Hetrick 1

From Punk-Rockers to Pop-Stars: Women’s Evolving Roles In The Music Industry

Turn on the radio today and you might hear the powerful vocals of Ariana Grande singing

“God Is A Woman.” The strong claims and sexual lyrics in Grande’s song are representative of a

musical scene that has greatly shifted over the past several decades. Over time, women have in-

creasingly made waves in the music scene, defying social trends and setting new ones as they go.

It is important to take note of the changes that female artists have made in music because these

changes are part of the larger movement to create social equality and rights for females. From the

1960s and 70s, when women started writing their own songs and leading their own bands,

women have continued to alter the expectations and roles of female artists up until today where

they have the power to control their sexuality while still being successful and powerful. The evo-

lution of women’s roles in the music industry reflects the way that women have worked hard to

control their music and perception as well as gain respect as individuals.

THE 1960S AND 70S

In the 1960s and 70s, the music industry saw an increase in powerful female musicians. These

female musicians took the lead from icons such as Janis Joplin and paved their own way to be-

come major musical influencers. One way they did so was by writing their own songs. Artists

like Joni Mitchell and Stevie Nicks who wrote and co-wrote their own music were better able to

speak their minds, reach their audiences authentically, and remain in control of their reputations.

The lyrics female artists wrote in the 60s and 70s reflect the changing social norms of the time

period. In her 1975 song, “Gloria: In Excelsis Deo,” Patti Smith reimagined social roles through

her narrative of a woman who gained control over a man through seduction. The songs female

artists wrote about powerful and sexual women are representative of the changing perception of
 Hetrick 2

females. From their traditional roles as delicate and loving, women in the 60s and 70s adopted

stronger, more independent attitudes.

Dolly Parton, the country star, is a great example of a strong-willed woman in the indus-

try at this time. She was a fierce business woman and acted as her own advocate. After her song

“I Will Always Love You” became a country music hit in 1974, she was approached by Elvis

Presley who wanted to record his own version of the song. While Dolly had initially agreed, she

was forced to change her answer after Elvis’s manager demanded half of the publishing rights.

As upset as she was to turn down Elvis, Parton held strong to her beliefs, as well as her business

sense (Gibbs & Bryer). It seems safe to assume that Elvis was rarely, if ever, turned down by the

songwriters of his day. This makes Parton’s denial a truly inspiring act of a strong business

woman. Additionally, Parton’s control over her career was a stark contrast to women of earlier

decades who were manipulated and taken advantage of by their producers.

Another way that women changed their roles in the music industry was by shifting their

position into the spotlight and in front of men. The 60s and 70s were one of the first times that

women were able to lead their own bands. While women such as Patti Smith and Debbie Harry

are known as strong females leads, they faced adversity throughout their careers. Smith wrote in

her memoir Just Kids, “almost to a man, none of them warmed up to the idea of a girl being the

leader [of a band]” (Smith 244). Debbie Harry of Blondie echoed a similar statement saying,

“There was a lot of resistance, and most people really didn't take the girls very seriously” (Har-

rington). Chris Stein, the guitarist from Blondie, stated in a recent interview, “Debbie had her

own style and it made men nervous. The same people cheering Mick Jagger and Iggy Pop could

be very critical of Debbie’s overt sexuality” (McCormick). By pushing boundaries and changing
 Hetrick 3

ideas about what was acceptable for women in this time, the female artists of the 60s and 70s

greatly impacted the freedoms of later musicians.

THE 1980S


In August of 1981, the first American cable music channel Music Television was created

(O’Brien 221). MTV played an important role in the music industry of the 80s and led to a whole

new form of artistry. The music video allowed female artists to portray themselves in new ways.

Instead of being confined to their album covers, women could now film videos that helped to

convey and deepen the messages of their songs. They were also able to create their images

through their videos. Female rockers such as Joan Jett and Pat Benatar developed tough and re-

bellious personalities. In her 1983 video for “Love Is A Battlefield,” Benatar was fierce as she

led a revolt of female taxi dancers against a pimp.

One female artist who used the music video to her advantage is Madonna. With a back-

ground in dance and a deep connection to the street artists of the day, the music video was a nat-

ural platform for her self-expression. Madonna set standards for music videos for both men and

women. By teaming up with well respected artists and photographers, she turned music videos

into an art form. At the forefront of the music video scene, Madonna continuously pushed

boundaries with her videos. Her 1984 video for “Like a Virgin” was perceived as outrageous as

she sang about virginity, donning a white wedding dress, while insinuating through her sexual

dancing that she was not, in fact, remotely close to virginal. Some of Madonna’s most successful

videos, such as those for “Papa Don’t Preach” and “Like a Prayer,” were successful because they

brought social issues like teen pregnancy, racism, and religion into the open in an artistic way

that was meant to provoke viewers.

 Hetrick 4

THE 1990S

In the 1990s, women continued to impact the music industry in a decade of female empower-

ment. Women in the 90s, following female artists from past decades, sang powerful lyrics that

were intended to relate to other women and give them strength. The band Bikini Kill embodied

the Riot Grrrl movement and performed songs about rape, assault, abuse, and fought to bring

awareness and change to the treatment of women. Their song “Rebel Girl,” released in 1993, be-

came an anthem for female youth who were struggling and frustrated with social attitudes. At the

same time that Bikini Kill controlled the powerful messages in their songs, they took control of

the scene at their concerts. During their concerts, Bikini Kill would yell for girls to come to the

front, making it a safe space where girls could enjoy concerts without having to fear injury from

testosterone-frenzied mosh pits.

