If someone asked you to name a famous artist in pop music, there is a big chance that the answer will be a woman because female artists spent 31 weeks of 2023 at the number one spot on the UK’s Official Chart. The public sees the finished product of all the hard work and experiences of the artist and producers but there is a whole dark side to the music industry that goes unseen and unspoken. Like in any other work industry, there is gender discrimination in the workplace and women are especially vulnerable to this in the so called “boys club” music industry. 

 

Men hold the majority of the positions of power in the music industry and women are significantly underrepresented in producer and music engineer roles: 187 women were credited as producers and engineers whereas 3,781 men were credited. This shows the wide gap of prominence between women and men which, arguably, is a factor in why so many women experience abuse, sexually and verbally. One-third of women have said that they have experienced sexual abuse in their job within the music industry and their is a significant lack of investigation and support to the victims. 

 

There is also a persistent issue of the gender pay gap in the music industry where women make around 10% less than men and men are more likely to receive a wage that would be able to support their livelihood: the average yearly wage of female music artists is £19,850 compared to £21,750 that men earn. This hinders the representation of women in the music industry because the lack of financial support given to women turns them away and makes them less likely to fully commit to a career in music. The Grammy Award winning artist, Chappel Roan, is an example of a female artist that was left without a livable wage when she was developing her music career. The disproportionate support that is given to male and female artists contributes to the lack of representation of female music artists, producers and music engineers. Another impairment for both female and male music artists is the lack of healthcare that comes with music record contracts and employment in the music industry, particularly in the United States where healthcare is not free and citizens have to pay for every treatment. The lack of stability and security with no healthcare insurance or coverage is also a significant deterrent for future artists of all genders because there are other careers that provide a livable wage and healthcare. 

 

Women are often objectified in music, whether it be through lyrics or depictions in music videos and images. The large-scale gender bias in the music industry is reinforced through lyrics and videos, no matter what the gender of the artist is, and is especially prominent in hip-hop music. A study in 2009 highlighted that violence against women, misogynistic views and degradation were present in over half of songs in the study. Many argue that this is where the discrimination abuse and sexual harassment of women in the music industry began because men justify their violent actions towards women through their lyrics. Mainstream music supports this type of music, knowingly or not: ‘Blurred Lines’ by Pharrel Williamns and Robin Thicke is arguably one of the most sexist pop songs in mainstream music from the early 2010s. Lyrics within ‘Blurred Lines’ include “I know you want it” referring towards a woman, and “Tried to domesticate you, But you’re an animal”. The song refers to women in an extremely derogatorily manner, focusing on their body and what men want from them. The lyrics refer to men pushing boundaries with women physically, repeating “I know you want it”, which is often used as an excuse for men raping women. The song, and many others like it, reinforce sexist stereotypes that women are sexual objects for men which contributes to the continuation of sexist views in the music industry. 

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The industry also promotes images of women in small clothing that shows a significant amount of skin which upholds the sexist sexual stereotypes and objectification of women in the music industry. With little, industry-backed presentations that contrast the misogynistic images, the representations are strengthened and sexism continues in the industry. 

 

Individuals and pop stars have started speaking up against sexism in the music industry such as Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa and the Women and Equalities Committee. Taylor Swift is arguably the most prominent music artist that has advocated for equality in the music industry through speaking up in interviews, mentoring, and raising awareness. She has highlighted the different language used for female and male artists which is intentionally negative towards women and presents men in a more favourable light. Swift has also publicly stood up against Scooter Braun, a male recording executive, and re-recorded all of her first six albums so she has the full rights to them. Swift, along with the other famous female artists like Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo and Beyonce, has inspired thousands of women and young girls to take an interest in the music industry and they changed countless perspectives of what women can achieve in the music industry and the level of success they can have. 

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However, there are criticisms that the actions of the individuals, like Taylor Swift, were not as effective as they could be and that they have used it selectively. The continuation of discrimination in the music industry is evidence of the limitations because they have not made a big impact on the relations in the music industry. 

 

Sexism in pop music is still a serious problem within the industry and continues to affect thousands of female music artists. Feminism slowly makes inroads into bettering the perceptions of women in music but it is a slow process that comes against many obstacles of well-established views of women and dominance of men in representations. 

To join the fight for women and equality in pop music and the music industry as a whole contact the Musicians’ Union, Donne UK and Safe Space.