Tag: gender equity in music

Dr. Stacy Smith of USC Annenberg Calls on All of Us To Address the Gender Gap in Music

February 1, 2023

Dr. Stacy Smith

Each year, the team at the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative (AII), led by Dr. Stacy Smith, takes a look at the numbers of women in music—both behind the scenes and on the charts. The result is an annual study we are proud to underwrite. Together, we recognize there is so much more to be done when it comes to the inclusion of women and nonbinary creators within the music industry. 

Amplifying underrepresented voices is at the core of our work at Spotify. Over the past few years, we’ve launched several initiatives like Frequency, NextGen, SoundUp, and GLOW, each of which promotes a diverse roster of artists, songwriters, and podcasters on our platform. Our global EQUAL music program, which is dedicated to promoting and elevating women artists around the world, has enabled us to support over 700 women in 35 countries since March 2021.

Our work is informed by our partners at the USC AII, and particularly, Dr. Stacy Smith. As the founder of the USC AII—the leading global think tank studying issues of inequality in entertainment—Dr. Smith is the foremost disrupter of inequality in the entertainment industry. She’s also a founding member of our Safety Advisory Council.

The report outlines why women need to help and be supportive of other women through mentorship programs, amplification opportunities, and other confidence-building activities. This is the fourth consecutive year Spotify has funded the study, and we’re committed to continuing to learn and understand, and to work toward a more equitable industry. But don’t just take it from us—read on for Dr. Smith’s observations and recommendations.

How would you define representation?

In light of the research we do, representation focuses on prevalence as well as the nature of how groups are presented in the media. For music, specifically, we are examining who receives access and opportunity to specific key positions.

Your research examines inclusion of gender, race/ethnicity, the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, and mental health in storytelling across film, TV, and digital platforms. What do you see across the board when these groups are not represented, or are underrepresented? 

We see storytelling that fails to depict the reality of the world where we all live. We are missing critical stories and points of view from dynamic and vibrant communities. A lot of our work has shown negative tropes and stereotypes still occur far too frequently when it comes to gender, race/ethnicity, the LGBTIQ+ community, people with disabilities, and mental health.

The Annenberg Inclusion Study, which Spotify partners on, relates to women in the music industry. What are the encouraging trends you’re seeing? What more needs to be done? 

There is only one encouraging trend: The percentage of women artists increased in 2022 in comparison to 2021. That said, it is still abysmally low.  

People need to hire women songwriters, producers, and engineers. That’s it. Until that happens, the numbers will not change. Ultimately, what is needed to create change is for labels to sign, promote, market, and hire women and gender nonconforming people from all backgrounds as artists, songwriters, and producers.

Is there anything notable in the latest gender in music report that you’d like to call out?

The Recording Academy’s efforts on women in the mix have made absolutely no difference in the lives of women producers or engineers. The solution isn’t gimmicks or publicity grabs. It is people understanding that women songwriters and producers have talent but they are not given the same access and opportunity as their male peers.

What would you like to see Spotify doing more of? Less of?

Spotify, along with all the industry, can showcase the work of talented women songwriters and producers to facilitate opportunities. Making sure that listeners can experience songs written and produced by women—and performed by women, too.

Listen to women at full volume on our global EQUAL playlist.

Spotify France and shesaid.so Partner To Create Online Directory of Women, Trans, and Nonbinary Music Professionals

May 27, 2022

Spotify has been taking steps to increase the number of women and nonbinary individuals in the music industry for years. From our Equalizer project in the Nordics to our collaborative study with USC Annenberg in the U.S. and our EQUAL program elevating talented women musicians around the world, there’s no shortage of initiatives aimed at creating better gender equity in the industry. But it’s not enough, and much more still must be done. 

Yesterday, at the Nuits Sonores in Lyon, France, Spotify and shesaid.so announced Majeur.e.s., the first inclusive online directory of professional women, trans, and nonbinary individuals within the music industry in France. This directory aims to accelerate change in a music industry that is still deeply unequal.

