The music industry continues to be an unwelcoming place for women, according to a report published by Help Musicians and the Musicians’ Union. The report, which is the fifth edition of the annual “Musicians Census,” surveyed 2,526 female musicians and revealed that 51% of women in music have faced discrimination because of their gender. In addition, one-third of respondents had experienced sexual harassment.
The report highlighted a range of problems that women are more likely to face than men in the industry. These include gender discrimination, sexual harassment, gender pay gaps, and barriers to career progression. According to the report, women are eight times more likely to experience discrimination than men.
On average, the report found that women in music earned almost 10% less than men, despite being more likely to have a degree in music. Furthermore, the research indicated that 29% of women identified family and childcare as barriers to career progression, while 27% said they did not earn enough to support themselves or their families.
The report found that certain genres of music were more equitable than others: women had an easier time forging careers in classical and music theatre, for example, while dance and UK rap had the largest pay disparities. Women are still underrepresented in the industry, occupying only 29% of DJ roles, 24% of producer positions, 15% of live sound engineering jobs, and 12% of studio/mastering engineering roles.
The Musicians Census is conducted annually by Help Musicians and the Musicians’ Union. The questionnaire provides insight into the issues facing musicians in the industry. The 2023 survey was the first-ever census, and this year’s report has been endorsed by Nadia Khan, the founder of non-profit Women in CTRL, which is committed to promoting gender equality in music
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