Her Music, Her Revolution

What should a feminist look for in music?

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There are a multitude of ways to define feminism, due to the sub-categories within the movement, but to generalize the description it is a movement that advocates for equal rights and opportunities for all people, regardless of gender, it aims to end oppression and promote inclusivity and equality of the sexes. These core feminist values are vital in the consumption and production of music, and in this essay, we will explore how that should reflect in the music feminists choose to involve themselves with.

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Feminism is ever evolving and finding new ways to critique systems of power and inequality in society. One of the ways the message of feminism is passed on is through music culture, through mediums such as tv, radio, and social media, and through the feelings and affects generated in experiences of live music and fan cultures. To bring people together as a collection, it uses the idea of assemblage. Within his work, Ben Swift defines assemblage as "the organisation of bodies that opens up new possibilities for action” (Swift, 2012).

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We will investigate the representation of women in music and the music industry, and how this should inform feminists in choosing what music to consume and how their feminist values could shape the future of modern music. Music can be a tool for feminists not only to give a sense of empowerment amongst themselves but also to fuel the rise of artists who are more attuned to feminist ideals and to influence fellow consumers to make choices more critically about which musicians to support.

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Music has played a crucial role in feminist and civil rights movements, from songs to raise awareness of issues in a charitable sense, to the punk ‘Riot Grrrl’ movement in the 1990s which sought to create space for women in the punk scene. In ‘The Sex Revolts: Gender, Rebellion and rock ‘n’ roll’ by Simon Reynolds and Joy Press, they describe the Riot Grrrl movement as “Riot Grrrls preach empowerment through forming bands and producing fanzines – it’s the old punk DIY ethos of ‘anyone can do it’, but with a feminist twist” (Reynolds and Press, 1995). Music can be a powerful tool to convey messages, even to groups who may not usually engage with these movements. If a song from such a movement gains popularity, it can reach a broader audience through mainstream media.

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Women have often been pushed into specific genres and roles within the music industry. On one hand, they are expected to be the sweet, idyllic country girl fulfilling traditional feminine values. On the other hand, they are expected to present themselves as oversexualized fantasy character, despite these being contradictory ideals. Historically speaking women have been limited to these roles, and there has been a lack of representation of women within certain genres such as hip-hop, rap, rock, and metal. Until more recent years, there had also been a lack of representation in music regarding the issues women struggle with, such as reproductive rights, workplace equality, and sexual freedom.

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The legacy of the Riot Grrrl movement has paved the way for modern artists to challenge traditional gender roles, such as Beyoncé, who uses her platform to address similar issues of empowerment. In her song 'Flawless,' she samples a speech by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who defines a feminist as someone who believes in the social, economic, and political equality of the sexes. Adichie states “We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. We say to Girls, ‘You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise, you will threaten the man’” (TEDx Talks, 2013). This song is not only a statement about gender equality but also an intersectional commentary on race and identity and a celebration of Black culture and takes a stand against police brutality in its music video which features a young black child dancing in front of police officers. The lyrical choices and the repetition of the word 'flawless' challenge traditional feminine expectations, highlighting how women are pressured by society to be effortlessly perfect. Yet, Beyoncé’s message is clear: women should resist these stereotypes and not be conditioned to measure their worth against men’s standards.

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Referring to the over-sexualization of women in music in previous years, we can see how the industry is evolving in its representation of gender identity and sexuality. In recent years, there has been a shift toward social acceptance of women using their sexuality as a form of empowerment, reclaiming it to prevent it from being used against them. One artist challenging traditional roles of sexuality in music is alternative musician Scene Queen (Hannah Collins). She uses her music to express her sexuality and appreciate the female form, coining the term "bimbocore" to describe her unique style—a genre that combines empowerment with a playful embrace of traditionally objectified aesthetics. In an interview with Rocksound magazine, Collins explains her song “Finger,” which focuses on equality in sexual experiences. She says, “I wanted to flip the script on songs written to sexualize women for a man’s pleasure. I wrote this song about two women experiencing things equally. So the song is vulgar, like any sexual song, but with a woman driving the narrative about her own body and taking control of her own pleasure. I wanted something to make everyone feel included because sexuality and pleasure are things everyone can and should relate to” (Coward, 2024).

