Music Jack White says music industry is sexist

[flyingsnail]

I would reply to your post but it is ridiculous and I have a headache.

Oh but you did reply....but instead of responding to the content you made a derisive comment.

 

[Clueless Git]

That is a good analogy, CG, which was why I wasn't giving the music industry a pass for marketing specifically to a sexist customer base. Just like I don't give factory farming food corporations a pass for marketing meat to their customer base.

Understood and agreed.

It was JW's clever sleight of hand in "look at us, NOT at yourselves" that hooked my interest, btw.

There is an instinctive reaction in people always to make the cause of a problem something so vague and indefinable that actualy dealing with the cause of the problem would be like trying to catch smoke in a net.

My personal favourite is when clown paint faced high heel totterering self objectifiers try to dump the problem of their objectification at the feet of nothing less vague and ubiquitous than simply 'white male'.

 

[Clueless Git]

It is music though. I dont listen to it to be turned on at all. I listen to it because it entertains, soothes, inspires.

No one listens to music that turns them off.

I would reply to your post but it is ridiculous and I have a headache.

This is going to be the world's longest ever headache would be my bet.

 

[Freesia]

Oh but you did reply....but instead of responding to the content you made a derisive comment.

Yeah, that's true.

 

[Freesia]

No one listens to music that turns them off.

you seem to be confusing music with porn.

 

[Clueless Git]

you seem to be confusing music with porn.

I would reply to your post but it is ridiculous and I have a headache.

It's going to be the second longest headache in the world.

 

[Ann Chovie]

you seem to be confusing music with porn.

Easily done these days..

Hard to determine which is porn with second rate back ground music..

and which is second rate music using second rate porn to disguise that fact

 

[ledboots]

I think music videos completely screwed the musical pooch for women.

 

[Dedalus]

men are more concerned with physical appearance where as women are more concerned with displays of dominance.

Is this your opinion or do you have a source for this information?

the general question is whether women's success in pop music depends more on factors unrelated to their musical talent than men. I see no reason to believe that is the case.

There are multiple factors in addition to talent.

 

[Dedalus]

Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson, Adele, and Alicia Keys are some of the many females in music that wouldn't be considered sexy,

Say what?

Mods - where is the dislike button?

 

[Freesia]

I would reply to your post but it is ridiculous and I have a headache.

It's going to be the second longest headache in the world.

Seems like a record level short headache to me.

 

[Cerebellion]

I think that the music business is about 75 percent image and 25 percent talent. I mean, if an 'ugly' person is an exceptional talent, a studio will spend the money to remake the image into whatever they see as accepting. On the other hand, if a 'beautiful' person has the image they're looking for, you can manufacture the talent through Pro Tools or Autotunes.
In heavy metal, though, if a person is considered too good looking, a studio might try to grit them up a little bit as the metal fanbase is very loathe to accept 'beautiful' people in their scene. That being said, I think the fans ultimately decide what image the studios give us. If they take a chance on someone not of the traditional image and it doesn't sell, anyone not of the traditional image has a snowball's chance in hell of getting a deal. Is it sexist? Yes, against all genders. It reinforces negative stereotypes and sends the message that you have to look a certain way to make it, no matter what your talent level is.

I'm going to admit my own biases here. Listening to primarily heavy metal, I have a hard time accepting it from good-looking musicians. If it's dirty, ugly music, part of me wants dirty ugly people to be playing it. I work against that bias in myself (since I hardly ever look at the musicians playing it), but being in a scene as ornery as metal makes it a difficult, uphill battle. More so, when you're fighting yourself most of all.

 

[beancounter]

Looks or talent don't matter. All that matters in sentience.

 

[Freesia]

^That is why there are no bacterial rock bands.

 

[Cerebellion]

I don't know, the Germs might fit that bill.

 

[flyingsnail]

Is this your opinion or do you have a source for this information?

My claim is based on behavioral ecology and the situation I described is pretty typical for primates. Human mating strategies can be analyzed just like any other animal.....even though humans think they are beyond their nature. I can give you source if you're truly interested.

The appreciation for music in humans, like other animals, likely evolved for mating purposes in the first place so the fact that music today involves a good deal of sexuality shouldn't be surprising.

There are multiple factors in addition to talent.

Right and that applies to both men and women, so why is it sexist when a woman's success in pop music relies on factors unrelated to her musical talent?

 

[flyingsnail]

In heavy metal, though, if a person is considered too good looking, a studio might try to grit them up a little bit as the metal fanbase is very loathe to accept 'beautiful' people in their scene.

Attraction for men isn't as aligned with "good looks" as it is for women and heavy metal is probably the most male dominated music genre so most listeners are going to be men themselves. Heavy is all about alpha male behavior.

 

[Cerebellion]

I don't know if I completely buy that definition of heavy. Heavy metal is about catharsis, a place where strong feelings are expressed in a forceful style. It's a sort of sanctuary where you're allowed to be angry, scream and yell, and be aggressive, since you can't really do all those things in your day to day life. I wouldn't call that behavior masculine or feminine, just human.

 

[Freesia]

Oh yay. Lets reduce everything that people do down to the very questionable "behavioural ecology."

 

[Freesia]

I always am very selective while looking for a date. Usually I like an alpha male so I make sure he has at least 60% body hair coverage, including shoulders. Less than that, no date. I also look for a male who listens to heavy metal as it shows he has more alpha aggression than a man who listens to classical or world music, who I would not date at all.

I also require an income of over $70,000 per year, otherwise they will not be attractive to me. And they must drive a car at least 3 sizes too big for them as a further demonstration of their masculinity.

When I have a pool of eligible mates to choose from- because lets face it, women have all the advantages in this male-disadvantaged world- I will make them perform arm wrestling matches with each other and a few rounds of boxing.

The overall strongest I will date and perhaps marry, if I can restrain my primitive feminine drive towards constantly looking for a richer, stronger mate.