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We Oughta Know: How Céline, Shania, Alanis, and Sarah Ruled the ’90s and Changed Music
A lively collection of essays that re-examines the extraordinary legacies of the four Canadian women who dominated ’90s music and changed the industry forever
Fully revised and updated, with a foreword by Vivek Shraya
In this of-the-moment essay collection, celebrated music journalist Andrea Warner explores the ways in which Céline Dion, Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette, and Sarah McLachlan became legit global superstars and revolutionized ’90s music. In an era when male-fronted musical acts were given magazine covers, Grammys and Junos, and serious critical consideration, these four women were reduced, mocked, and disparaged by the media and became pop culture jokes even as their recordings were demolishing sales records. The world is now reconsidering the treatment and reputations of key women in ’90s entertainment, and We Oughta Know is a crucial part of that conversation.
With empathy, humor, and reflections on her own teenaged perceptions of Céline, Shania, Alanis, and Sarah, Warner offers us a new perspective on the music and legacies of the four Canadian women who dominated the ’90s airwaves and influenced an entire generation of current-day popstars with their voices, fashion, and advocacy.
Fully revised and updated, with a foreword by Vivek Shraya
In this of-the-moment essay collection, celebrated music journalist Andrea Warner explores the ways in which Céline Dion, Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette, and Sarah McLachlan became legit global superstars and revolutionized ’90s music. In an era when male-fronted musical acts were given magazine covers, Grammys and Junos, and serious critical consideration, these four women were reduced, mocked, and disparaged by the media and became pop culture jokes even as their recordings were demolishing sales records. The world is now reconsidering the treatment and reputations of key women in ’90s entertainment, and We Oughta Know is a crucial part of that conversation.
With empathy, humor, and reflections on her own teenaged perceptions of Céline, Shania, Alanis, and Sarah, Warner offers us a new perspective on the music and legacies of the four Canadian women who dominated the ’90s airwaves and influenced an entire generation of current-day popstars with their voices, fashion, and advocacy.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
July 26, 2015
The premise of this book alone ought to sell you on it: the top four best-selling Canadian artists within Canada are all female solo artists who came to prominence from 1993-97. And yet, artists like Neil Young and Bryan Adams loom larger in our national consciousness. Taking that into consideration, the massive commercial success of Céline Dion, Alanis Morissette, Shania Twain and Sarah McLachlan stops being merely impressive and enters "holy shit" territory, to paraphrase the author. This is a statistic that deserves to be explored.
Warner engages deeply with the music of her four subjects, and with the male-dominated critical culture that has served them so poorly. Her book celebrates the fact that these artists have defied the odds of a sexist industry and chastises the critics who tried to keep them on the margins regardless. Warner's own mid-nineties adolescence serves as a backdrop for these four uncanny success stories. She reflects on how Morissette and McLachlan informed her burgeoning feminism, and on how her initial attitudes towards Dion and Twain played into the hands of their most wrongheaded detractors.
But ultimately, the book is a picture of a broader cultural moment. "For five years, Dion, Twain, Morissette, and McLachlan were everything," Warner writes. We Oughta Know is about the hows and whys and specifics and abiding outcomes of those five years. It reframes the 90s in Canada so that Jagged Little Pill and Lilith Fair appear as central and as revolutionary as they deserve to. It is also frequently hilarious. Well worth a read.
Warner engages deeply with the music of her four subjects, and with the male-dominated critical culture that has served them so poorly. Her book celebrates the fact that these artists have defied the odds of a sexist industry and chastises the critics who tried to keep them on the margins regardless. Warner's own mid-nineties adolescence serves as a backdrop for these four uncanny success stories. She reflects on how Morissette and McLachlan informed her burgeoning feminism, and on how her initial attitudes towards Dion and Twain played into the hands of their most wrongheaded detractors.