“As the leading streaming platform, we have a responsibility and a role to play in order to build a more egalitarian music industry,” says Julie Beherec, Artist and Label Partnerships Manager at Spotify France. “Beyond the support we give to women artists through our EQUAL program, we deemed it necessary and in fact urgent to give more space to women and minorities within the music industry by making their profiles more visible when they’re so often overlooked. Which is why we’re extremely proud to support this initiative by helping create and develop the Majeur.e.s. Directory.” 

The site majeures.org functions as a database that will allow professionals within the music industry to find and hire experienced individuals. With this inclusive online directory of women, trans, and nonbinary music professionals in France, there’s a streamlined, clear way to find the technician any production needs. This complimentary tool comes a year after the launch of the EQUAL program in France and numerous other countries around the world, and as Spotify France tackles gender discrimination in collaboration with shesaid.so and other NGOs locally. 

“The music industry is in constant evolution, and it’s of the utmost importance that we accompany its actors with the adequate tools,” says Claire Morel, President of shesaid.so France. “It’s majeures.org’s role. Majeur.e.s. is truly an accelerator of equality.”

Check out majeures.org to find a directory of women, trans, and nonbinary music professionals. Then stream our EQUAL France playlist for a taste of the talent there. 

USC Annenberg’s ‘Inclusion in the Recording Studio?’ Study Finds That More Work Toward Gender Equity Is Needed

March 31, 2022

Women in music hold many roles—they are singers and songwriters, producers and engineers. They must overcome age-old barriers to put their artistry and creativity to work and make their voices heard among fans worldwide. And yet despite decades of progress, women are still vastly underrepresented on the top music charts.  

The 2022 study “Inclusion in the Recording Studio?”, the fifth annual report on the music industry from Dr. Stacy L. Smith and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, details the numerical realities of this inequality. The report, which was funded by Spotify again this year, provides a comprehensive industry update on inclusion—and shows that much more needs to be done. 

Spotify has been working hard on creating spaces and opportunities for women with on-platform campaigns such as EQUAL. But as we’ve seen clearly, the results are not good enough.

“To rise to a challenge, the industry must first understand it. This is why the efforts of Stacy Smith, Karla Hernandez, and the entire team behind the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative are critical,” said Dawn Ostroff, Chief Content & Advertising Officer, Spotify. “These results underscore the need for action. We are committed to continuing to support this important research, to elevating women who can, in turn, create opportunities for women, and to making meaningful progress to improve equity across the world of music.“

Read on below, or head straight to the report.

Artists of color are increasing on the charts

The study explores the intersection of gender and race/ethnicity for artists. In contrast to the lack of women artists, artists from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups represented over half of 2021’s artists. But Dr. Smith explains, “Although the data reveal an increase for women of color, these findings indicate that there is more work to be done.”

Women songwriters and producers remain outnumbered 

“Inclusion in the Recording Studio?” didn’t only look at front women but also at those behind the scenes, and it found that women songwriters and producers remain outnumbered. Overall, across a total of 1,522 producing credits in the 10-year sample, 97.2% were men and 2.8% were women. 

A nod toward nominees

The study assessed every nominee at the Grammys® that received recognition in the categories of Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist, and Producer of the Year for the same time frame. It found that women were more likely to be nominated for Best New Artist (44.4%) and Song of the Year (28.8%). On the other hand, they represented the lowest percentage of nominees in the Album of the Year (9.7%) and Producer of the Year (1.9%) categories. 

“Uplifting women in music is crucial, as it allows women to grow in their careers and opens the doors for younger women aspiring to work in this industry,” said Karla Hernandez, the study’s lead author. “This is especially true for women of color, who are often excluded from prestigious institutions and career recognition. We must see women’s work showcased and nominated, giving them space in writing rooms and studios. By actively working toward inclusion, we can bring forth a new wave of talent and creativity.”

There’s much more to be done, and the report also recommends changes to increase the number of women as artists, songwriters, and producers and provides solutions for sustaining growth for underrepresented artists. Read the rest of the data, as well as the recommendations, in the full report.