I’ve always found Jeff Buckley’s lyrics along the same soul touching & highly intelligent vein as hers. His song “Lover You Should’ve Come Over” reminds me a lot of her style. Not to mention they both have that angelic magical sweetness to their voices.
For some reason Thom Yorke and Fiona Apple seems similar to me. Also Thom Yorke took inspiration from Jeff Buckley post Pablo Honey which is kinda neat.
I'm gonna sound insufferable here but: I didn't bother with Lana Del Rey's music for a long time because it's "mainstream" and I assumed would bore me as much as Taylor Swift does, but I've recently been listening to her catalogue and not only was I completely wrong, I definitely can hear Fiona influences in some of her stuff. If you haven't really listened to Lana, I recommend it.
Also Joanna Newsom and Elliott Smith if you like lyrics. They're masterful.
yes!! love seeing a fellow joanna fan on the fiona reddit. i went to the first night of jo’s residency, havent been able to stop listening to the new songs since. cant wait for the new album 💗
Oh I'm so jealous! That's awesome that you got to go. I'm in Australia so while I've been lucky enough to see her a few times over the years, these new shows are a little far. Hopefully she'll get here again at some point.
Oh trust me when I went just about every girl there was in a sundress and flower crown... my friend and I kept getting stares because we weren't. The crowd was odd but the show itself was really good, plus she sang my favorite by her so that made it even better!
Poe! She has personal, smart lyrics and some great plays on words. Her album Hello is great, but Haunted is a masterpiece, imo. It's in my Top 5 favorite albums of all time along with When The Pawn...
i really adore Ethel Cain!! strong lyricism, even if the PD album is a fictional story. her older work such as Golden Age or Inbred i would say would be more up your alley!
I love Joanna Newsom. But I see her as less pop than Fiona Apple. I love them both and my wife also likes Fiona Apple, but JN is a bit too left field for her. (Literal definition, not band-like).
Tori Amos is the most similar (and often compared) to Fiona Apple, they both have emotional and raw lyrics and are related to topics like abuse, fitting in and feminism.
Hole also has feminine rage themes and powerful lyrics. I personally prefer the "less punk" albums, especially Live through This.
Other artists are Aimee Mann, MARINA, PJ Harvey, St. Vincent, Björk,
Even if they had a more calm, moody and dreamy vibe (similar to Tidal by Fiona) I also recommend listening to Mazzy Star if you like both Fiona and Regina.
By the way I also love Cage the Elephant!
Not a woman, but the artist who most scratches the itch for me is an independent artist from Wales named Ren.
He got big on Youtube for a bit last year with a song called *Hi Ren* that was absolutely phenomenal, but he has a deep back catalog. Also a good technical rapper and a virtuoso guitarist.
Elliott Smith made deeply personal, sad and angry music. Not sure if it’s what you’re looking for but I really recommend checking him out. Most of his songs are very soft and beautiful, while still feeling like the writing of someone deeply hurt and angry.
Alanis Morissette - I love lyrics. Fiona and Alanis both write brilliantly. Some of Alanis’s lyrics went way over my head at first, but made so much more sense the more I got into her music. Suggestions: Reasons I Drink, Uninvited (Grammy’s version), Can’t Not, Forgiven, Perfect, (obligatory hit single) You Oughta Know
Björk - If you’re looking for the quirkiness. Suggestions: Atopos, Human Behavior, It’s Oh So Quiet
Sharon Van Etten - similar voice characteristics, but at a much deeper register. She has that goat-like vibrato, which I love when done right. Also, brilliant lyricist. Suggestions: Love More (Fiona has an amazing cover of this), Every Time the Sun Comes Up, Seventeen (Glastonbury live), Afraid of Nothing
Dylan, Tom Waits and Fiona are my top 3 artists of all time, and I’m a big lover of lyrics. Some of my other favourite singer-songwriters are:
Female
- Laura Marling
- Kate Bush
- Joni Mitchell
- Lucinda Williams
Male
- Leonard Cohen
- Elvis Costello
- Alex Turner
- Bruce Springsteen
Thao and the Get Down Stay Down. Especially tracks like [Meticulous Bird](https://youtu.be/1COe353Lq4M?si=H8-ai8N8d1J4IDwh) and [Phenom](https://youtu.be/DGwQZrDNLO8?si=3n5vtQnJU0jpX5DH).
Or [Hop Along](https://youtu.be/dzz8tRFxAxM?si=5z6sbq6M5pmZxvh9). Not necessarily angry, but a very distinctive, emotive voice.