But ultimately, the book is a picture of a broader cultural moment. "For five years, Dion, Twain, Morissette, and McLachlan were everything," Warner writes. We Oughta Know is about the hows and whys and specifics and abiding outcomes of those five years. It reframes the 90s in Canada so that Jagged Little Pill and Lilith Fair appear as central and as revolutionary as they deserve to. It is also frequently hilarious. Well worth a read.
November 7, 2024
When I first saw this book in my library's collection I immediately put it on my "To Read" list. I was excited to read a book written by a Canadian woman who was the same age as me, and who has also had music as a significant influence on her life.
Despite its title, the book doesn't really delve into the HOW or WHY these four women ruled the '90s and changed Canadian music. There are three direct sentences explaining that "each established her own niche with very little overlap stylistically or musically" and that they "worked hard, they hustled, they found people that championed them and their vision," and "made music they were passionate about, that had a point of view and authenticity." Instead of getting into the "how" in the book's title, the book read more like a personal essay on "how my thoughts on women and feminism has matured over the years." I'm not sure that I learned much from this book since it was less information driven than opinion driven.
The chapters on each of the four women briefly describes songs and their themes/meanings, which seemed like unnecessary filler, but perhaps appropriate for readers who are not familiar with the music.
The book is pro-woman but often shames and reproaches white women. There are several instances of criticizing Lilith Fair (including Sarah and other performers/organizers), the Jagged documentary (including Alanis), and Shania Twain's documentary for not featuring racialized voices. While they may not have included many/any women of colour, the white women involved do not need to be denigrated.
In addition to shaming white women, the author also exhibits ageism and sexism. While people may not always agree with everyone else's ideals and/or pursuits, everyone deserves the dignity and respect of not being called "some old white dude." This ageist and demeaning phrase that the author uses comes before she criticizes a reviewer of Sarah McLachlan's "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" album for being demeaning and ageist.
I appreciated the book's appendix which included a compendium of Canadian women musicians, highlighting some great 90s musical artists. Several on the list were past favourites and some were new to me.
Despite its title, the book doesn't really delve into the HOW or WHY these four women ruled the '90s and changed Canadian music. There are three direct sentences explaining that "each established her own niche with very little overlap stylistically or musically" and that they "worked hard, they hustled, they found people that championed them and their vision," and "made music they were passionate about, that had a point of view and authenticity." Instead of getting into the "how" in the book's title, the book read more like a personal essay on "how my thoughts on women and feminism has matured over the years." I'm not sure that I learned much from this book since it was less information driven than opinion driven.
The chapters on each of the four women briefly describes songs and their themes/meanings, which seemed like unnecessary filler, but perhaps appropriate for readers who are not familiar with the music.
The book is pro-woman but often shames and reproaches white women. There are several instances of criticizing Lilith Fair (including Sarah and other performers/organizers), the Jagged documentary (including Alanis), and Shania Twain's documentary for not featuring racialized voices. While they may not have included many/any women of colour, the white women involved do not need to be denigrated.
In addition to shaming white women, the author also exhibits ageism and sexism. While people may not always agree with everyone else's ideals and/or pursuits, everyone deserves the dignity and respect of not being called "some old white dude." This ageist and demeaning phrase that the author uses comes before she criticizes a reviewer of Sarah McLachlan's "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" album for being demeaning and ageist.
I appreciated the book's appendix which included a compendium of Canadian women musicians, highlighting some great 90s musical artists. Several on the list were past favourites and some were new to me.
September 3, 2024
What an informative, energetic read!
Despite being conscious and aware for at least the latter half of the 90’s, my knowledge about these Canadian superstars was practically non-existent. I knew Celine Dion was the lady who sang the titanic song that gives me involuntary goosebumps. I knew that Shania Twain was a country singer that my mom liked and that man, she felt like a woman. My husband LOVES Jagged Little Pill so I at least knew more about Alanis Morissette’s music, and that she played god in that movie where Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were gay angles. But I only really knew Sarah McLachlan as the artist who sang those sad songs on the commercials about rescuing abused animals for as little as a dollar a day.