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While some feminists might argue that her writing style may reinforce the male gaze and may view this as an opportunity for men to gain approval for objectifying women, Collins’ use of sexuality in her lyrics advocates for women's autonomy and empowerment. Her message teaches women and feminists alike that, contrary to popular belief, it is okay for women to embrace their sexuality—an essential part of both mental and physical well-being. Sexual pleasure is not solely for men. As Sigmund Freud observed in 1925, “pure masculinity and femininity remain theoretical constructions of uncertain content” (Freud, 1925). If gender norms are theoretical and fluid, why should women be limited to either the “pure and innocent” or the “glorified toy for men”? If these norms are not fixed, women should have the freedom to explore their sexuality just as men have for years.

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Breaking traditional gender norms is more vital than ever in today’s society, with growing acceptance of gender fluidity and increasing support for transgender and non-binary identities. Artists such as Sam Smith and Janelle Monáe are at the forefront of representing these communities. In a 2020 interview with Variety, Monáe shared, “I do feel like I am an experience, I am on self-discovery, and I just want to continue to show love to everyone who continues to live outside of the binary” (Turchiano, 2020). These artists, along with Scene Queen, are part of a larger movement reshaping the music industry, breaking down rigid gender roles, and redefining sexuality in a way that allows all identities to thrive.

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If we look at the hierarchy structure of the music production industry, we can clearly observe that it is a largely male dominated field. This disproportionate gender balance creates significant challenges for women in the industry. If we look at the statistics provided by USC Annenberg of the billboard top 100 over an 11 year span, between 2012 and 2023, out of 1100 songs the average percentage of them being songs by female artists is only 22.3%, which if looking at each year individually it has slowly been creeping higher, as the percentage for female artists in 2021 on the billboard top 100 was 23.3%, which was followed by 30% in 2022 (For women in music, climbing the charts to equality is a slow process, 2023). However, the songwriters behind the songs in 2022 were only 14% female. It is worrying to see these types of statistics as it begs the question of if these numbers were more balanced and that balance reflected through the rest of the roles in the music industry, would there be a lower rate of sexual harassment and control over women in the industry.

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This topic has been at the forefront of music media as of recent, due to allegations coming out about various artists and producers using their position of power as protection and a way to justify the abuse they bring on others who are lower in status to them. It has been happening for years, from band members taking advantage of their fans, to producers and record labels taking advantage of their artists. Two recent examples of cases are Kesha’s (Kesha Sebert) lawsuit against her producer Dr. Luke (Lukasz Gottwald) for sexual and various other abuses, as well as Britney Spears’ fight against her conservatorship. According to an article on the musician’s union website, as of March 2024 a third of women in the music industry have experienced sexual harassment and women are 8 times more likely to experience gender discrimination over men, as 51% of women working as musicians have experienced this versus only 6% of men (Musician’s Union, 2024).

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Despite these hardships there are women behind the scenes that are seeking to close this gender gap in the music industry. Artists such as Missy Elliot have changed the industry by taking on the roles that were traditionally dominated by men. In Frock Rock: Women Performing Popular Music, Mavis Bayton explores the role of women in the music industry and how they have historically challenged gender roles through their participation in music. Bayton highlights how women in rock and other popular music genres have not only confronted the stereotypical limitations placed on them but also subverted these expectations, proving that they can achieve success in spaces where they have often been marginalized. For example, she examines the influence of female rockers, such as those in the Riot Grrrl movement, who used their music as a platform for self-expression and resistance against gendered expectations.

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The consumption choices of feminist individuals should seek to challenge the harmful tropes outlined in the previous paragraphs. Given the industry’s complexities and contradictions, feminists should actively avoid music that seeks to reinforce harmful stereotypes, but is it possible to critique problematic elements whilst still appreciating the art? The term “separating the art from the artist” comes to mind here, this idea came from the New Criticism academic movement which was advocated by a group of academics in the early 20th century. However, as many artists (especially musical artists) pull from their own personal experiences to create their work it can be almost impossible for this to take effect. “Every Art Expression is rooted fundamentally in the personality and temperament of the artist” (Hans Hofmann, 1962). This idea of separation is harmful to the feminist movement as it may remove an artist from their pedestal by consumers not associating with them personally, but by praising their art, it will keep them relevant and cause any issues to be forgotten in the future, which will only harm the movement of feminism in music.