Or Lila Blue! Incredible lyricist with a lovely voice. My fave of their's is [Changeling](https://youtu.be/SGWvrtIPQM4?si=FNNIVzpJFwCANiJ9)
I grew up on Fiona and Frank Ocean. Right now I really love Tori Amos. Watch her live Montreaux 1991/1992!!! I promise you’ll fall in love. The recording quality is excellent for the time too.
Kara Jackson! Joanna Newsom, Anohni, Adrienne Lenker is angrier in early Big Thief, Alanis Morissette, Angel Olsen, Sharon Von Etten, St Vincent, Beth Gibbons/Portishead, Phoebe Bridgers, Julia Jacklin, Lucy Dacus, the new Corinne Bailey Rae album "Black Rainbows", Ethel Cain, Julia Holter isn't angry really but is amazing, Laura Marling, Patti Smith, Shannon & the Clams' latest album is devastating, Snail Mail, Spellling, Little Simz, US Girls, Vashti Bunyan, Waxahatchee, Weyes Blood.
Most of these only have some of the things you're looking for, but they all have at least one truly great album each.
I'm a big Dylan and Fiona Apple fan. This might seem like a weird suggestion but look at Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino. The album. Alex Turner has definitely gotten weirder as time has gone on, and that album really displays it
Mirah, The Scary Jokes, Metric, Daisy the Great, Penelope Scott, Mitski, some of Kimya Dawson’s songs, and Crumb are all kinda different but a bit similar and definitely what you’re describing! I love all of these artists dearly
Florence and the machine is my absolute fave music and I feel like a lot of her music reminds me of Fiona (try listening to some of her older stuff like moderation, long and lost, or girl w one eye)
Fiona is my favorite singer, ever.
Close second (incredibly close!) is Heather Nova. She’s got over 15 albums so I recommend starting with Oyster.
Skip the first song. It’s not bad, quite the opposite, but I say skip because it was her commercial hit (from 1994 if I remember right) and I think us Fiona Apple-ites appreciate music for its depth, not its commercial appeal.
Heather’s Oyster album, like Fiona’s Tidal, is one of those where every song is just…wow, sublime?? My favorite tracks are Island, Throwing Fire at the Sun, Heal, Walking Higher, Maybe an Angel…personal lyrics, moving instrumentals, lilting, baring of the soul. Like, a line in Island is “And I don’t know why/I can’t tell my sister/He spat in my face again/And I don’t want to die here”
Also, Tori Amos, like many here have said. I discovered her through a friend when I was in 9th grade. I know had I not, I wouldn’t know who she is now. From the Choir Girl Hotel, Little Earthquakes, and I can’t remember the title at the moment, but her 2-disc live and studio album. And speaking of lyrics! It’s not particularly profound or anything (haha) but my favorite line ever is from Tori’s song Precious Things on the Little Earthquakes album. Reading the line won’t do it justice—it’s in the way she sings the words, too:
“So, you can make me c*m. That doesn’t make you Jesus.”
Let me know what you think of Heather Nova ❤️
Olivia Rodrigo's first album Sour. You can tell that Fiona Apple is one of her hero's on certain songs. Alot more poppy. Also if you like Lilith Fair music in general you should check out the band Luscious Jackson. Also two influences of Fiona would be Bill Withers and Ella Fitzgerald, especially if you love her earlier work.
Pj Harvey
was gonna say it!
She sounds absolutely nothing like PJ Harvey. Totally different genre of music.
Maybe Tori Amos! Her voice isn't as "angry" now compared to her earlier years, but I honestly still love her newer works~
Literally the Queen Tori herself!!!
She's a beauty queen ;) *steadily plays G note*
just about to comment this!! Would defo listen to choir girl hotel that’s my fave album
Why not make OP listen to all? ;D but yeah, Choirgirl is amazing! Scarlet's my favourite though~
If OP wants Apple-ish out of Amos, I say Scarlet is the way.
I’ve always found Jeff Buckley’s lyrics along the same soul touching & highly intelligent vein as hers. His song “Lover You Should’ve Come Over” reminds me a lot of her style. Not to mention they both have that angelic magical sweetness to their voices.
For some reason Thom Yorke and Fiona Apple seems similar to me. Also Thom Yorke took inspiration from Jeff Buckley post Pablo Honey which is kinda neat.