This book was packed with information, facts, and research, but is also written in an almost casual, conversational tone that makes it easily readable. It’s like listening to your smartest friend ramble on about their pet interest, in this case Canadian musicians from the 90’s. Another strong point of this title is that it explores these artists and their music in context. The music industry was, and still is apparently, a business rife with sexism and discrimination, the artists with the most talent or best songs don’t always get the chance to rise to the top. Additionally, musicians who are women get talked about and scrutinized in a way that male singers and songwriters just don’t. they’re more likely to be judged on appearance rather than substance, more likely to have their success attributed to partners or husbands also in the music business. This kind of thing was everywhere in the 90’s and is absolutely still a factor today. Reading this book wasn’t merely informative, it was eye opening.
It was an absolute delight to learn more about these phenomenally talented artists who really did change the music industry and music itself forever.
Despite being conscious and aware for at least the latter half of the 90’s, my knowledge about these Canadian superstars was practically non-existent. I knew Celine Dion was the lady who sang the titanic song that gives me involuntary goosebumps. I knew that Shania Twain was a country singer that my mom liked and that man, she felt like a woman. My husband LOVES Jagged Little Pill so I at least knew more about Alanis Morissette’s music, and that she played god in that movie where Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were gay angles. But I only really knew Sarah McLachlan as the artist who sang those sad songs on the commercials about rescuing abused animals for as little as a dollar a day.
This book was packed with information, facts, and research, but is also written in an almost casual, conversational tone that makes it easily readable. It’s like listening to your smartest friend ramble on about their pet interest, in this case Canadian musicians from the 90’s. Another strong point of this title is that it explores these artists and their music in context. The music industry was, and still is apparently, a business rife with sexism and discrimination, the artists with the most talent or best songs don’t always get the chance to rise to the top. Additionally, musicians who are women get talked about and scrutinized in a way that male singers and songwriters just don’t. they’re more likely to be judged on appearance rather than substance, more likely to have their success attributed to partners or husbands also in the music business. This kind of thing was everywhere in the 90’s and is absolutely still a factor today. Reading this book wasn’t merely informative, it was eye opening.
It was an absolute delight to learn more about these phenomenally talented artists who really did change the music industry and music itself forever.
October 16, 2024
|| WE OUGHTA KNOW ||
#gifted @ecw
•
"Alanis Morissette burst into my consciousness shortly after Shania. A cyclone of long, dark hair, Alanis was fierce, vulnerable, and empowered. For the lost Canadian girls of the '90s who demanded more progressive role models, she was the alt rock queen we've been waiting for. Morissette was the one who would lead the revolution. She spat out the Twisted truth, hiding nothing, leaving nothing out, holding nothing back. I wanted somebody who would acknowledge how fucked up everything was, and that's what Morissette gave me."
•
"As I was becoming more aware of the fact that I was a girl, and what it meant to be a girl, I was also witnessing the iconic rise of these four Canadian musicians. According to everything that Dion, Twain, Morissette, and McLaughlin reflected back at me I was powerful, I could be famous, my voice mattered, and I could rule the world. It didn't matter that I didn't look like them or that I didn't sing; I saw them valued as women and identified emotionally and intellectually with Morissette and McLaughlin. Being a teenage girl and finding role models who aren't just aspirational figures, but who actually seem to get you, who make you feel seen and a little less alone, is like the earth cracking open and a tiny flower pushing through, unfolding, free to grow even in a place it doesn't seem to belong."
✍🏻
Four standout women of the Canadian music scene in the 90's were Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette, and Sarah McLachlan. There songs are permanently etched in my brain from my childhood and adolescence. To this day Jagged Little Pill remains one of my absolute favorite albums. It was the first CD I ever bought. The first time I experienced the power of music, and related to the artist and what they were saying in their songs. In We Oughta Know, Warner brings humor and honesty to these essays as she delves into each of these artists and beyond. On misogyny and sexism in the music industry, Lilith Fair, feminism and her own personal perspectives as well. An interesting read for sure!