In addition to punk bands like Bikini Kill, female empowerment was seen in girl groups

such as The Spice Girls. The Spice Girls proved that women could deliver strong messages, even

through bubblegum pop songs. The songs and the group itself were a great model of friendship

and girl power. They were sassy and fun, each had their individual styles, and yet they could ac-

complish anything together. Outside of pop, there were other girl groups in the hip-hop and R&B

scene that empowered women. In 1999, TLC sang “No Scrubs” as a message to women that,

with their financial independence, they had a choice about what kind of man to let into their

lives. Destiny’s Child expressed a similar message in their 1999 song, “Bills, Bills, Bills.” These

girl groups and artists of the 90s were so powerful because they were able to directly target

women with their music, instead of having to cater to men as well.

 Hetrick 5

Another revolution that occurred in the 90s in regards to women’s roles in music was the

Lilith Fair. Sarah McLachlan started the Lilith Fair in 1997 as an all-female touring festival. The

Lilith Fair was groundbreaking because it disproved the common notion that two female artists

couldn’t play back to back on the radio or in a concert performance. The success of the Lilith

Fair changed the way that female musicians were represented on the radio and proved that two

women could, in fact, be on the bill (Kaufman).

THE 2000S

Even with all of the progress that female musicians of past decades made to gain equality and

respect in music, women in the 2000s have still found ways to effectively make changes in the

industry. Female musicians of the 2000s have finally been able to take control of all aspects of

the industry, from the creative process to the business side. In 2014, Taylor Swift boldly pulled

all of her music from the streaming service Spotify to make a statement that artist’s work is valu-

able and that artists should receive payment that reflects the value of their music (Swift). Taylor

Swift was standing up not only for herself as an artist, but for others who may not have had as

strong of a voice. The fact that Taylor Swift was able to make such a powerful move while still

maintaining her fame and success is impressive when reflecting on the music industry in the past.

Artists such as Beyoncé have shown that it’s possible for musicians to be vulnerable

while still holding respect. In April of 2016, Beyoncé released Lemonade, a monumental visual

album. In Lemonade, Beyoncé championed issues of inequality, regarding both race and sex. She

spoke honestly and openly about her personal struggles. She divulged details of her husband’s

affair, and her own deep emotions and journey towards healing. Even though she showed the

world that she was flawed, she didn’t lose respect and, if anything, gained it. Beyoncé’s brave
 Hetrick 6

move to open-up shows that female artists have gained respect as persons and are no longer only

appreciated for their voices and bodies.

While many female artists have attempted to become more ‘transparent’ to their fans,

artists like Sia prove that, at the same time, women today have the choice to be valued for just

their music alone. To retain a somewhat normal life through her stardom, Sia has gone to great

lengths to protect her identity. At public events and performances, she wears giant wigs to cover

her face. By removing her image from her music, Sia has taken away the aspect of sexualization

that often occurs in the music industry. Instead of being judged based on her body image and

looks, Sia’s work is judged solely on sound.

CONCLUSION

Reflecting back to the 1960s and 70s from today’s perspective, it is clear that women have made

continued efforts to change the social norms in the music industry and to gain control over their

careers and respect as musicians. This exploration of women’s roles in the music industry re-

vealed the inequalities and challenges that women have overcome as musicians. It has also called

for the recognition of the many ways that women have helped to shape the music industry. As

time goes on, it would be reasonable to assume that women’s roles in the music industry will

continue to reflect and impact the social arrangements of society. Female musicians started kick-

ing down doors in the music industry in the 60s and 70s and, at the rate they’ve been going, they

don’t show any signs of slowing down soon.

 Hetrick 7

Works Cited

Gibbs, Alexandra, and Tania Bryer. “Dolly Parton: The time I turned down Elvis.” CNBC, 2 June

2016, www.cnbc.com/2016/06/01/dolly-parton-the-time-i-turned- down-elvis-pres-

ley.html.

Harrington, Richard. “Still Blondie, One Way or Another.” The Washington Post, 7 May 2004,

www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2004/05/07/still-blondie-one-way-or-another/

dfb4d5e0-42de-4d43-bb52-7264b8ce02df/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.96625ebdaa80.

Kaufman, Gil. “Lilith Fair at 20: Sarah McLachlan & Co-Founders Look Back on the All-Female

Festival That Smashed Touring's Glass Ceiling.” Billboard, 5 July 2017, www.billboard.-

com/articles/columns/music-festivals/7849320/lilith-fair-oral-history-sarah-mclachlan-

anniversary.

McCormick, Neil. “'I Don't Know If We Recognised the Feminist Aspects of Blondie at the

Time'- Chris Stein and Debbie Harry Talk Life in the Band.” Independent.ie, Irish Inde-

pendent, 6 May 2017, www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/i-dont-know-if-we-

recognised-the-feminist-aspects-of-blondie-at-the-time-chris-stein-and-debbie-harry-talk-

life-in-the-band-35681186.html.

O'Brien, Lucy. She Bop II: the Definitive History of Women in Rock, Pop and Soul. 2nd ed.,

Continuum, 2002.

Smith, Patti. Just Kids. HarperCollins, 2010.

Swift, Taylor. “For Taylor Swift, the Future of Music Is a Love Story.” The Wall Street Journal,

Dow Jones & Company, 7 July 2014, www.wsj.com/articles/for-taylor-swift-the-future-

of-music-is-a-love-story-1404763219.