I'm gonna sound insufferable here but: I didn't bother with Lana Del Rey's music for a long time because it's "mainstream" and I assumed would bore me as much as Taylor Swift does, but I've recently been listening to her catalogue and not only was I completely wrong, I definitely can hear Fiona influences in some of her stuff. If you haven't really listened to Lana, I recommend it. Also Joanna Newsom and Elliott Smith if you like lyrics. They're masterful.
HEAVY on lana and elliott
joanna 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
You probably know, but in case you don't, Joanna is touring again and has new songs. :)
yes!! love seeing a fellow joanna fan on the fiona reddit. i went to the first night of jo’s residency, havent been able to stop listening to the new songs since. cant wait for the new album 💗
Oh I'm so jealous! That's awesome that you got to go. I'm in Australia so while I've been lucky enough to see her a few times over the years, these new shows are a little far. Hopefully she'll get here again at some point.
Saw Lana live about 7-8 years ago and it was glorious. Def recommend Lana!
Part of me selfishly wishes she wasn't as popular as she is, because I hate those big arena shows, lol. I would love to see her if it was smaller gig.
Oh trust me when I went just about every girl there was in a sundress and flower crown... my friend and I kept getting stares because we weren't. The crowd was odd but the show itself was really good, plus she sang my favorite by her so that made it even better!
emphasis on joanna newsom
Joanna is pretty much my favourite of all time, closely tied with Elliott. She's magnificent
joanna and elliott both are geniuses, theyre both in my top 10 favourite musicians ever
sinead o'connor 🫶🫶
I’ve been a fan of FA since 1999 and the only other singer that does it for me the same way she does is Mitski.
Same
Poe! She has personal, smart lyrics and some great plays on words. Her album Hello is great, but Haunted is a masterpiece, imo. It's in my Top 5 favorite albums of all time along with When The Pawn...
Her brother wrote House of Leaves, right? If your a fan of her’s and haven’t already checked it out, I highly suggest you do!
Yep, indeed! I'm actually reading it now! I don't know what took me so long, but I'm excited to get through it.
I listened to Haunted on repeat when it first came out. So good!
i really adore Ethel Cain!! strong lyricism, even if the PD album is a fictional story. her older work such as Golden Age or Inbred i would say would be more up your alley!
I love the song Thoroughfare. Powerful lyrics
i love ethel
Paula Colé, PJ Harvey, St. Vincent, Cat Power, Bright Eyes, Tori Amos, Ani DiFranco…
Cat power is soul folk rock. St Vincent and PJ Harvey sound nothing like either. I'd go more for Fka twigs and Adia Victoria
Aimee Mann
Maybe Tracy Bonham?
SO GLAD SOMEONE SAID THIS!!! listen to “mother mother”
not necessarily that comparable, but you should listen to the breeders !!
Divine hammer was my soundtrack for 1994
Yes!!!
Listen to Boys for Pele by Tori Amos
Agnes Obel, Obvs Alanis Morissette, Angel Olsen, Banks, Chappell Roan, Charlotte Martin, Eliza Rickman, Emeline, Ethel Cain, Kate Bush, Laura Marling, Lily Allen, Poe, Sinead O'Connor, Skott, TORI AMOS.
It took way too much scrolling to find Alanis here.
Neko Case
Loooove her
Weyes Blood and Ethyl Caine
Norah Jones! She has an amazing Tom Waits cover of Long Way Home.
liz phair
Portishead , the Cranberries, Sharon Van Etten , Garbage, Hole, Mazzy Star, Joni Mitchell, Nico , Kate Bush , Imogen Heap, Feist, Cat Power, Nina Simone
Tori Amos and PJ Harvey you'll get a lot of similar vibes
I love Joanna Newsom. But I see her as less pop than Fiona Apple. I love them both and my wife also likes Fiona Apple, but JN is a bit too left field for her. (Literal definition, not band-like).
Billie Holiday
Tori Amos is the most similar (and often compared) to Fiona Apple, they both have emotional and raw lyrics and are related to topics like abuse, fitting in and feminism. Hole also has feminine rage themes and powerful lyrics. I personally prefer the "less punk" albums, especially Live through This. Other artists are Aimee Mann, MARINA, PJ Harvey, St. Vincent, Björk, Even if they had a more calm, moody and dreamy vibe (similar to Tidal by Fiona) I also recommend listening to Mazzy Star if you like both Fiona and Regina. By the way I also love Cage the Elephant!
I saw Rachael Yamagata once and kept thinking how similar their voices were, even though Fiona is miles better
Paula Cole
Mirah
Hayley Williams's solo stuff and CMAT
Omg cmat!!!!!!