.
.
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
#gifted @ecw
•
"Alanis Morissette burst into my consciousness shortly after Shania. A cyclone of long, dark hair, Alanis was fierce, vulnerable, and empowered. For the lost Canadian girls of the '90s who demanded more progressive role models, she was the alt rock queen we've been waiting for. Morissette was the one who would lead the revolution. She spat out the Twisted truth, hiding nothing, leaving nothing out, holding nothing back. I wanted somebody who would acknowledge how fucked up everything was, and that's what Morissette gave me."
•
"As I was becoming more aware of the fact that I was a girl, and what it meant to be a girl, I was also witnessing the iconic rise of these four Canadian musicians. According to everything that Dion, Twain, Morissette, and McLaughlin reflected back at me I was powerful, I could be famous, my voice mattered, and I could rule the world. It didn't matter that I didn't look like them or that I didn't sing; I saw them valued as women and identified emotionally and intellectually with Morissette and McLaughlin. Being a teenage girl and finding role models who aren't just aspirational figures, but who actually seem to get you, who make you feel seen and a little less alone, is like the earth cracking open and a tiny flower pushing through, unfolding, free to grow even in a place it doesn't seem to belong."
✍🏻
Four standout women of the Canadian music scene in the 90's were Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette, and Sarah McLachlan. There songs are permanently etched in my brain from my childhood and adolescence. To this day Jagged Little Pill remains one of my absolute favorite albums. It was the first CD I ever bought. The first time I experienced the power of music, and related to the artist and what they were saying in their songs. In We Oughta Know, Warner brings humor and honesty to these essays as she delves into each of these artists and beyond. On misogyny and sexism in the music industry, Lilith Fair, feminism and her own personal perspectives as well. An interesting read for sure!
.
.
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
January 8, 2026
While the author had in depth stories about their personal life, the book was extremely light on, “how Céline, Shania, Alanis, and Sarah ruled the 90s and changed music”. I would estimate the content breakout to be roughly 45% personal history journaling, 45% thoughts and musings on albums/songs, and 10% on the substantive effect of the four women had on the 90s and music. Having a baseline (or maybe a little more than that) about these artists, this unfortunately read like a high level Wikipedia page or AI summary of the artists’ highlights.
Also, it was oddly very harsh in Céline, and Shania.
Also, it was oddly very harsh in Céline, and Shania.
July 25, 2019
I have to admit, I didn't read Appendix 2 but since I knew the music well enough I didn't feel I needed to.
I enjoyed this essay. I think the author is smart, I think she did her research, and I love her writing style. Her humour is apparent, and her scathing critique of her own behaviour and biases was refreshing. Was this perfect? No, but does it need to be? This was a great look into an influential decade and the women who shaped Canadian music. 4 stars.
I enjoyed this essay. I think the author is smart, I think she did her research, and I love her writing style. Her humour is apparent, and her scathing critique of her own behaviour and biases was refreshing. Was this perfect? No, but does it need to be? This was a great look into an influential decade and the women who shaped Canadian music. 4 stars.
May 22, 2015
Andrea Warner is definitely someone I would like to have a beer with; her funny, intelligent wit shows through these pages. Through reading this book I was reminded of my own experiences with Canadian music and women in general. Jagged Little Pill was the first CD I bought so I have a heart for her specifically but it forced a perspective I had never considered before. Being introduced to a new preservative is never a bad thing, nor was the new music I was introduced to through the Appendixes.
June 3, 2015
A collection of personal essays about 4 Canadian musicians. Celine Dion, Alanis Morissette, Shania Twain and Sarah McLachlan are all on the list of bestselling Canadian artists of all time. They've all sold more albums in Canada than the Beatles.
In this collection, music journalist Andrea Warner explores her reactions to their music, the history of the artists and their influence on her life and her feminism.
This is a well-written, thoughtful and funny book.
In this collection, music journalist Andrea Warner explores her reactions to their music, the history of the artists and their influence on her life and her feminism.
