Gender Variability in Pop Music Industry

Gender Variability in Pop Music Industry

Music plays an essential role in human lives. The consumption of pop music has been associated with psychological and social needs, such as relationships and personal identity (Colley, 2011). Notably, the rise of pop music has highlighted various gender issues regarding artists, songwriters, producers, artists, and audiences. Research also indicates that more women prefer pop music because they are upbeat, rhythmic, and convey emotional messages (Langmeyer, Guglhör-Rudan, & Tarnai, 2012). Gender issues in pop music, including gender disparities in production, differences in preferences and taste, and interpretation of the encoded message, will provide a comprehensive understanding of male dominance in the pop music industry.

Gender Variability in Pop Music Industry

All over the world, gender variability is evident in the production and distribution of music records. Research by the USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism analyzed 600 songs that were selected for the Billboard Hot 100 between 2012 and 2017 revealed that female artists, songwriters, producers, and artists were 2.42%, 2%, and 12.3% respectively (Muller, 2018). These statistics are troubling given the high number of females aspiring for a career in the music industry, as producers and songwriters. Conversely, the male to female ratio of producers in the music industry is 49 to 1 (Muller, 2018). The study also found that the mobility of females in the industry is dependent on their performance as a solo artist. As Muller (2018) underscores, out of all the females selected to the Billboard Hot 100, 8% performed in bands, solo artists made up 32%, while 5% were performed as duos. The gender gap was also evident in the Grammy Awards from 2013 to 2018, where females comprised 9.3% of the nominees (Muller, 2018). These figures demonstrate the need for more affirmative action to increase the percentage of in the music industry.

For decades, male songwriters and producers have dominated the music industry. Such a trend has been possible because of generational societal favoritism towards men. In the UK, for instance, 82% of CEOs in music publishing firms are male; thus, they are more likely to favor male producers and songwriters (Bain, 2019). Moreover, the gender imbalance in music production has been blamed on male gatekeeping around technology, which devalues how women interact with it. The discouraging attitudes among the men in the industry have also caused some women to quit making music. Muller (2018) corroborated this argument when he argued that the number of female songwriters reduced from 13.7% in 2015 to 11.4% by 2017. Thus, more diversity in music management will encourage women producers and songwriters to pursue cars in the industry..

Despite the considerable gender gap, some female musician has succeeded in the music industry. In 2018, Jess Glynne and Dua Lipa spent the same amount of time in the top 40 pop songs as their male counterparts in Britain (Telegraph, 2018). Overall, female and male artists spent a total of 310 and 328 weeks in the top 10 UK songs (Telegraph, 2018). These figures are an indication that female musicians can be equally successful as their male colleagues if they receive the right social facilitation.

Popular Music Gender Preference

Researchers have, for years, been intrigued about the gender variations in pop music preferences. Research involving college students in America revealed that women preferred mainstream pop, soul, and contemporary blues, while men preferred southern and psychedelic rock (Colley, 2008). Similarly, schoolboys in the United Kingdom preferred heavy metal and rock, whereas girls liked jazz and chart pop songs. In their study, Langmeyer et al. (2012) also discovered that the extraverted nature of women predisposes them to listen to rhythmic and energetic pop music, while men liked rebellious and intense music, such as rock. Gender differences in music tastes have also associated consonance of styles with the developmental issues and gender-roles of young women and men. In this regard, mainstream pop music is likely to have lyrics emphasizing relationships and emotions, which are some of the significant concerns among the young female audience. Conversely, heavy rock and metal music have masculine connotations and are widely associated with physical aggression and anti-social behaviors attribute common among young boys (Colley, 2008). The gender differences in music preferences may also be linked to gender stereotypes. According to the gender schema theory, people with a higher degree of gender-stereotyped traits are more likely to rely on gender to guide their perception of the world and behavior (Colley, 2008). Therefore, increased societal gender stereotypes are likely to increase the differences in music taste between men and women. Furthermore, female consumers respond positively to pop music. In 2014, female consumers spent the highest amounts of money on pop music at about 44% compared to any other genre (“Gender Distribution”). Notably, most female audiences respond to pop music, mainly because they are part of softer genres and have an emotional message, which eliminates worries, improves mood, and reduces the sense of loneliness.

Objectification and Sexual Portrayal

In the music industry, women are increasingly sexually objectified compared to their male colleagues. The objectification of women in the entertainment industry has attracted the attention of researchers across the world. As Apuke & Jigem (2019) cites, female artists are more likely to be objectified, forced to portray sexually alluring behavior and to adhere to stricter dress code. Notably, sexual objectification of women is more profound in pop videos, hip hop, and RnB music. This phenomenon was also visible in the music that made the top 10 Billboard charts between March 2007 to September 2008 (Apuke & Jigem, 2019). In music videos, women are often portrayed touching their hair and engaging in delicate self-touch, whereas men are often shown wearing their regular clothing, an indication that sexually provocative acts are expected of female artists.