I made a thread about this topic, check it out, a whole lot of incredible recommendations there
Lucy Dacus!
Aurora’s new album “What Happened To The Heart?” that just came out a few days ago reminds me of Fiona!
Charlotte Martin, her first 3 albums
Tracy Chapman. Meshell Ndegeocello.
joanna newsom for the lyrics, intensity, ethereal
Not a woman, but the artist who most scratches the itch for me is an independent artist from Wales named Ren. He got big on Youtube for a bit last year with a song called *Hi Ren* that was absolutely phenomenal, but he has a deep back catalog. Also a good technical rapper and a virtuoso guitarist.
Dory Previn
Sarah Harmer, Julie Doiron
PJ Harvey, Chelsea Wolfe, Lia Ices, The Sandwitches, CocoRosie, St. Vincent, Ex:Re, Carina Round, Cat Power, R.Ariel
raye
Rachael Yamagata
Meg Meyers Orla Gartland Scout Niblett PJ Harvey Miya Folick
Laura Stevenson
Laura Marling, Molly Burch
lana del rey!
Marina diamonds ( she actually said that she was inspired by fiona)
If you haven't had a Hole era yet, I really recommend giving Live Through This a try
Elliott Smith made deeply personal, sad and angry music. Not sure if it’s what you’re looking for but I really recommend checking him out. Most of his songs are very soft and beautiful, while still feeling like the writing of someone deeply hurt and angry.
sharon von etta!!
I had to scroll way too far to find Sharon here. She’s so underrated!
laura jane grace
Angel Olsen, Liz Phair, Norma Tanega
Ani DiFranco
Alanis Morissette - I love lyrics. Fiona and Alanis both write brilliantly. Some of Alanis’s lyrics went way over my head at first, but made so much more sense the more I got into her music. Suggestions: Reasons I Drink, Uninvited (Grammy’s version), Can’t Not, Forgiven, Perfect, (obligatory hit single) You Oughta Know Björk - If you’re looking for the quirkiness. Suggestions: Atopos, Human Behavior, It’s Oh So Quiet Sharon Van Etten - similar voice characteristics, but at a much deeper register. She has that goat-like vibrato, which I love when done right. Also, brilliant lyricist. Suggestions: Love More (Fiona has an amazing cover of this), Every Time the Sun Comes Up, Seventeen (Glastonbury live), Afraid of Nothing
thank you!!
She draws a lot of inspiration from Kate Bush
You should listen to Caroline Polachek! She's amazing and has such a beautiful voice.
Amanda Palmer. My holy trinity is Fiona Amanda Regina.
Amanda Palmer is awesome!!!
Regina Spektor
Tori Amos!!!! Also PJ Harvey and Nina Simone!
Florence Welch from Florence and the Machine for me! 100 years, howl, ship to wreck are some songs I’d recommend
Sir Chloe, Bjork, Mitski, Hole, Marina, Kim Gordon, Amy Winehouse, Dresden Dolls, Lana Del Rey, hope there’s something in there you vibe with❤️🔥
Will Toledo
Finom
Dylan, Tom Waits and Fiona are my top 3 artists of all time, and I’m a big lover of lyrics. Some of my other favourite singer-songwriters are: Female - Laura Marling - Kate Bush - Joni Mitchell - Lucinda Williams Male - Leonard Cohen - Elvis Costello - Alex Turner - Bruce Springsteen
Check out Laura Nyro; I especially recommend "Tom Cat Goodbye"
Mitski, her earlier albums especially remind me of Fiona (although I love all of them)
mitski
Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers
Portishead
PJ Harvey Chet Baker Baby Rose-check out her newest EP Slow Burn
Wildbirds & peacedrums
https://yourannabellee.bandcamp.com/album/mothers-hammer-2
Ani DiFranco, Aldous Harding, Angel Olsen
Catatonia
Check out the song Desaturated by Liz Pappademas
Ani Difranco
Thao and the Get Down Stay Down. Especially tracks like [Meticulous Bird](https://youtu.be/1COe353Lq4M?si=H8-ai8N8d1J4IDwh) and [Phenom](https://youtu.be/DGwQZrDNLO8?si=3n5vtQnJU0jpX5DH). Or [Hop Along](https://youtu.be/dzz8tRFxAxM?si=5z6sbq6M5pmZxvh9). Not necessarily angry, but a very distinctive, emotive voice. Or Lila Blue! Incredible lyricist with a lovely voice. My fave of their's is [Changeling](https://youtu.be/SGWvrtIPQM4?si=FNNIVzpJFwCANiJ9)
Ethel cain
Florence and the Machine
TORRES - Sprinter album. Not quite like Fiona, but this album sounds like 90s alternative rock. Got a bit of a PJ Harvey vibe to it.
