When we talk about the 1960s pop surge known as the British Invasion, the image of The Beatles instantly pops up, followed by legendary male acts like The Rolling Stones, The Who, Tom Jones, and Cliff Richard. Yet a vibrant chorus of female voices also rode that wave, some flashing briefly as one‑hit wonders, others building enduring, chart‑dominating careers. Below you’ll find the 10 most popular female singers who helped define the era.
10 Most Popular Female Singers of the British Invasion
Sandie Shaw emerged as one of the leading ladies of the British Invasion, delivering memorable tunes such as the oft‑covered “Long Live Love” (1965) and the Eurovision‑winning “Puppet on a String” (1967), which is said to be the best‑selling single ever by a UK‑based female artist.
Beyond her vocal talent, Shaw offered a complete package: a stylish, working‑class “It Girl” vibe, a knack for songwriting, and a voice that could glide through pop and ballad alike. She notched three UK #1 singles, scored international success with Burt Bacharach‑Hal David’s “There’s Always Something There to Remind Me,” and even launched her own fashion label in 1968.
9 Lulu
Perky, charismatic and still touring nearly six decades after her breakout hit “Shout,” Lulu remains a fixture of British pop. Her most iconic track, the worldwide anthem “To Sir with Love,” served as the theme for the 1967 Sidney Poitier film of the same name, in which she also appeared.
Lulu’s TV career blossomed with her own series “Happening for Lulu,” and she added gems like “Oh Me, Oh My (I’m a Fool for You, Baby)” (1970) and the James Bond‑styled theme for “The Man with the Golden Gun.” Her personal life made headlines too, with marriages to Bee Gees member Maurice Gibb and stylist John Frieda, plus a brief romance with David Bowie, who produced her 1974 cover of “The Man Who Sold the World.”
8 Kiki Dee
Although Kiki Dee’s résumé stretches far beyond a single chart‑topper, many still associate her most strongly with the 1976 duet “Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart,” performed alongside Elton John. Her career launched in the 1960s with session work for major stars, and she eventually became the first British artist to sign with Motown’s Tamla imprint in 1970.
Dee’s catalog boasts a string of solo hits, beginning with “Amoureuse” (1973) and “I Got the Music in Me” (1974). She later reunited with Elton John for a 1993 rendition of Cole Porter’s “True Love,” and proved her theatrical chops starring in the West End production of “Blood Brothers” in 1988, while releasing numerous albums and singles throughout her decades‑long journey.
7 The Breakaways
Formed in 1962 from a Liverpool girls’ choir, The Breakaways—initially Vicki Haseman (later Brown), Margot Quantrell, Barbara Moore, and Betty Prescott (later Jean Ryder)—quickly became sought‑after backing vocalists for a slew of British Invasion stars, while also cutting a handful of own singles.
The quartet lent their harmonies to artists such as Lulu, Dusty Springfield, Petula Clark, and Cliff Richard, and even toured with American legends Sam Cooke and Little Richard. Television exposure came via regular spots on “Ready Steady Go” and as the backing choir for Cilla Black’s series “Cilla.”
According to Nostalgia Central, they were Britain’s premier session vocal group throughout the 1960s, releasing a modest hit, “That Boy of Mine,” on Pye Records and contributing uncredited but essential layers to countless recordings, cementing their behind‑the‑scenes influence on the era’s sound.
6 Mary Hopkin
Spotted by fashion icon Twiggy and recommended to Paul McCartney, Welsh songstress Mary Hopkin became one of the first artists to record for The Beatles’ Apple label. Though still a teenager, she had already performed in local clubs and issued a Welsh‑language album before signing with Apple.
Her debut English‑language album “Postcard” (1969) was produced by McCartney himself, and the single “Those Were the Days” (1968) turned into a gold‑record classic. Additional hits included “Goodbye,” “Que Sera, Sera” (1969), and “Temma Harbour” (1970). Hopkin also represented the UK at Eurovision 1970, finishing second with “Knock Knock, Who’s There?”
After releasing her second Apple album “Earth Song, Ocean Song” (1971) – produced by husband Tony Visconti – she stepped back to raise a family, though she has continued to record intermittently over the years.
