I have tons of problems with the music industry itself, however what really gets on my nerves is the lack of praise for female musicians, specifically in the rock/pop-punk/alternative scene. Are these women any less qualified to be musicians? No. Are these women any less talented? No. So why is it that a large portion of the bands and musicians you see on the internet are a male fronted band with three or four other men backing them up?
There are plenty of strong voiced women in the pop music industry, ranging from Lady Gaga to Sia to Adele and more. These women are undoubtedly talented, and use their voices to share catchy tunes with the world. But why is it when I search Google for “best pop punk bands”, Paramore is ranked at number 6 on the list, and all the other results that show up are male fronted bands? What about when you search Google for “best rock bands”? “Best bands”? Go ahead, search it. You should notice that there are ZERO female fronted rock bands on either of those lists. Why is there such a lack of females in this scene? Better yet, why are the female fronted bands not praised and revered as much as male fronted bands?
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love Fall Out Boy, Green Day, Nirvana, and other bands who have gained popularity by having unique masculine voices with gnarly guitar solos. But when it comes to female musicians, I would like to see more. I know they exist and I am aware they are out there, however they are discussed so little that the general public seems to forget about them.
It is no secret that women are not always treated the same as men, and I think that the music industry is a clear indicator of that. I will know that feminism is doing it’s job when I’m able to search for “best bands” and there is an equal number of female to male fronted bands. As a female musician myself, I know the feeling first hand of being inspired by other females who have gained success by performing in a band and doing what they love.
So, if you are a feminist, or someone who has never really thought about what women mean to music, take the time to share this. Realize that all the bands you love are awesome, but also notice how few of them have female members. Appreciate the female fronted bands you see, and share their music! Spread love for female musicians working in an industry dominated by males.
Also, I thought I’d give you a list of some great female fronted bands/female artists to check out if you never have:
-Paramore
-Halestorm
-LIGHTS
-Tonight Alive
-Flyleaf
-We Are The In Crowd
-Marina and the Diamonds
-Florence + The Machine
-Evanescence
-Lindsey Stirling
-CHVRCHES