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There are many examples of artists that had their work separated from them for too long, keeping them relevant, such as Chris Brown after he physically abused Rhianna, and Kanye West after his many outlandish remarks on race, gender, and religion to name a few. It is important for feminist listeners to not only actively avoid artists such as these but to also make others aware of the importance of why we should also avoid them, and how this affects the feminist movement. It is important for feminist listeners to participate in fan communities, and use social media as a platform for change, as these would help to amplify feminist messages and hold artists accountable for their actions. Fan communities play a key role in influencing others and will work together to call out problematic behaviours of certain male artists.

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The future of feminism in music appears to be positive as more and more female artists are finding an audience, social media has had a heavy part to play in this through applications such as TikTok, as it has no barrier between the artists and the consumer and can give lesser-known artists that express feminist values through their music a platform. Increasing interest in social and political movements through the discovery of them on social media has led to increased support for feminist ideology, and music has played a large part in this. TikTok for example has a heavy use of music and will regularly have trends based around certain pieces of music, music which may not have been created by a well-known artist as well as the platform enables artists to create their own sounds, and for viewers to filter by the specific sound they may have found on a given video.

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One example of this is the song “Labour” by Paris Paloma, this song has had a strong presence on videos that are in support of the ‘#MeToo’ and ‘4b’ feminist movements, which bring awareness to how common sexual harassment of women is, the unfairness of debates on abortion laws, and the steps we can take to protest the control men have over women. The song is an anthem for female rage and covers themes such as patriarchal expectations, abuse, and objectification, the song validates women’s anger and empowers them through it’s lyrics, such as its poetic chorus chant “All day, every day, therapist, mother, maid, Nymph then a virgin, nurse then a servant, Just an appendage, live to attend him, So that he never lifts a finger, 24∕7, baby machine, So he can, live out his picket fence dreams, It's not an act of love if you make her, You make me do too much labour” (Paloma, 2024).

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There are many emerging feminist icons such as Billie Eilish, Chappel Roan, and Megan Thee Stallion, who have risen fairly quickly to fame thanks to the use of social media, and they are redefining the genre norms and expectations for women in music through the songs they produce. Megan Thee Stallions song ‘Cobra’ is particularly poignant in the development and future of feminist values in music, through her lyrics such as in the first verse she writes “Long as everybody getting paid, right? Everything will be okay, right?” (Megan Thee Stallion, 2024) addressing the issues in the male dominated music industry.

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Megan Thee Stallion has also collaborated in a ‘rock remix’ of this song with metal band Spiritbox’s vocalist Courtney LaPlante. LaPlante herself is a prime example of the future of feminism in the music industry, as after Spiritbox’s debut in 2016 they have been an unstoppable force in the metal community, and having such success as a female vocalist in a very male dominated genre gives hope to future female artists. LaPlante herself is a feminist advocate and stated in an article she wrote for Kerrang! Magazine in 2022, “I look to the next generation of human beings and they fill me with so much hope for the future. We need to learn from them and choose to challenge our outdated self-serving ways of thinking” (Kerrang!, 2022).

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Though there are still many issues women face within the music industry it is becoming increasingly more accessible, thanks to the work of feminists and fans holding problematic artists accountable for their actions. Using social media websites such as TikTok we have seen a rise in support for the feminist movement, and a rise in music promoting self-expression and bodily autonomy for women and LGBTQA+ communities. Therefore, feminists should seek out more music that challenges harmful stereotypes, promotes gender equality, and empowers women. They should not “separate the art from the artist” and consider the values of the artists themselves as to not passively promote harmful behaviours that are prevalent within the community. Their main goal as feminists within their music consumption should be to choose music that aligns with their views of equality and find ways to encourage others to do the same

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