USC Annenberg, a leading academic institution for communication and journalism, has released its fifth annual report on the state of gender and racial diversity in the music industry. The report, which was published on January 20, 2024, analyzed the 800 most popular songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart from 2012 to 2023, as well as the Grammy nominations for Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Producer of the Year, and Best New Artist from 2013 to 2024.
The report, which was conducted by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, led by Dr. Stacy L. Smith, revealed some signs of improvement for female artists, producers and songwriters, as well as some persistent gaps and challenges. Here are some of the key findings of the report:
- The percentage of female artists credited on the Billboard Hot 100 songs increased from 22.5% in 2019 to 28.1% in 2023, reaching the highest level since 2012. However, this still means that there were 2.6 male artists for every female artist on the chart.
- The percentage of female songwriters credited on the Billboard Hot 100 songs increased from 14.4% in 2019 to 19.8% in 2023, reaching the highest level since 2012. However, this still means that there were 4.1 male songwriters for every female songwriter on the chart.
- The percentage of female producers credited on the Billboard Hot 100 songs increased from 2.6% in 2019 to 5.8% in 2023, reaching the highest level since 2012. However, this still means that there were 16.3 male producers for every female producer on the chart.
- The percentage of female Grammy nominees for the five major categories increased from 20.7% in 2019 to 28.6% in 2024, reaching the highest level since 2013. However, this still means that there were 2.5 male nominees for every female nominee in these categories.
- The percentage of female Grammy winners for the five major categories increased from 10.4% in 2019 to 24% in 2024, reaching the highest level since 2013. However, this still means that there were 3.2 male winners for every female winner in these categories.
The report also highlighted the racial diversity of the music industry, and found that:
- The percentage of artists of color credited on the Billboard Hot 100 songs increased from 56.4% in 2019 to 60.5% in 2023, reaching the highest level since 2012. However, this still means that there were 1.5 white artists for every artist of color on the chart.
- The percentage of songwriters of color credited on the Billboard Hot 100 songs increased from 40.2% in 2019 to 44.8% in 2023, reaching the highest level since 2012. However, this still means that there were 1.2 white songwriters for every songwriter of color on the chart.
- The percentage of producers of color credited on the Billboard Hot 100 songs increased from 37.8% in 2019 to 41.3% in 2023, reaching the highest level since 2012. However, this still means that there were 1.4 white producers for every producer of color on the chart.
- The percentage of Grammy nominees of color for the five major categories increased from 52.2% in 2019 to 58.6% in 2024, reaching the highest level since 2013. However, this still means that there were 0.7 white nominees for every nominee of color in these categories.
- The percentage of Grammy winners of color for the five major categories increased from 37.5% in 2019 to 52% in 2024, reaching the highest level since 2013. However, this still means that there were 0.9 white winners for every winner of color in these categories.
The report concluded that the music industry has made some progress in terms of gender and racial diversity, but there is still a long way to go to achieve parity and inclusion. The report also offered some recommendations and solutions, such as:
- Creating more opportunities and mentorship programs for female and underrepresented artists, producers and songwriters, especially in genres that are dominated by men, such as rock, country, and hip-hop.
- Increasing the visibility and recognition of female and underrepresented artists, producers and songwriters, by featuring them more in media, playlists, festivals, and awards shows.
- Challenging the stereotypes and biases that limit the creative expression and potential of female and underrepresented artists, producers and songwriters, by celebrating their diversity and uniqueness.
- Supporting the research and advocacy efforts of organizations and initiatives that aim to improve the representation and inclusion of female and underrepresented artists, producers and songwriters, such as the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, Women in Music, She Is The Music, and SoundGirls.
The USC Annenberg’s annual music report is a valuable and comprehensive resource that provides insights and data on the state of the music industry, as well as a call for action and change. The report is also a source of inspiration and motivation for female and underrepresented artists, producers and songwriters, who are making their mark and breaking barriers in the music world.