An exploration of the history of feminist music (In this context, ‘feminist’ is to mean music written by female-identifying artists who thematically explore key ideas of the feminist ideology) 

The wise oracle known as Lizzo once said: ‘Everyone looks to an artist for something more than just the music’. This could not ring more true than it does for feminist artists, who are often held within popular culture as beacons for political protest and change on gender issues. From the exploration of reproductive rights in Leslie Gore’s You Don’t Own Me to the rise of the #metoo movement seen in songs such as Amand Palmer and Jasmine Power’s Mr Weinstien will see you now, feminist music has historically always served as musical reaction to the everchanging position of women.

According to the latest USC Annenberg inclusion initiative report, for every female-identifying artist, there are 3.6 male artists (Smith et al., 2021, 1). This makes the mere act of performing and recording feminist music an artistic statement of empowerment in a creative space where such voices are not prioritised. Feminist music is incredibly personal; female-identifying individuals will choose to connect to music that speak to their personal identities and circumstances. Below are some examples which I feel particularly speak to me. 

The most overt and explicit way in which we as individuals, even subconsciously, connect with feminist ideas in music is through lyrics. Two themes which have been frequently explored within the genre in about the past thirty years have been sentiments of reclamation and emancipation. One favourite of mine, and indeed the ATIK cheese floor, is Shania Twain’s Man, I Feel Like A Woman which explores female autonomy through ideas of dressing for the individual rather than the male gaze. Musically, Twain re-emphasises her message through the incessant repetition of the titular refrain musically highlighted through the use of a brief pause before each time the words are sung.

Considering the institution of the ‘girl-group’, sisterhood is another vital theme explored in feminist music. With lyrics such as ‘friendship never ends’ and ‘if you wanna get with me, you better listen carefully’, The Spice Girls’ feminist anthem Wannabe explores the importance of friendship and equality in romantic relationships. As before, the group helps to emphasise their message through repetition. The thematic exploration of empowerment is further supported through the visual spectacle of the Spice Girls in the music video of the track, highlighting one of the key pillars of feminism – sisterhood.

Inherently linked to thematic exploration of reclamation and emancipation is the active subversion of historical stereotypes through song and musical performance. The rise of female rappers in the musical mainstream, specifically within the last five years, has allowed women to claim both space and respect in a genre commonly dominated by male-identifying individuals. Nicki Minaj was at the forefront of this rap revolution, with Anaconda sending shockwaves around the musical industry in 2014.

While this track is incredibly divisive, with many believing that tracks such as these aid in the sexual fetishisation of the female body, I whole-heartedly agree with Vanessa Quilantan’s open letter to Chuck Creekmur (Quilantan, 2014) on the issue, in which she argues that songs like these are certainly a leap forward for anyone who believes a woman should be entitled to work her sexuality on her own terms. While this example is certainly polarising, the figure of the ‘female rapper’ is just one of the many examples of the inherently feminist subversion of gendered stereotypes in the music industry. We as listeners must work harder to recognise the role in which female rappers, and indeed other female-identifying artists play in expanding feminist music both as a genre and as a political statement.

This subversion of stereotypes extends beyond the mere final product of music. According to the 2021 USC’s Annenberg Inclusion initiative report, 86.1% of top executives at the top 70 music companies (both independent and commercial) are men (Smith et al., 2021, 1). This imbalance has led female-identifying artists to reclaim their identity in a more literal way: reclaiming their intellectual property. The most infamous and recent example of this is, of course, Taylor Swift, who, in 2019 announced that she would be re-recording six of her albums in reaction to her departure from Big Machine Records in 2018. This departure was almost exclusively due to Big Machine’s refusal to provide her with ownership of the masters of these six albums. Actions such as these not only allow artists to re-instate feminist intentions in their music (All Too Well (ten minute version) comes to mind) but also allows women within the industry, specifically composers and producers, to feel empowered to take ownership and autonomy over their extra-musical actions. In cases such as these, I firmly believe that actions speak (or sing!) louder than words; Swift’s approach has forced both consumers and industry professionals to consider what musical autonomy truly means, and how female performers can better claim ownership over their artistic output. 

Feminist music has  certainly evolved and grown in reaction to the changing position of women in the past thirty years. Whilst women still struggle to gain traction in space within the music industry, the actions of female-identifying artists, and their songs, laced with feminist ideologies, not only inspire other female creatives to seize autonomy, but empowers a wider audience outside of musical spaces to believe in both themselves and other female-identifying individuals.  

References

Quilantan, V. (2014, July 29). An Open Letter to the Dads of Hip-Hop: Stop Worrying About Nicki Minaj’s Ass. VICE. https://www.vice.com/en/article/ry8b76/nick-minaj-open-letter-response

Smith, S. L., Lee, C., Choueiti, M., Pieper, K., Moore, z., Dinh, D., & Tofan, a. (2021, June). Inclusion in the Music Buisness: Gender & Race/Ethnicity Across Executives, Artists & Talent Teams. USC Annenberg Inclusion Initative, 1(6), 1. https://assets.uscannenberg.org/docs/aii-inclusion-music-industry-2021-06-14.pdf

Smith, S. L., Pieper, K., Choueiti, M., Hernandez, K., & Yao, K. (2021, March). Inclusion in the Recording Studio? Gender and Race/Ethnicity of Artists, Songwriters & Producers across 900 Popular Songs from 2012-2020. USC Annenberg’s Inclusion Initiative, 1(5), 29. https://assets.uscannenberg.org/docs/aii-inclusion-recording-studio2021.pdf