There are a lot of overused (and misused) superlatives applied to beloved musicians when they pass, but when it comes to calling Tina Turner the Queen of Rock n’ Roll, it’s just a fact.
Tina Turner sang with a gritty authenticity and unfettered exuberance that was unmatched in the ‘60s. She taught Mick Jagger how to dance, inspired everyone from David Bowie to Beyonce and achieved the ultimate career comeback in the ‘80s when her blockbuster Private Dancer album catapulted the 40-something survivor to the top of the pop world.
As detailed in 1993’s Angela Bassett-starring biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It, Turner’s life wasn’t easy. She grew up in rural Tennessee, began singing with future husband Ike Turner when she was just a teenager, and suffered his abusive, controlling behavior for years before finally escaping from him and striking out on her own. Her solo success was hardly immediate. After years of hard work, closed doors and unanswered calls, she staged a remarkable career comeback in the ‘80s which, in many ways, remains the gold standard for any rock or pop star who is supposedly too old to score hit songs.
In honor of the inimitable icon’s life and work, we’re rounding up 15 of Tina Turner’s best songs. While it includes many chart hits – among them “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” her Billboard Hot 100-topping smash – this is not a chart-based list, but rather an editorial one. It includes songs she released during her trailblazing run as part of Ike & Tina Turner as well as solo classics.