Moreover, the masculine nature of most music reinforces and celebrates the sexual domination of women. This phenomenon was predominant, particularly in patriarchal societies, which encourage hegemonic masculinity, while women are commoditized, objectified, and feminized (Apuke & Jigem, 2019). The singers recreate meanings about women’s positions, bodies, and their sexuality, to promote patriarchal ideology and heterosexuality. The objectification women have also been depicted in music lyrics that describe women as ointments, and deadly instruments, and an indication that pop songs consider women as commodities. The role of women in music videos has also demonstrated the extent of female objectification. In most male-created music videos, women are often playing decorative roles, such as dancing in the background, instead of contributing to the plot of the song. This argument is in line with many research studies that have shown that male artists express their power by including many women in their music videos, only for visual appeal (Aubrey & Frisby, 2011). Moreover, female artists are often required to dress in clothing that is sexually appealing to male artists and the audience. Notably, male artists use attractive female bodies for self-promotion, further perpetuating the social objectification of women. Black women are most affected, particularly in music created by black men. A 2010 study confirmed this argument, underscored that 90% of rap music videos across the United States portray Africa American women in their negative sexually stereotyped roles (Apuke & Jigem, 2019). Therefore, the stereotypes perpetuated on music videos are significantly affecting the role of women in society.

Objectification theory has mostly been relied on to measure the degree of sexual objectification of men and women in the music industry. As Aubrey and Frisby (2011) underscore, female artists in pop music videos have propagated the belief that women are valued based on their appearance. Conversely, men in music videos are more likely to operationalize the male gaze. During the gaze, men stare at female characters with sexual desires. Moreover, female artists are often expected to follow strict appearance principles regarding waist size and facial attractiveness if they are to be successful in the music industry, compared to their male colleagues. For instance, Kelly Clarkson has complained about constant criticism of her body shape, demonstrating that women are subjected to a different standard of beauty (Frisby, 2011). On the other, there has been increasing controversy surrounding the body shape of some male music performers, who are overweight, such as Sean Kingston, Fat Joe, and Rick Ross (Frisby, 2011). However, female musicians are still increasingly objectified and criticized more than male artists.

Difference in Interpretation

Physical attractiveness in the music industry has been associated with increased success. As Hill (2016) argues, pop music’s influence on the audience depends on the attractiveness of the artists and the encoded theme. Physical attractive artists have a favorable impression on the audience. In this regard, physically attractive among female artists are generally assumed to be more confident and beautiful. Zebrowtz and Montepare (2010), corroborates this argument when they claimed that attractive individuals are deemed to be healthy, intelligent, and socially competent. These traits may lead to preferential treatment of attractive female artists by the audience. The interpretation of sexual objectification by female artists can be either negative or positive, depending on the viewer’s perception. This premise arose because of the politics surrounding the third-wave feminism and post-feminist view on the freedom of women to choose. In this regard, a decision by a female artist to present themselves in sexually provocative ways may be applauded as ownership of one’s sexuality, supported by third-wave feminism (Frisby, 2011). However, a more conservative audience maybe not prefer music videos with sexually suggestive acts.

The interpretation of the encoded messages music has been showing to present gender differences. For instance, rock music among Caucasian males has been shown to perpetuate the need for keeping women in underprivileged positions (McKenna, 2006). Moreover, men generally believe that without scantily dressed and performing sexually provocative acts, the impact of the music videos would be minimal. With the advent of MTV in the 1980s, Madonna pioneered the use of overt sexuality in music videos. Some of the more progressive women view her tactics as an indication of having control of her sexuality. However, conservative individuals claim that such acts were collusion between Madonna and the pop music industry to promote patriarchal ideologies that objectify women. Furthermore, the younger female audience has also claimed that pop music videos encourage women stereotypes in television by promoting content with an element of sex appeal. On the other hand, a 2006 study revealed that men who had listened to aggressive sexual lyrics felt a sense of entitlement and promiscuity (Cobb, 2016). Although men may not deliberately act on the wrong lyrics, the message becomes subconscious and drives predominant thoughts.

Conclusion

A discussion on pop music mainly involves the understanding of various gender-related issues. Pop music has demonstrated the differences in the sexual objectification of both men and women. As compared to their male colleagues, women in music videos are increasingly objectified. Notably, women are often required to portray sexually provocative behavior. These behaviors are increasingly visible among the top 10 Billboard charts, where women are portrayed as engaging in provocative self-touch, while men are often portrayed wearing regular clothing. Such objectification has been linked to the masculine nature of the music industry, which perpetuates the domination of women. Such objectification is depicted in most lyrics which portray women as deadly instruments, and ointments. Men mostly dominate the pop music industry. This gender gap has visible in some of the major awards, including Grammy Awards. Such gender imbalance has been associated with a less number of women at the management level in the industry. Moreover, the interpretation of encoded messages in pop music varies with gender. In this regard, some women believe that sexually provocative behavior is a sign or liberations and confidence. However, the young female audience believe that these acts perpetuate the patriarchal ideology