This is a well-written, thoughtful and funny book.
Read
October 28, 2024There is little doubt that over the past many decades, Canadian musicians have more than found their place and made their mark in the music world outside the borders of the Great White North. The interesting thing was that many fans outside Canada did not even know of their country or origin. They have made their mark in the music world and set standards for musical excellence.
In her book WE OUGHTA KNOW (How Celine, Shania, Alanis and Sarah Ruled The 90’s And Changed Canadian Music), Andrea Warner pays homage to these four ladies who definitely created trends and changed perceptions in many ways of Canadian singers and their musical styles.
There are chapters dedicated to each singer, and as well an overview of some of their albums and the songs. She goes into some of the songs almost like a record review, but offers more depth about the songs and how they fit into the career of the singers. She offers praise and also criticism about the careers, which is fine, as no one is ever bang-on perfect in their choice of songs or what they hope to accomplish. The fact they did so well and became household names outside Canada, is tribute to their talents, as not every star makes it onto the world stage.
The fact that four women defied the odds in what was often a male-dominated world of music at times, is even more cause for celebration, proof-positive that they had what it took to create their accomplishments without regrets. Many of us remember when we heard the first songs from Alanis Morissette, Shania Twain, Celine Dion, and Sarah McLachlan. Some critics knew right away they were instant stars, and would certainly go a long way in the music world. They of course had their detractors as well, but for the most part, these women were heaped with more praise than criticism. Warner recreates the mood of the music world, when we heard the first strains from the likes of Shania Twain or Celine Dion. They were not upstarts, they oozed sheer talent which became evident quite quickly. Warner looks into the psychology of their music that became so likable and certainly put them on the music maps in Canada, and around the world as well. We sang along with them and applauded them encouragingly as music became the universal language that we all learned to speak, and these four Canadian superstars of music spoke that language via sound and song.
This is a most impressive tribute, written with insight that music lovers everywhere can appreciate totally.
In her book WE OUGHTA KNOW (How Celine, Shania, Alanis and Sarah Ruled The 90’s And Changed Canadian Music), Andrea Warner pays homage to these four ladies who definitely created trends and changed perceptions in many ways of Canadian singers and their musical styles.
There are chapters dedicated to each singer, and as well an overview of some of their albums and the songs. She goes into some of the songs almost like a record review, but offers more depth about the songs and how they fit into the career of the singers. She offers praise and also criticism about the careers, which is fine, as no one is ever bang-on perfect in their choice of songs or what they hope to accomplish. The fact they did so well and became household names outside Canada, is tribute to their talents, as not every star makes it onto the world stage.
The fact that four women defied the odds in what was often a male-dominated world of music at times, is even more cause for celebration, proof-positive that they had what it took to create their accomplishments without regrets. Many of us remember when we heard the first songs from Alanis Morissette, Shania Twain, Celine Dion, and Sarah McLachlan. Some critics knew right away they were instant stars, and would certainly go a long way in the music world. They of course had their detractors as well, but for the most part, these women were heaped with more praise than criticism. Warner recreates the mood of the music world, when we heard the first strains from the likes of Shania Twain or Celine Dion. They were not upstarts, they oozed sheer talent which became evident quite quickly. Warner looks into the psychology of their music that became so likable and certainly put them on the music maps in Canada, and around the world as well. We sang along with them and applauded them encouragingly as music became the universal language that we all learned to speak, and these four Canadian superstars of music spoke that language via sound and song.
This is a most impressive tribute, written with insight that music lovers everywhere can appreciate totally.
December 30, 2019
Already knew that 90's Canadian music is the best ever. Didn't really have the stats or specifics about the females though. Well put together essay on how big Celine, Shania, Alanis and Sarah were. I even had to double check - on wikipedia, far more trustworthy than the author? about Shania's global sales. Had no clue how high she ranks in record sales.
