To Be A Woman In Music
The music industry has long celebrated trailblazing women. Yet behind the success stories, the reality is far less glamorous. Women still battle a gender pay gap and discrimination that shape their careers. For women from minority backgrounds, these barriers are even steeper. While Beyoncé, Doechii and Dua Lipa have broken records, their success stories mask the deeper, systemic inequalities within the industry.
On International Women’s Day, it’s worth pausing to ask: what does it really mean to be a woman in music today? And why do so many women still have to fight for a place in an industry they help define?
The Pay Gap and the Power Struggle
In the UK, women musicians earn on average £19,850 per year compared to £21,750 for men, with the gap widening at higher levels. A recent study showed that of those earning £70,000 or more from music — 79% of these are men, and 19% are women. This is the case even though 14% more women have a music degree or postgraduate music qualification.
The issue isn't just about wages, it’s also about control. Women make up less than 30% of senior positions in the music industry, meaning they rarely have a say in the major decisions. This lack of representation at the top creates a vicious cycle. When men dominate leadership roles, they may unconsciously work in favour of other men. Women artists and industry professionals are left underpaid, undervalued, and often unheard.
We can see the effects of this throughout the industry. For example, festival line-ups continue to be overwhelmingly male-dominated. In 2023, only 15% of headline slots at major UK festivals were occupied by women or non-binary artists. Even album reviews and radio play favour male artists, with studies showing that male artists receive nearly twice as much airtime as women artists on mainstream radio.
And it’s not just the artists. Women behind the scenes (producers, sound engineers, and managers) also face systemic biases that make it nearly impossible to climb the ladder. Less than 5% of music producers identify as a woman or non-binary, meaning the very people shaping how music sounds are overwhelmingly male.
This imbalance is also reflected in the industry’s highest accolades. At the 2025 Grammys, Doechii was only the third woman to win Best Rap Album since the category was introduced in 1996. Rap has long been criticised for its misogynistic themes, with lyrics and narratives that often objectify women, reinforce gender stereotypes, and glorify hypermasculinity. This has fueled the perception that rap is a "man's genre," where success is tied to male dominance and aggression. Women in rap face added scrutiny, from doubts about their lyrical ability to industry gatekeepers who favour male artists. Doechii’s Grammy win challenges this norm, but with only three women ever winning the title, it’s clear that deep-seated biases still shape who gets recognition.
Discrimination and the Motherhood Penalty
Beyond pay and power, discrimination is woven into the very fabric of the industry. A staggering 51% of women in music report experiencing gender discrimination, compared to just 6% of men. Women are often told how they should look, how they should sound, and how they should behave to be ‘marketable.’ FKA twigs and Kehlani have openly spoken about industry sexism, where women are pressured into hyper-sexualised images or side-lined in favour of their male peers.
And for those who become mothers, the challenges multiply. 29% of women in music cite family responsibilities as a major career barrier, compared to just 11% of men. Unlike traditional employment, where statutory maternity leave and pay provide some level of security, many women in music work as freelancers or contractors. This means that they have no guaranteed maternity leave or pay.
Without employer-backed maternity policies, many women artists, DJs, and producers are forced to return to work earlier than they would like, or risk losing their income entirely. This ‘motherhood penalty’ sees women deemed less committed, less available, and ultimately less valuable to the industry. The result? Fewer opportunities, fewer promotions, and a career that often stalls altogether.
The Need For A Safer Culture
Sexual harassment remains rampant, with a recent study showing 30% of women festivalgoers reporting some kind of unwanted sexual behaviour. But the problem doesn’t pack up when the stages do; 33% of women in music reporting experiences of unwanted advances in their workplaces too.
One of the biggest challenges in tackling harassment in the music industry is the lack of clear employment protections for many artists. DJs, session musicians, and live performers are often self-employed or freelance contractors, meaning they lack the same workplace rights as traditional employees. Many are hired on a gig-by-gig basis, making it difficult to hold specific event organisers or venues accountable for workplace harassment.
This tells us that we need to create a safer, more inclusive music culture. Initiatives like Ask for Angela, which allows clubgoers to discreetly seek help if they feel unsafe, have made nightlife environments more secure, but more industry-wide protections are needed.
Minority Women Face Even Greater Barriers
For Black and disabled women in the industry, for example, the challenges are magnified. Black women in music earn 25% less than white women, with nearly half forced to supplement their income outside the industry. Many Black women report a decline in mental health, with 16% seeking therapy due to racial abuse in the industry.
Disabled musicians face similar struggles, earning £4,400 less per year than their non-disabled counterparts. Many are trapped in financial instability, with 73% receiving no state benefits, despite needing additional support. Over half of disabled musicians from the Global Majority have experienced racism, while trans-disabled musicians also report particularly high levels of discrimination.
Missy Elliott once described how the industry dismissed her as “too different” until she forced them to pay attention. But why should women have to fight twice as hard to be heard?
What Does This All Mean?
These statistics aren’t just numbers; they paint a clear picture of an industry that still doesn’t work for everyone. The problem isn’t that women lack talent or ambition — it’s that the industry isn’t built to support them. From pay disparities to discrimination, from unsafe work environments to a lack of representation in executive roles, the music industry isn’t doing enough for women.
If we want to see real change, it needs to start at the top. More women and minority professionals need to be in executive roles, making decisions that shape the future of the industry. The lack of women and non-binary producers, managers, and A&Rs means that music is still largely curated through a male lens. Breaking this cycle starts with hiring diverse voices and giving them power.
At its core, music should be for everyone. But until the industry actively works to dismantle the biases and legal loopholes that hold so many people back, it will continue to serve the same small group of voices, leaving others fighting just to be heard.
Pushing for Change
Despite these setbacks, progress is happening. Initiatives like Keychange and PRS Foundation push for gender equality, while artists like Little Simz, Rina Sawayama, and Self Esteem are redefining the industry on their own terms. But real change won’t come from a handful of success stories — it requires an industry-wide shift.
What You Can Do…
Being conscious of who you listen to makes a difference. Stream more women artists, share their new releases, and help push them into the charts. Go to their gigs, show up for their sets, and spread the word — visibility matters. These conversations don’t have to stay online either. Talk to your friends about the gender gap in music, go to industry talks, and make connections — whether it’s at a networking event or hyping up a stranger in the club loos. Change starts with awareness, but it grows through action.
To get the ball rolling, I curated a playlist featuring some of my favourite women in music…
Want more? Here’s a podcast series by Fabric London, featuring some of the scene's most formidable, established and emerging talent. Daria Kolosova, DJ Gigola, Free Zing, Jaguar, Jay Carder, KT, Lu.Re, mi-el, Nala Brown, Naone, Ogazón, PARAMIDA, Tiffany Calver & Yazzus share mixes for the project that celebrates pioneering female artists working, playing and hustling in the scene today.
Got some spare dates in the diary? Here are some women-led upcoming UK gigs that you can go to…
Delilah Holliday: DJ Set, Rough Trade East, Sat 8 Mar
Oklou, Rough Trade East, Sat 8 Mar
Hope Tala, Rough Trade East, Sun 9 Mar
Nadia Reid, EartH Theatre, Mon 10 Mar
SASAMI, Rough Trade East, Mon 10 Mar
Los Bitchos, The 100 Club, Mon 10 Mar
HotWax, Rough Trade East, Tue 11 Mar
Japanese Breakfast, Rough Trade East, Wed 12 Mar
Σtella, The Jazz Cafe, Thu 10 Apr
Adiel (All Night Long), Village Underground, Fri 11 Apr
Lucy The Pianist, Union Chapel, Sat 31 May
