Their sonic choices, lyrics, and technological use all culminate to show Sleater-Kinney’s subversion of traditional rock cannon and elevate them to an actual feminist status as opposed to a female rock band. According to Bannister, “The rise of identity politics in the 1970’s… meant that for many, the (male) sexuality of rock was reinterpreted as sexism” (88). Thus, their taking of the male canonized rock, and putting their hollow, screaming aesthetic, really made it their own. Rolling stone thought the band “[was] poised to become the first band to emerge from the feminist-punk riot-grrrl movement of the early ‘90’s and cross over to a broader rock audience” (McDonnell). More importantly, their ability to take their fears of alienation and otherness and express it sonically made it something much more tangible to both the audience and the band. Brownstein says. “Riot grrrl suddenly made feminism something I could embrace and utilize and be empowered by.” (Quoted in McDonell).
Sleater-Kinney’s ability to grasp and use feminist concepts in their music really aided them also in their influence and corporate decisions. One of their strongest decisions was to remain on the label Kill Rock Stars, despite being offered a chance to be on more mainstream labels (Brownstein 147). Kill Rock Stars, abbreviated to KRS, labels itself as “queer-positive, feminist and artist friendly. KRS and many of its artists have been closely associated with Riot grrrl, an underground feminist punk movement” (Bryant). The label was also home to other feminist punk bands, such as Bikini Kill, who coined the term Riot Grrl (Garrison). Staying on this label and not ‘selling out’ by going to a bigger label shows Sleater-Kinney’s commitment to remaining a part of the punk community that raised them and wanting to remain a voice for the feminist movement. Finally, in 2001, TIME magazine named Sleater-Kinney “America’s Best Rock Band” (Griel). Since then, every one of their albums has had a song that made it onto the billboard 200. (Billboard) This shows that the band did receive critical acclaim and had the power to extend their voice to a greater audience than just the scene they originated in.