Growing up I'm lucky I don't think I saw too much discrimination towards women musicians, though I'm sure they felt it putting out the music. I grew up listening to Dolly Parton, Debbie Gibson and Tiffany - at least two which were noteworthy in writing their own music as well. Then added others to my repertoire over the years. I do think when I was a bit older, yeah to be cool the women had to be edgier. Overall neat to read. Was just not into as much the author's personal story, which I felt digressed, and then there was some repetition- I get it Sarah and Tori were seen as too similar. Also, her reviews of albums, which was duplicated in the end annex, I would have maybe just liked as the annex, which I think was a bit longer, and to to take the time to listen to the songs while reading, which I didn't do.
She also mentions the failed attempt to restart Lilith Fair, but I wonder if that happened a few years later, now in the #metoo movement maybe it would be successful again... Happy for these ladies who did what they did and those who still are making their way in an industry not always kind to women, but at which women do very well.
I took a photo of this passage in the book, which I think sums it up well, 'When you come of age in a time when women have voices, take up space, are visible creators and entrepreneurs, it never dawns on you that silence is the rule and these women, your idols, are the exception.'
Growing up I'm lucky I don't think I saw too much discrimination towards women musicians, though I'm sure they felt it putting out the music. I grew up listening to Dolly Parton, Debbie Gibson and Tiffany - at least two which were noteworthy in writing their own music as well. Then added others to my repertoire over the years. I do think when I was a bit older, yeah to be cool the women had to be edgier. Overall neat to read. Was just not into as much the author's personal story, which I felt digressed, and then there was some repetition- I get it Sarah and Tori were seen as too similar. Also, her reviews of albums, which was duplicated in the end annex, I would have maybe just liked as the annex, which I think was a bit longer, and to to take the time to listen to the songs while reading, which I didn't do.
She also mentions the failed attempt to restart Lilith Fair, but I wonder if that happened a few years later, now in the #metoo movement maybe it would be successful again... Happy for these ladies who did what they did and those who still are making their way in an industry not always kind to women, but at which women do very well.
I took a photo of this passage in the book, which I think sums it up well, 'When you come of age in a time when women have voices, take up space, are visible creators and entrepreneurs, it never dawns on you that silence is the rule and these women, your idols, are the exception.'
October 15, 2024
Your playlist will forever be changed after reading this essay collection full of feminine rage.
A little bit memoir, a little bit music history a lot of nostalgic reckoning, I really enjoyed this book. I love championing Canadian stories/voices and women's stories, and this essay collection fits in perfectly to that space for me.
Because Andrea and I have such similar lived experiences, the memoir parts of this essay collection felt like reading a journal from my high school best friend.
This books does an amazing job of framing how these immensely successful artists were framed in media through a lens of unchecked sexism. How even in a patriarchal industry, Celine, Shania, Alanis and Sarah beat the odds to dominate the charts in Canada and internationally.
This book is a reminder of the learning and unlearning all of us who lived through the 90s need to do.
Thank you to ECW Publishing for providing a physical ARC of this book. I'm so glad I had it because I have so many highlights!
This book is best read in your childhood bedroom, while doodling that cool S design in the margins. You know the one I'm talking about.
A little bit memoir, a little bit music history a lot of nostalgic reckoning, I really enjoyed this book. I love championing Canadian stories/voices and women's stories, and this essay collection fits in perfectly to that space for me.
Because Andrea and I have such similar lived experiences, the memoir parts of this essay collection felt like reading a journal from my high school best friend.
This books does an amazing job of framing how these immensely successful artists were framed in media through a lens of unchecked sexism. How even in a patriarchal industry, Celine, Shania, Alanis and Sarah beat the odds to dominate the charts in Canada and internationally.
This book is a reminder of the learning and unlearning all of us who lived through the 90s need to do.
Thank you to ECW Publishing for providing a physical ARC of this book. I'm so glad I had it because I have so many highlights!
This book is best read in your childhood bedroom, while doodling that cool S design in the margins. You know the one I'm talking about.
