Women Shut Out - Record Industry Remains A 'Boy's Club'

[DudeAsInCool]

...Women buy roughly half of all CDs sold, according to the Recording Industry Assn. of America, and most radio formats target women as their primary audience. Yet, according to the A&R Registry, a directory of professionals in the field, no woman runs the mainstream music A&R department at any major record label. Over the last decade, only two women have helmed A&R pop departments at major labels. The department is the heartbeat of any record company; these talent scouts discover and develop the acts that people hear on the radio and whose CDs they buy.

"If there were more women in decision-making positions, there would probably be more diverse sounds; [radio] would be a little more experimental," says Perry Watts-Russell, senior vice president of A&R for Warner Bros. Records. "If the A&R community were evenly divided, it's possible there would be more female artists signed that weren't necessarily the pure pop artists, that were more credible. I find it just as annoying and unacceptable that there are so few A&R women [as I do] that there are so few women in rock."

Read more at the LA Times

[cracklin' rosie]

It saddens me to read this article, but the content doesn't surprise me in the least. I had spent alot of years in music administration, and definitely found that the music industry is still very much a good ole'boys network. I had spent a many years working on diversity programs that would encourage women and minorities to move up within the ranks. We did find that one inhibiting factor for women is the time it would take away from their families and relationships, and for most of those women, it was too much of a sacrifice. When I first took office, I was one of two women who held the office of president in the US and Canada - out of an AFM membership of over 200,000 at the time. I vividly remember attending professional conferences, and being the only woman in the room. Many times, my remarks were not taken seriously. It took a couple of years, but eventually I proved that I knew what I was doing, and had become accepted and respected within the "boys club". Women most often do provide a different and interesting perspective, and they should be making their presence known in their industry.

I also found the comment about the lack of women in rock to be quite interesting. If you look back in music history, you'll find that there was a time when radio stations refused to play 2 recordings back to back of women artists, believing it would jeopardize their ratings. You'll also realize that women were never show headliners until the late 1970's and early 80's and that barrier was overcome by female country artists. The promoters felt "they wouldn't sell tickets". Women in rock had relatively little presence until the mid 80's and early 90's, and that barrier was being broken by artists such as Sinead O'Connor.

Knowing the industry fairly well, you won't see many women in A&R divisions, or any other part of the industry until they dedicate their time and ability by becoming more involved in their work!

[DudeAsInCool]

This is less true in the movie industry - the women seem to be more organized there. Sounds like you were a pioneer

[cracklin' rosie]

This is less true in the movie industry - the women seem to be more organized there. Sounds like you were a pioneer

Thanks Dude! Along with a great lady in professional music, Florence Nelson, we developed and co-chaired the Organization of Professional Women In Music in 1993. The response to this group was outstanding, and in 1997, we realized that we needed to be more inclusive in our undertaking when minorities came to us and expressed their unique issues to OPWIM. That's when I presented the concept of the AFM Diversity Council to former AFM President Steve Young who was fully supportive of the concept. I was named chairperson and it became a reality within a matter of 2 months time. I remained active until 2001 when a new administration came in and replaced many of us with their personal preferences. Yes, the industry can be very political, but I am pleased that the AFM Diversity Council still exists and continues to work for the betterment of a more diverse industry...including women! I may never make the history books...but it's nice to know that whatever small part I undertook might one day make a difference for someone else!

[DudeAsInCool]

You should post something in Wikipedia--being a founder should be noted for posterity. :)

[slum_goddess]

It saddens me to read this article, but the content doesn't surprise me in the least. ...

Knowing the industry fairly well, you won't see many women in A&R divisions, or any other part of the industry until they dedicate their time and ability by becoming more involved in their work!

more involved? lol, y'mean like being groupies? (ps, i totally agree w/what you said above).

[cracklin' rosie]

You should post something in Wikipedia--being a founder should be noted for posterity. :)

That's very kind of you...but I don't need the recognition. This was done because it was just the right thing to do!

[cracklin' rosie]

more involved? lol, y'mean like being groupies? (ps, i totally agree w/what you said above).

:D There are enough groupies out there!!! We need women who are dead serious about their work in professional music, not only as musicians, but actively working toward goals in the upper echelon!!!

[slum_goddess]

:D There are enough groupies out there!!! We need women who are dead serious about their work in professional music, not only as musicians, but actively working toward goals in the upper echelon!!!

i was kidding about the groupie thing, didn't mean you and yours (i was actually goofing on myself; i think i'm the oldest groupie EVuh). but i admire you for what you did and totally agree you should have a wiki---i'll betcha anything that many don't know about your work and who knows? you might inspire young chicks to actually DO something apart from competing to be the next paris *puke* hilton or britney or whatever sleazebag impresses young chicks these days.

ps, i worked for Grubman Indursky and Schindler ages ago...i think i saw maybe ONE female music attorney and one female rep up at their offices all that time and forget about all the meetings at CBS &c--it was like the boyz club. pissed me off and i'm not even a feminist.

[cracklin' rosie]

i was kidding about the groupie thing, didn't mean you and yours (i was actually goofing on myself; i think i'm the oldest groupie EVuh). but i admire you for what you did and totally agree you should have a wiki---i'll betcha anything that many don't know about your work and who knows? you might inspire young chicks to actually DO something apart from competing to be the next paris *puke* hilton or britney or whatever sleazebag impresses young chicks these days.

ps, i worked for Grubman Indursky and Schindler ages ago...i think i saw maybe ONE female music attorney and one female rep up at their offices all that time and forget about all the meetings at CBS &c--it was like the boyz club. pissed me off and i'm not even a feminist.

Hey...I didn't take offense! I was just joking back with you about groupies and that we have more value than just being a groupie...or a performer. LOL At one time I did some consulting work for a music performance trust fund in NYC. The gentleman who hired me was retired from CBS and was a great man to work for! You are right about female music attorneys...still don't see too many females in that field. Damn...wish I was younger! Unfortunately, there are too many young musicians out there who believe they're going to be the next star, and it just doesn't happen as easily as they think it does. When you consider the number of band out there and how many are signed....there just aren't alot. And they don't realize it's the artist who rakes in the really big bucks...not the members in the band! I've heard so many horror stories from guys who backed up the headliners...and didn't get paid...and had no pension, health care or any other benefits paid on their behalf. Pretty sad really. And that begins another whole story! LOL And by the way....sure can understand your being pissed off. Being a feminist won't get you anywhere....except on the "bitch list"! It's all about what you know!

[DudeAsInCool]

That's very kind of you...but I don't need the recognition. This was done because it was just the right thing to do!

Do it before someone else undeserving takes the credit. It was the right thing to do, and the right thing to do needs praised in print

[slum_goddess]

And by the way....sure can understand your being pissed off. Being a feminist won't get you anywhere....except on the "bitch list"! It's all about what you know!

exactly. ps, i totally agree w/Dude's comment above. HINT! :)

[cracklin' rosie]

exactly. ps, i totally agree w/Dude's comment above. HINT! :)

Okayyyyyyyy....I'll give it some thought.

[slum_goddess]

pretend you're writing about someone else...if i knew you better, i'd totally do it (cos you're worth it, what you did/do) but i can't understand shit these days. (this is NOT a complaint, btw). i'm happy not understanding stuff, even the blatantly basic.