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Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill started in Olympia, Washington, and quickly became the sharpest edge of the riot grrrl scene. Kathleen Hanna's voice could be a sneer, a scream, or a dare, and the band's short, furious punk songs took on sexism and violence head-on at a time when few rock bands would touch the subject. "Rebel Girl" alone became a rallying cry, and the band's approach to making punk openly, unapologetically feminist reshaped what the genre could be about.
Start here
Pussy Whipped (1993). Their first full-length is the cleanest way in: it carries "Rebel Girl," the song most people come to the band for. It's fast, loud, and over before you want it to be.
Biography
Bikini Kill is an American punk rock band formed in Olympia, Washington, in October 1990. The group originally consisted of singer and songwriter Kathleen Hanna, guitarist Billy Karren, bassist Kathi Wilcox, and drummer Tobi Vail. The band pioneered the riot grrrl movement with feminist lyrics and fiery performances. Their music is characteristically abrasive and hardcore-influenced.
After five major releases (two full-length albums, one split album, one EP, and one demo album), they disbanded in 1997. The band reunited briefly in 2017, and then on a more permanent basis in 2019, with various musicians in place of Karren. In 2025, Jeff Mezydlo of Yardbarker included the band in his list of "20 underrated bands from the 1990s who are worth rediscovering".
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Studio albums
Discography
Official studio albums and EPs.
- 1996Reject All AmericanAlbum
- 1993Pussy WhippedAlbum
- 1992Bikini KillEP
- 1992Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah / Our Troubled YouthAlbum
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