October 29, 2018
Setting aside the fact that the author is a personal friend of mine, We Oughta Know is one of my favourite books on the topic of pop culture analysis. Shania Twain, Celine Dion, Alanis Morissette and Sarah McLachlan are four female Canadian musicians who are extremely successful, yet polarizing. People either love them or hate them and the media had a lot to do with that narrative. The author provides an insightful examination of gender politics and music in the 90s especially with regard to how the media shaped perceptions of these four women and how their audiences related to them. Warner's stye is engaging and she digs deeply into her personal experiences to illustrate her point.
April 14, 2019
It felt a bit too underdeveloped at times - like she was only scraping the surface on the discussion of the way the mid 90's treated women and the rise of the new feminist movements - but I understand that is a larger topic for a larger book, and she was focusing pretty solely on the time period as it pertained to this specific category. I like that she recognized and acknowledged her own problematic thinking and talked about how she had to unlearn certain misogynistic tendencies like pitting women against each other in line with the Madonna/whore complex.
May 30, 2025
I enjoyed this period of time and these musicians. I enjoyed the concept of the Lillith fair. This is what drove me to the book. Better to have listened to Alanis and Sarah again than wasted time on this book. Self-described Fat Canadian Lesbian (eventually) finds retrospective love of four Canadian female singers. Then returns to the work 10 years later saying "Oh Wait they weren't raising up the BIPOC or LGBT+. Yawn, at least she has a CBC show to push her ideology.
January 5, 2023
A nice example of acknowledging and examining one's own hang-ups and biases. Warner definitely leans harder in defence of her favourites, though the provided list of Canadian artists for listening is much appreciated (as a Canadian who wants to explore more CanCon that's not necessarily pumped on the radio)
December 14, 2023
A quintessential read for anyone wishing to deepen their understanding of Canadian music history. Completely apart from this book’s importance as a tribute to the intersection between feminism & contemporary music, readers will learn a lot about music and specifically the landscape of the Canadian music scene in the ‘90s!
September 12, 2024
A lively, engaging and informative reissue of a previously published group of essays concerning the four most successful female Canadian musical artists, feminism, and the author’s teenage experience of their music. A brief, light and entertaining read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Publishers and Authors for access to the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley, Publishers and Authors for access to the ARC. All opinions are my own.
August 9, 2018
Warner is very smart, analytical, and fun to read. This is an interesting assessment/memoir about a phenomenon of an era and the reactions of the critics of the time. Warner is very astute. You (everyone) should read this and let it influence our attitudes.
April 29, 2024
A short book - I picked it up for the title and found it interesting and informative. I liked the way the author used facts but also her own experiences as we both grew up surrounded by these artists. I definitely shared some of her opinions back in high school.
November 18, 2017
Really can't recommend this book highly enough. If you care about music, feminism, Canada, being a decent human being . . . read it, you'll be happy you did.
October 8, 2018
3.5 stars. This gave me some new insight into a musical era that I love.
October 8, 2019
3.5 stars. I liked geeking out along w the author as she described how much Sarah McLachlan's music means to her. Took me back in time to high school and college. Ah the salad days!
August 26, 2025
The foreword was the best part 🤷🏼♀️
August 26, 2016
Fearlessly loud, feminist and Canadian.
Favourite quote:
Favourite quote:
July 8, 2021
A lot more about the personal experiences of Warner than I expected. Plus, the second appendix is literally 90% reprints of text that appeared earlier in the book. Seems as though it's just there to pad out the page count of this fairly slim volume.
October 1, 2020
Didn't expect the dad grief stuff or the much - appreciated chapters on the history and state of women in music and feminism in music. The writer is super relatable and likeable, and I love all the takedowns of historical misogynist reviews. Super enjoyable and satisfying.
September 7, 2015
This was great. A discussion of the 4 biggest selling albums by women in Canada, feminism, and the author's teenage experience of these artists.
Read
August 4, 2015Four artists I kind of knew, filtering a time period through someone else's eyes
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews