With just under 3% of women producing in the music industry and only 21.7% of artists being women in the music industry, the statistics show that women are vastly underrepresented within this field. While megastars such as Adele and Lady Gaga can make it feel as though women dominate the musical world, the fact of the matter is, men are given more opportunities and release more songs than women. Even when it comes to songwriting, 56% of industry-leading songs are written with no female writers on board. Less than 1% are written by only women.
Additionally, the Grammy’s came under scrutiny in 2019 following the hashtag #GrammysSoMale due to the statistics released five days before the awards ceremony. Between 2013-2019, just 10.4% of nominees were women. To gain further insight into the struggles of women artists within the industry, researchers interviewed 75 women within the music industry about their experience. 40% reported being dismissed or that their abilities and work were discounted. 39% reported stereotyping and sexualization. One-third of these female artists also said the music industry is dominated by men, and a quarter experienced being the only female in a recording studio.
Why Does This Matter?
These statistics paint a bleak picture of what life is like for a female artist in the music industry. Whether it is being dismissed as less talented than a male or feeling pressure to be oversexualized, there are many roadblocks in place for female artists and even more for female artists of color. Recognizing the gender gap in music is important because it highlights the lack of representation in relation to the pay gap. One gap leads to another. While an outsider’s perspective can easily determine that female artists are no less talented than male artists, a new female artist will not be paid what an up-and-coming male artist is paid simply because her female counterparts are underpaid.
Representation matters to young people across the globe. During the same period of 2013-2019, 37% of Grammy nominees were not only women but women from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. This type of representation is necessary to empower women and people of color alike.
What Can We Do to Change Underrepresentation?
Diva Hustle Radio is about empowering women in the music industry and lifting them up. Providing a platform for divas everywhere, Diva Hustle creates a spotlight for women to share their stories and make great strides toward success. By promoting new female artists, especially women of color, Diva Hustle Radio is committed to changing the stigma of underpaying and undervaluing talented women artists. Supporting and advocating for underrepresented female artists is the best way to instill changes in the industry. Listen to music by female artists, buy their albums, and share with friends. By working together, the gender gap can and will be closed.
