Unveiling the Hidden Gender Bias in the Music Industry: A Closer Look

Exposing the Music Industry's Gender Bias

A female DJ inside a sound booth working on production.

Music is a form of creative expression that is celebrated across borders and cultures. But the business side of music isn't friendly to all creators. A wealth of evidence suggests that the music industry elevates men above other genders to an alarming degree.

No doubt, males rule

Infographic on music industry gender disparity.

Skoove first explored this gender disparity in an article about top Spotify musicians. That story, based on an analysis of 1,000 artists conducted by data research firm DataPulse, found that global superstars like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, and Rihanna, are outliers in an industry dominated by male artists. Overall, about 80% of the top 1,000 Spotify artists are men (including one trans male) compared with only 20% who are women (including one trans female) and less than 1% who are nonbinary.

An unwelcoming industry

Graph showing gender identity variation of top Spotify bands and artists.

Skoove and Data Pulse teamed up again to better understand the extent of women's exclusion and why it's happening. After combing through studies, reports, surveys, and government statistics on the subject, we found that gender disparities exist throughout the music industry, from songwriting and production to performances and accolades. Because some sources used male/female designations while others used men/women, we used both designations. Here are some of the top insights.

• Misogyny, homophobia, and sexism are rampant in the music industry. Don't take it from us. Take it from artists – both newbies and the superstars – who experience it.

"The music industry can be, as you know, a bit homophobic, a bit sexist at times," said Sam Smith, a nonbinary singer and songwriter, when speaking on SiriusXM in 2019. "So being feminine like this in the way that I move and dance and am is—it feels quite scary at times."

What do you think?

• Do you believe there is a gender bias in the music industry?
• How can the industry improve gender equality?