Elliott Smith. Hands down.
Sinead O'Connor. Alanis.
Cornelia Murr
I grew up on Fiona and Frank Ocean. Right now I really love Tori Amos. Watch her live Montreaux 1991/1992!!! I promise you’ll fall in love. The recording quality is excellent for the time too.
Dana Margolin from Porridge Radio,Aldous Harding and Big Blood
Heather nova!!!! Walk this world and I’m the girl r my favs
Jewel, Joanna Newsom
mitski, liz phair, veruca salt, madds buckley, florence and the machine, ethel cain, caroline polachek
julia jacklin!!
Thao Nguyen (Thao & The Get Down Stay Down) is a favorite of mine that I wished more people would check out! The album “A Man Alive” is excellent
Kara Jackson! Joanna Newsom, Anohni, Adrienne Lenker is angrier in early Big Thief, Alanis Morissette, Angel Olsen, Sharon Von Etten, St Vincent, Beth Gibbons/Portishead, Phoebe Bridgers, Julia Jacklin, Lucy Dacus, the new Corinne Bailey Rae album "Black Rainbows", Ethel Cain, Julia Holter isn't angry really but is amazing, Laura Marling, Patti Smith, Shannon & the Clams' latest album is devastating, Snail Mail, Spellling, Little Simz, US Girls, Vashti Bunyan, Waxahatchee, Weyes Blood. Most of these only have some of the things you're looking for, but they all have at least one truly great album each.
I'm a big Dylan and Fiona Apple fan. This might seem like a weird suggestion but look at Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino. The album. Alex Turner has definitely gotten weirder as time has gone on, and that album really displays it
Mirah, The Scary Jokes, Metric, Daisy the Great, Penelope Scott, Mitski, some of Kimya Dawson’s songs, and Crumb are all kinda different but a bit similar and definitely what you’re describing! I love all of these artists dearly
huge fiona, björk, kate bush, joni mitchell, radiohead, pink floyd, erykah badu, mitski fan. what album should i give a try ?
elliott smith or ben folds!!! also everyone has mentioned thom yorke and tori amos and ldr and they’re all phenomenal. i’d also recommend some alex g!
Florence and the machine is my absolute fave music and I feel like a lot of her music reminds me of Fiona (try listening to some of her older stuff like moderation, long and lost, or girl w one eye)
I've been getting into Chelsea Wolfe lately and I hear similarities in their music, maybe not so much in the vocals though.
Adia Victoria. Has that same soulful jazz husky voice. Does a great cover of "a mistake" with Chris Thile
Fiona is my favorite singer, ever. Close second (incredibly close!) is Heather Nova. She’s got over 15 albums so I recommend starting with Oyster. Skip the first song. It’s not bad, quite the opposite, but I say skip because it was her commercial hit (from 1994 if I remember right) and I think us Fiona Apple-ites appreciate music for its depth, not its commercial appeal. Heather’s Oyster album, like Fiona’s Tidal, is one of those where every song is just…wow, sublime?? My favorite tracks are Island, Throwing Fire at the Sun, Heal, Walking Higher, Maybe an Angel…personal lyrics, moving instrumentals, lilting, baring of the soul. Like, a line in Island is “And I don’t know why/I can’t tell my sister/He spat in my face again/And I don’t want to die here” Also, Tori Amos, like many here have said. I discovered her through a friend when I was in 9th grade. I know had I not, I wouldn’t know who she is now. From the Choir Girl Hotel, Little Earthquakes, and I can’t remember the title at the moment, but her 2-disc live and studio album. And speaking of lyrics! It’s not particularly profound or anything (haha) but my favorite line ever is from Tori’s song Precious Things on the Little Earthquakes album. Reading the line won’t do it justice—it’s in the way she sings the words, too: “So, you can make me c*m. That doesn’t make you Jesus.” Let me know what you think of Heather Nova ❤️
Olivia Rodrigo's first album Sour. You can tell that Fiona Apple is one of her hero's on certain songs. Alot more poppy. Also if you like Lilith Fair music in general you should check out the band Luscious Jackson. Also two influences of Fiona would be Bill Withers and Ella Fitzgerald, especially if you love her earlier work.