Music Jack White says music industry is sexist

[rainforests1]

Jack White: 'The music industry is sexist'

 

[Dedalus]

Jack White: 'The music industry is sexist'

I believe he is correct.

 

[Amy SF]

Yes, I agree.

 

[Clueless Git]

Bollox, is it.

The music industry simply grabs whatever sells with both hands and steers shy of what stays on the shelves.

To whatever degree the music industry is sexist is entirely customer driven.

I.e. Whichever out of male/female/black/white/short/tall/fat/thin musicians music buyers see as less worth taking a chance on the music industry must give less chances to too.

There's a word for any business that does not accurately tailor it's products to meet what it's customers demand.

That word is 'bust'.

Talking of busts, music buyers seem to like attractive singers with big ones. Can it be entirely coincidental that the music industry likes attractive singers with big busts too?

 

[Spang]

This is not a shocking revelation. We live in a patriarchal society, so naturally its music industry is sexist.

 

[Blobbenstein]

Bollox, is it.

I sort of agree with your post, but I don't think businesses always make the best decisions, even regarding what is profitable....they are still run by humans, who can have limited views on how things should be done.

 

[Clueless Git]

This is not a shocking revelation. We live in a patriarchal society, so naturally its music industry is sexist.

Too right Sister!

The first step to smashing the patriarchy will be to reduce the ridiculous choice of ridiculous wimmins shoes down to the same levels of sensible(ish) shoes that we make available to men.

Either that or make it compulsory for blokes that wear sensible(ish) shoes to totter through life on their toes.

 

[Clueless Git]

I sort of agree with your post, but I don't think businesses always make the best decisions, even regarding what is profitable....they are still run by humans, who can have limited views on how things should be done.

In business decisions don't have to be perfect though, Blobbers.

The ones that simply make better decisions than their competitors make the most dosh though and in business it's only who makes the most dosh that counts.

 

[Blobbenstein]

but if they all have the same perspective, and make the same mistakes then it wouldn't affect their competitiveness with their rivals.

I think there is less demand for female musicians, but maybe there is more demand than is being catered for.

 

[rainforests1]

This is not a shocking revelation. We live in a patriarchal society, so naturally its music industry is sexist.

Yet breast cancer gets far more attention than prostate cancer. At least where I live. My brother says just the opposite that you're saying.

 

[ledboots]

but if they all have the same perspective, and make the same mistakes then it wouldn't affect their competitiveness with their rivals.

I think there is less demand for female musicians, but maybe there is more demand than is being catered for.

I agree with this.

 

[Spang]

Yet breast cancer gets far more attention than prostate cancer. At least where I live. My brother says just the opposite that you're saying.

Let's hear from a woman:

Firstly, [women have] laid some pretty great groundwork for you, talking about our diseased breasts in public for the last 80 years. And consider the statistics; if you want airtime, you can have it. 74% of journalists are men. 90% of televised sport focuses on men. Women have been trying, and failing, to share some of that stage for years. So speak up boys. The world will listen; it always does, to you.

 

[Clueless Git]

but if they all have the same perspective, and make the same mistakes then it wouldn't affect their competitiveness with their rivals.

The mere fact that the music industry works on a strictly 'one label may have multiple artistes but no artiste may have multiple labels' basis precludes that.

I think there is less demand for female musicians, but maybe there is more demand than is being catered for.

There is no limit to the level of demand than any individual/group/genre/gender/whatever recording artiste(s) can supply.

If 90% of demand was for female musicians and there were only one female musician in the world there is no obstacle to that one female musician accounting for 90% of global music sales.

 

[Clueless Git]

I agree with this.

If iTunes ever has insufficient stock to meet demand you'll be right to agree.

If iTunes never has insufficient stock to meet demand you'll be wrong.

 

[Quiet Vegan]

Yet breast cancer gets far more attention than prostate cancer. At least where I live. My brother says just the opposite that you're saying.

Men also get breast cancer though it's rare - approx 350 men in the UK last year. I've yet to meet a woman who has had prostate cancer.

" 49,936 women and 349 men in the UK were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2011.
There were 11,643 female and 73 male deaths from invasive breast cancer in the UK in 2012."

There is increasing focus and awareness on testicular and prostate cancer, here in the UK at least. Plenty of campaigns that have been/are being run. Funnily enough this one relied on a sexy female to push the message hmmmm .....

NSFW alert

Lingerie Model Grows a Pair for Testicular Cancer (NSFW) | Adweek

 

[Dedalus]

The music industry simply grabs whatever sells with both hands and steers shy of what stays on the shelves.

To whatever degree the music industry is sexist is entirely customer driven.

A very large percentage of the consumers of music make their purchases based on what is put in front of them. Sadly, most people don't have the time or desire to seek out artists beyond the spectrum of the marketing blitz that's up in their faces - on TV, radio etc. Marketing and exposure (literally) play a key role in generating sales. You don't actually believe that just because you're a great songwriter you're going to be noticed do you? And sex sells - so these days, unless you're twerking - you can take a backseat to the mainstream.

To illustrate my point - Sinead O' Connor, a brilliant artist, has never let the music industry objectify her. She has a new record out. Have you heard it on the radio? NOPE. Have you seen her on TV? NOPE. Is she invited to any of the music awards shows? NOPE. Perhaps one has nothing to do with the other I find it compelling that Sinead makes music on HER terms, not her record labels.

 

[Clueless Git]

A very large percentage of the consumers of music make their purchases based on what is put in front of them.

The chances that stuff that would sell in volume is deliberately withheld from consumers are about what, would you think?

Perhaps one has nothing to do with the other I find it compelling that Sinead makes music on HER terms, not her record labels.

I would suspect that if Sinead is making herself niche, as opposed to mass, marketable that those things are definitely linked.

 

[flyingsnail]

I sort of agree with your post, but I don't think businesses always make the best decisions, even regarding what is profitable....they are still run by humans, who can have limited views on how things should be done.

Yes, business executives often do stupid things and the most successful business in an industry at some given point isn't necessarily the best run, etc business. Success in business involves a lot more happenstance and, well, less than honest means than most people realize.

In any case, the music industry manufactures demand just as much as it caters to consumer demand. I'm not sure in what sense the music industry is sexist beyond most music executives being men. But you could say the same of any industry.

 

[Dedalus]

The chances that stuff that would sell in volume is deliberately withheld from consumers are about what, would you think?

Are you of the opinion there are no musicians worthy of a record contract and associated promotion that aren't already signed?

I would suspect that if Sinead is making herself niche, as opposed to mass, marketable that those things are definitely linked.

Name one musician that says they make unoriginal music in order to appeal to a mass audience.

 

[Clueless Git]

Are you of the opinion there are no musicians worthy of a record contract and associated promotion that aren't already signed?

The only worthiness for a recording contract is the quantity of people likely to buy your stuff.

Name one musician that says they make unoriginal music in order to appeal to a mass audience.

Name me one mass selling but totaly crap laundry detergent that doesn't say it washes whiter than the rest?

The masses are morons is all I'm really trying to say.