del Mar)
The Headpins (Darby Mills)
The Parachute Club (Lorraine Segato)
One to One (Louise Reny)
Candi (Candita “Candy” Pennella)
Note that the above is not a complete list.
Anne Murray scored some big hits in the 80s, even crossing over to pop, though we associate her more with the 70s.
Besides Anne, there were only two other Canadian female soloists who made a year-end Top 100 chart through the 80s, and they are
Luba
Alannah Myles
The latter appeared the last year of the 80s and is more associated with the 90s whereas Luba broke through in 1984 and scored hits through the rest of the decade. If there was ever a Canadian female to represent the 80s, she was the one.
Singers who scored hits in the weekly Top 40 through the decade that didn’t make any year end charts number at five:
Sherry Kean
Jane Siberry
Sass Jordan
Lee Aaron
Eria Fachin
Francophone women were much more successful than Anglophones in the decade. The following dozen scored French language hits through the 80s appearing on CKOI’s annual year-end charts.
Mitsou
Diane Tell
Diane Dufresne
Fabienne Thibeault
Véronique Béliveau
Marie-Michèle Desrosiers
Martine St-Clair
Marjo
Sylvie Daviau
Marie Philippe
Marie Carmen
Céline Dion
Canadian Music Blog 
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