Take a look at this list of artists "similar" to Fiona Apple, according to last.fm. I've compiled and trimmed their list off at 100:

1. Tori Amos
2. Rachael Yamagata
3. Regina Spektor
4. Bic Runga
5. Sarah McLachlan
6. Aimee Mann
7. Alanis Morissette
8. Anna Nalick
9. KT Tunstall
10. Emily Haines
11. Charlotte Martin
12. Jewel
13. Sia
14. Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton
15. Cat Power
16. Joan as Police Woman
17. Rilo Kiley
18. Poe
19. Suzanne Vega
20. Natalie Imbruglia
21. A Fine Frenzy
22. Sara Bareilles
23. Feist
24. Liz Phair
25. Adele
26. Sarah Slean
27. Aqualung
28. Maria Mena
29. Sheryl Crow
30. Lisa Loeb
31. Rufus Wainwright
32. PJ Harvey
33. My Brightest Diamond
34. Nellie McKay
35. Beth Orton
36. Kate Nash
37. Kate Bush
38. Metric
39. Tegan and Sara
40. Carole King
41. Leona Naess
42. Charlotte Gainsbourg
43. Keren Ann
44. Bat For Lashes
45. Imogen Heap
46. Counting Crows
47. Sondre Lerche
48. Ani DiFranco
49. Norah Jones
50. Frou Frou
51. Ingrid Michaelson
52. Nikka Costa
53. Martha Wainwright
54. Garbage
55. Eisley
56. Sparklehorse
57. Camille
58. Ben Folds Five
59. St. Vincent
60. Mirah
61. Elliott Smith
62. The Dresden Dolls
63. Mazzy Star
64. Veruca Salt
65. The Cardigans
66. Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins
67. Björk
68. Carla Bruni
69. Damien Rice
70. Amanda Palmer
71. She & Him
72. Ane Brun
73. Corrinne May
74. Bonnie McKee
75. Vienna Teng
76. Chantal Kreviazuk
77. Missy Higgins
78. Sarah Blasko
79. Heather Nova
80. Miss Li
81. Amanda Ghost
82. Amanda Rogers
83. Frida Hyvönen
84. Vanessa Carlton
85. Sarah Bettens
86. Nerina Pallot
87. Holly Throsby
88. Cathy Petocz
89. Keri Noble
90. Máia
91. Leigh Nash
92. Beth Waters
93. Hanna Marsh
94. Beth Hart
95. Holly McNarland
96. Dar Williams
97. The Understudy
98. Delta Goodrem
99. An Pierlé
100. Lindi Ortega

Anyone else see the problem here? Almost every single artist listed, with the exception of six, is either a solo female artist or a band with a female lead singer. It gets worse - there's only one other male singer in following fifty too.

Not even a single Y chromosome until #27? I'm not pleading reverse discrimination here - it just seems odd that all their ranking system seems to see when they look at Fiona Apple is "oh, she's a female singer". I'd probably go so far as to call it disgrace. A lot of the female artists they list don't seem to have much else in common with Fiona besides a vulva.

It seems to be just as bad for other female artists too, in their system. I guess when it comes to critical or stylistic comparisons, women have their own little Lilith Fair, and just aren't allowed to play with the big boys. C'mon, last.fm, get your stuff together.