Hit Girls

“Hit Girls serves as both a scholarly exploration and a joyful celebration of the female pop titans who not only dominated charts but rewrote the pop music playbook of an entire generation. What makes Hit Girls shine is how it bridges our butterfly-clipped, bedazzled past with today’s music world, revealing how the pop songs we belted in our bedrooms shaped everything we’re streaming now. BRB, I need to find my old iPod shuffle immediately.”—Kate Kennedy, New York Times bestselling author of One in a Millennial“Throughout Hit Girls, Nora Princiotti writes with the deep knowledge of a modern pop expert, the passion of a superfan who you dream of sitting next to at an arena show, and the personal touch of a writer unafraid to reveal pieces of herself within a cultural exploration. This book combines thoughtful analysis with a sharp ear and an open heart. Pop fans who grew up in the 2000s, rejoice—we’ve got a defining text.”—Jason Lipshutz, executive director of music at Billboard and author of It Starts with One“Catnip for Old Millennials and lovers of the bops of yore alike, Nora Princiotti’s extremely fun Hit Girls is a rollicking nostalgia fest and a love letter to the women artists whose brilliant music was often overshadowed by the media’s obsession with their personal lives … Both uplifting and illuminating, Hit Girls is, dare we say, the perfect summer (nonfiction) read.”—LiteraryHub “Well-written, informative work … readers interested in pop music and celebrity will be rewarded with keen insights into a pivotal decade in its development.”—Library Journal“Princiotti’s writing is celebratory and incisive, blending the enthusiasm of a superfan with the precision of a critic. A must-read for pop music lovers.”—Booklist, starred review“Princiotti’s voice is akin to gabbing with an erudite friend who doles out insight and humor with equal aplomb … It’s a boisterous celebration of how women moved pop forward in the early 21st century.”—Publishers Weekly“Princiotti’s argument is that these stars never got the respect they deserved … and she argues it very well, drawing on cultural history and journalism to prove that the singers were sui generis and not just retreads of earlier entertainers. As she convincingly asserts, the musical era was richer and deeper than some give it credit for. A smart and funny look at pop music from a writer who’s crazy in love with the genre.”—Kirkus Reviews

Nora Princiotti is an author and staff writer at The Ringer where she covers culture, from Taylor Swift to the National Football League. She also hosts the pop music podcast Every Single Album. She was previously a reporter for The Boston Globe covering the New England Patriots dynasty. She lives in New York City.