michael kerr’s Post

Women are almost invisible on some radio formats in Canada, according to an extensive study by Dr. Jada Watson through her research program SongData. Share the Air: A Study of Gender Representation on Canadian Radio (2013-2023) was prepared in collaboration with Eugénie Tessier and in partnership with the National Arts Centre and Women in Music Canada. Share the Air: A Study of Gender Representation on Canadian Radio (2013-2023) aims to address this gap and focuses on radio as an entry point to discovery and exposure within the industry and examines gender representation across six radio formats in Canada. Taking an intersectional approach, this study investigates the rate of airplay for songs songs played between 2013 and 2023 to consider how often their songs are played across the national Country, Alternative Rock, Active Rock, Top 40, Mainstream Adult Contemporary, and Hot Adult Contemporary radio formats. This study was supported by Creative BC and the Province of British Columbia. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e3W9VwKG

New Post: Melissa Etheridge Reflects On Early Career In ‘Gender Equity In Music Report’: ‘My Queerness Protected Me’ - https://lnkd.in/gGm_WQ3c - Today (March 8) is International Women’s Day, and to mark the occasion Tunecore has released its fourth annual Be The Change: Gender Equity In Music Report. Prepared by research firm Midia, the study offers key findings on progress and challenges around representation for women and nonbinary people in the industry. Beyond the findings, the study incudes a forward from rock pioneer Melissa Etheridge, who reflects on the discrimination she has experienced and witnessed during her four decade career. She notes that while women have dominated the charts for decades, “typically white, male executives have profited from our labor.” She also tracks some of the changes she’s seen during her long music career, noting that the industry has become more inclusive for women and gender expansive people since she started out in the ’80s, a time, she writes, when being gay protected her from some of the discrimination she saw straight women experiencing. She emphasizes how crucial it is to truly be the change one is hoping to affect, writing that “people are sometimes driven by their own misunderstanding and fear, so if you become the love you want to see, we hope they will feel that and change.” Read Etheridge’s foreward in full: It’s no secret that the music industry has historically been a boys’ club. There have been decades of music defined by incredible women dominating the charts, but behind the scenes women have often been pushed aside and prevented from reaching the same career heights while typically white, male executives have profited from our labor. When I started in the business back in the ‘80s, the A&R reps who came out to see me were all men. There were very few women in the business, and this was the norm at the time. In the late ‘80s, the industry started to change. There was finally a bit of interest in women artists’ music and experiences. In 1988, when I was finally signed and my album came out, women were starting to break through the industry wall. Tracy Chapman, k.d. lang, Toni Childs, and Sinéad O’Connor were writing and releasing songs, and people finally started paying attention and realizing we had something to say. In music—as in life—being a woman comes with its own set of obstacles, both seen and unseen. Ranging from unequal pay and a diminished sense of autonomy to the countless cases of sexual harassment and abuse that have come to light in recent years from all corners of the industry. And, these obstacles are compounded for women of color and gender expansive individuals. What was the hardest for me was also a blessing. I was lucky enough to find steady work in L.A.’s lesbian bars, so when I entered the music industry, it was already known that I was g

The published version of my paper "Where are the female composers? Human capital and gender inequality in music history" is now available and will appear in the January 2025 issue of the European Economic Review. Many thanks to my amazing co-authors, Karol J. Borowiecki and Martin Hørlyk Kristensen for this rewarding collaboration. Courtesy of an agreement between SDU and Elsevier, the article is open access! Accordingly, feel free to download a copy. 😊 #Culturaleconomics #UVMecon #SDUeconhistory

'On average, female musicians earn less than their male colleagues. The average annual income from music for men is £21,750, and for women it is £19,850........Female musicians who are Black, Asian, or from other minority ethnic groups were 10% more likely to earn in the lowest income band than white women, with 35% of ethnic minority women earning £7,000 or less, compared with 25% of white women.' https://lnkd.in/et_rUfC9

Be the Change, a new report by MIDiA Research sheds light on gender equity in music. The report maps impact of forms of discrimination across the music industry, including results from a global survey of 4,146 respondents from 133 countries. #genderequity #genderequality #musicnews #musicbusiness #musicindustry #songwriter #musician

📻On BBC Radio 5 Live: Discussing the Future of UK Music 🎤 This morning, I joined Will Bain on Wake Up To Money to dive into the newly released UK Music Report. While the numbers are impressive—like a £7.6 billion economic contribution and 13% growth—there are challenges we can’t ignore. Highlights from Our Chat: 🎸 Grassroots Venues: With 76 closures in 2023, these vital spaces for emerging artists and diverse voices are at risk. The Music Venue Trust’s community ownership plan is a game-changer, but more government support is crucial. 🌍 Brexit’s Impact: Visa costs and red tape are crushing smaller artists’ touring opportunities. We need visa-free agreements and fairer touring logistics to level the playing field. 🤖 Generative AI: While exciting, it risks exploiting creators, especially underrepresented ones. Ethical safeguards are non-negotiable. 👩🎤 Gender Equality Milestone: For the first time, @whynothereu data revealed this year that female artists overtook males in UK radio airplay. A huge step forward, but there’s more work to do. 🎶 Music Education: Every child deserves access to free music-making opportunities, regardless of their background. Music is more than numbers; it’s a cultural force. Let’s tackle these challenges to ensure it thrives for everyone. Catch the full interview here 🎧 #WakeUpToMoney #UKMusic #GrassrootsVenues #WhyNotHer #InclusiveMusic #MusicEducation

