(Credits: Far Out / Hollie Fernando / Press)
For years, the music industry has been riddled with sexism. From the dominance of men on festival lineups and sexual assault at gigs to misogynistic beliefs about certain genres and abuses of power, there are many issues facing female musicians and music fans. We’ve all seen people jump to call successful new female bands ‘industry plants’ or witnessed female pop artists being held to a higher standard than men; these issues have been ongoing for a long time.
Yet, the good news is that there is finally a sign of change in the mainstream pop charts, at least, with more female artists landing high-charting tracks than ever before. This doesn’t mean that sexism in the music industry has suddenly been eradicated, but it is a sure sign of progress towards more diversity and representation in the industry—even if it’s just a small step.
Despite these improvements, festival lineups are predominantly still swayed in favour of male acts, with much of the issue coming from the fact that women have a harder time cracking into the indie, alternative and rock spheres. Many women have long been discouraged or pushed out of these genres due to sexist thinking, such as women not being able to play guitars as well as men, for example. Additionally, sexual abuse and double standards have affected many women who want to pick up instruments, even driving many women out of their local DIY scenes.
Thus, while it is important to celebrate the fact that more women are topping the charts than before, it is essential to note that it is predominantly pop artists leading the charge. Female bands and rock artists are still struggling to be taken seriously, and even these successful pop stars receive their fair share of scrutiny and criticism regarding their appearances, choice of lyrical themes, and personal lives in ways that male artists typically don’t.
The best-selling singles chart
According to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), in 2023, female artists spent more weeks on the Official Chart than men – 31 weeks out of 52, to be precise. 48.5% of songs that hit the top ten each week were by a woman, which is a record-breaking feat. The biggest song of the year was also by a female artist – Miley Cyrus’ ‘Flowers’. It managed to retain its place at number one for a whopping ten weeks.
Other female artists scored high in charting songs, too, like Taylor Swift, whose hit ‘Anti-Hero’ was the fourth most popular track of the year. SZA’s ‘Kill Bill’ also charted high, a track which went viral online that year. PinkPantheress, whose career was buoyed by her early TikTok promotion, racked up sales with her song ‘Boys A Liar’, and British singer Raye also found popularity with her song ‘Escapism’.
The best-selling albums chart
Meanwhile, male artists found more success in the album chart, with The Weeknd’s The Highlights proving to be the highest-charting record of 2023. Swift’s Midnights and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) came in second and third place, respectively. The pop star is easily one of the biggest in the world right now, but unlike many other singers who have found success on the Singles Chart, her albums are of high interest to fans, as evidenced by her massive Eras Tour.
While SZA’s SOS was the seventh-highest charting album of the year, the only other women that made it onto the list were members of classic acts also featuring men: Fleetwood Mac and ABBA.
So, are women now out-selling men in music?
Statistics show that female pop artists are experiencing success in the charts with hit singles, but this is a relatively new development. With the continued rise of Swift this year and the newfound popularity of artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Charli XCX (both of whom have been finding success with their new albums – Short n’ Sweet, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, and brat, respectively), it seems as though 2024 could be a better year for female artists dominating the Albums Chart.
There are still many issues facing women in the music industry, but slowly but surely, a change is occurring. Female-dominated bands like The Last Dinner Party and Wet Leg have found sizable fanbases in the past two years, crossing over into the mainstream with their guitar tunes. Swift’s Eras Tour has grossed over $1 billion, showing that female artists can easily bring in large fan bases and actually improve local economies.
The next steps for the music industry include crafting more gender-inclusive lineups on local and larger scales, supporting initiatives designed to foster female musical talent, and allowing more women into positions of power at record labels and studios, for example. By doing so, we can maintain a healthy environment for musicians of all backgrounds to thrive and express themselves, allowing voices that unusually go unnoticed to be heard.
Related Topics