5 Cilla Black
Born Priscilla Maria Veronica White in Liverpool, Cilla Black rose from local night‑spot jobs to become one of Britain’s most prolific entertainers of the 1960s and beyond, amassing 19 UK Top‑40 singles (including two chart‑toppers) and fifteen studio albums.
Her biggest international numbers include “You’re My World,” the Lennon‑McCartney penned “It’s For You,” and a Burt Bacharach‑Hal David‑written cover of Dionne Warwick’s “Anyone Who Had a Heart.” Discovered by Brian Epstein, she quickly joined the Beatles’ inner circle and later forged a thriving TV career, hosting several series.
In the early 1990s, Cilla teamed up with fellow British vocalist Dusty Springfield for the upbeat duet “Heart and Soul,” a nostalgic nod to their shared 1960s heyday.
4 Christine MacVie
As a vocalist, songwriter and pianist, Christine MacVie played a pivotal role in Fleetwood Mac’s ascendancy, becoming a superstar in 1975 when the band’s classic line‑up with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks took shape.
Born Christine Perfect to a concert‑violinist father, she initially pursued visual arts, studying sculpture before joining the band Sounds of Blue as a bassist. After a stint with Chicken Shack in the late 1960s, she released a solo album, married Fleetwood Mac bassist John MacVie, and entered the group herself.
During her first 25 years with Fleetwood Mac, she penned hits such as “Say You Love Me,” “Songbird,” and “You Make Loving Fun.” She also issued several solo projects, left the band in the late 1990s, and returned over a decade later to record the 2017 collaborative album “Lindsey Buckingham, Christine MacVie.”
3 Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull embodied the late‑1960s spirit with a blend of bohemian rock‑n‑roll swagger and a fragile, almost childlike aura. Discovered at 16 by the Rolling Stones’ manager at a party, she entered the scene as the daughter of a British spy and Austrian baroness, granddaughter of a sexologist, and former convent school pupil.
Her breakthrough arrived with “As Tears Go By,” the first song ever written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, launching her as the “crown princess of swinging London.” In 1965 she released two contrasting debut albums simultaneously: a pop‑filled self‑titled record and the folk‑oriented “Come My Way.” Over the decades she explored alternative, blues, and jazz, while also pursuing a notable acting career on stage and screen.
Faithfull’s career spans more than five decades, marked by artistic reinvention, personal turbulence, and enduring influence across multiple creative arenas.
2 Petula Clark
Among the female vocalists who flourished during the British Invasion, Petula Clark stands out as one of the most internationally recognized. Her career began long before the swinging sixties, with a BBC radio debut at age ten during WWII and over 500 concert appearances before she turned twelve.
Often dubbed “Britain’s Shirley Temple,” Clark later cultivated a sophisticated sound, partly thanks to recording numerous French songs encouraged by her future husband, Frenchman Claude Wolff. After two decades of steady popularity, she burst onto the global stage with “Downtown” (1964), a Grammy‑winning hit that even outpaced The Beatles.
Other major UK successes included “Don’t Sleep in the Subway,” “I Know a Place,” and “A Sign of the Times.” Beyond singing, Clark pursued acting, appearing in films like “Finian’s Rainbow” and the 1968 remake of “Goodbye, Mr. Chips,” as well as starring in stage productions such as “Sunset Boulevard.”
1 Dusty Springfield
The incomparable Dusty Springfield remains one of the brightest stars to emerge from the British Invasion. Decades after her 1999 passing, her music continues to be treasured, highlighted by the iconic album “Dusty in Memphis,” which recently ranked #83 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
With her towering beehive, panda‑eyes makeup, and a voice that could shift from wistful to sultry, she earned the moniker “Queen of Blue‑Eyed Soul.” After performing with her brother Tom in the folk trio The Springfields, she launched a solo career, delivering hits like “I Only Wanna Be with You,” “Son of a Preacher Man,” “The Look of Love,” and “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me.”
Following a move to the United States in the early 1970s, she faced personal and professional challenges but staged a remarkable comeback in the 1980s by teaming with The Pet Shop Boys, cementing her status as a pop and soul legend.