The language in writing about women musicians must not describe them as outliers but reflect them as an integral part of the industry. For instance, when writing about a particular achievement of a music star, their gender need not be the focus. They should not be described as one of the best ‘female’ music stars, but rather as one of the ‘best music stars.’ Read more on the underrepresentation of women within the music industry at https://lnkd.in/ggXTNkuV #WomenInMusic #MusicWithoutBias #FemaleEmpowerment

New Post: Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Short n’ Sweet’ Steps Back to No. 1 on Billboard 200 - https://lnkd.in/gBGXRjpc - Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet rises 3-1 on the Billboard 200 chart (dated Oct. 12), notching its fourth nonconsecutive week atop the list. It earned 100,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending Oct. 3 (up less than 1%), according to Luminate. Short n’ Sweet debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated Sept. 7, spent its first three weeks at No. 1, and then stepped away for two weeks as Travis Scott’s Days Before Rodeo rode to the top (Sept. 28 chart) and Future’s Mixtape Pluto debuted in the penthouse (Oct. 5 chart). Also in the top 10, Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft returns to the top five for the first time in more than a month, as it ascends 8-5. The No. 2-peaking set was last in the top five on the Aug. 31 chart, when it ranked at No. 5.  The album’s ascent — with a 10% unit gain — is concurrent with the launch of Eilish’s tour on Sept. 29 and the premiere of the official music video for the album’s single “Birds of a Feather” on Sept. 27. The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Oct. 12, 2024-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Tuesday (Oct. 8). For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram. Of Short n’ Sweet’s 100,000 equivalent album units earned in its third week, SEA units comprise 85,000 (up 1%, equaling 114.24 million on-demand official streams of the album’s 12 songs; it holds at No. 1 on the Top Streaming Albums chart), album sales comprise 14,000 (down 3%) and TEA units comprise 1,000 (down 2%). Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is steady at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 for a fourth nonconsecutive week at its peak (63,000 equivalent album units earned; down 40%). Future’s Mixtape Pluto falls 1-2 in its second week (55,000; down 57%), Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping One Thing at a Time rises 5-4 (50,000; down 5%), and Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft steps 8-5 (nearly 50,000; up 10%). Post Malone’s former leader F-1 Trillion falls 4-6 (47,000 equivalent album units; down 11%); Taylor Swift’s chart-topping The Tortured Poets Department is a non-mover at No. 7 (44,000; down 5%); Noah Kahan’s Stick Season climbs 10-8 (37,000; down 1

It is truly special when my diverse interests come together with a shared purpose and cause that holds great meaning for me. I feel privileged to serve as a Hunna ambassador and be given the opportunity to moderate the first physical gathering held at Merwas in honor of International Women's Day. The event started with a panel discussion focusing on women in music, gender equality, and inclusivity. We had trailblazing women in the music industry sharing their insights, highlighting the challenges, disparities, and opportunities specific to the MENA region. Globally, women in music face marginalization, constituting only 21.6% of credits from 2012 to 2021 in the top 100 Billboard. This isn't just about musicians this goes to behind the scenes; writers, producers, sound engineers, talent managers, and so on. The conversation shifts when discussing gender equality in this region, where the music industry is still budding, with both public and private institutions fostering inclusivity across various sectors. Unlike challenges in the Western world, issues here are more about awareness, expertise, and overcoming apprehensions. While the opportunities are abundant, the key lies in knowing about them, acquiring the necessary skills, and having the courage to pursue what calls you. So know thyself, educate yourself and be brave.

The recent MusicSA report on the Economic Contribution of the Music Industry to South Australia is an important piece of research highlighting the critical economic role that the music industry plays, while also acknowledging the significant challenges and transformations that the sector is experiencing.   We need to continue to ask questions about how we value and position arts within society, including but not limited to an economic lens, and how we can support creativity when it rarely provides a sustainable income. We also need to develop detailed understandings of the lived experiences of those who participate in the sector, and how opportunities might be experienced unevenly, ensuring that targeted support strategies reach the spaces they need to most.   CP3 Members Dr Rosie Roberts and Dr Jess Pacella are working on a current CP3 pilot project examining intersections between ageing and gender for musicians in the SA music industry, pointing to the ongoing devaluation of women’s roles in music. Experiences of sexual harassment, underrepresentation in gig line-ups, career stagnation due to caring responsibilities, gendered pay gaps, artist invisibility and a lack of creative control, were just some of the issues highlighted by interviewees. Read more about the project in this link: https://lnkd.in/eZHXawwm #MusicSA #musicians #ageing #gender #womeninmusic #livemusic #creative