Although there doesn’t seem to be any shortage of female artists pressing their way into the music industry, as soon as you move along the chain to look at songwriters, the picture changes to show a more testosterone filled image.
In January this year, PRS for Music noted that 12% of its writer members are women, a fall of 2% from August 2010. Incidentally, only 12% of The Guardian newspaper’s Top 100 Most Influential People in British Music list are women and, of that 12%, less than a third are artists or songwriters, with the majority being broadcasters.
In January this year, PRS for Music noted that 12% of its writer members are women, a fall of 2% from August 2010. Incidentally, only 12% of The Guardian newspaper’s Top 100 Most Influential People in British Music list are women and, of that 12%, less than a third are artists or songwriters, with the majority being broadcasters.
There are real barriers that restrict women in the British music industry, and the more we look at this debate the more we uncover.
Whether it is the perception that old in-built prejudices, which make women more likely to be given roles in PR, broadcasting and media instead of high level directorships, still remain strong, it is clear that barriers are certainly there.
Caroline Robertson, founder of independent publishing company Westbury Music, would always go the extra mile in encouraging, signing and developing female writers, and says that ‘music is a creative art and there is no reason why men and women should not be equally creative however, we can only deal with what is out there and for the most part they are all men’. This is clearly reflected in Westbury’s 2010 top 100 earners list, which shows that only 5% are women.
Like many before me, I believe we need to take some affirmative actions. The Alliance for Diversity in Music and Media is currently working with UK Music on a diversity charter for the British music industry; perhaps such a charter will help to change attitudes and mindsets, but only if there is an active campaign to practically bring about the necessary change.
PRS for Music Foundation, for example, launched a special call to arms through its Women Make Music grants opportunity in April of this year and I also like what Kate Nash is doing with her national scheme, which she launched back in March to encourage more girls to get into songwriting.
Kate, like myself, believes that the preconception of women as performers only takes away from our perceived ability to write songs. Similarly, the Association of Independent Music held an open meeting in 2008 to encourage women to stand for committees and boards. Until then, the body only ever had two women on its board and, because of that call for change, today it has six.
From my own experience, it is clear to see that women are shockingly underrepresented in the higher echelons of this industry. I am the first female Deputy Chairman of PRS and I am also a director of a successful independent publishing company. I have been sitting on the board of the MPA for seven years, alongside many other board level music industry appointments. However, if I go into new circles within the music industry, I am still asked if I am a singer or someone’s partner. Something has to change.
Paulette Long is PRS Deputy Chairman, Publisher. She has worked in the music industry since 1984, in public relations, publishing and artist management amongst other areas.
In 2004 Paulette was elected to the board of directors at the Music Publishers Association (MPA) and a year later, became a trustee for the PRS for Music Foundation. She is a director at Westbury Music Ltd an independent music publishing company, Urban Voice, a voluntary non-profit organisation focused on the creative development of youngsters, ADMM (the Alliance for Diversity in Music and Media), and is the Chair for Urban Development, a one stop shop for East London’s new urban music talent.
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Whether it is the perception that old in-built prejudices, which make women more likely to be given roles in PR, broadcasting and media instead of high level directorships, still remain strong, it is clear that barriers are certainly there.
Caroline Robertson, founder of independent publishing company Westbury Music, would always go the extra mile in encouraging, signing and developing female writers, and says that ‘music is a creative art and there is no reason why men and women should not be equally creative however, we can only deal with what is out there and for the most part they are all men’. This is clearly reflected in Westbury’s 2010 top 100 earners list, which shows that only 5% are women.
Like many before me, I believe we need to take some affirmative actions. The Alliance for Diversity in Music and Media is currently working with UK Music on a diversity charter for the British music industry; perhaps such a charter will help to change attitudes and mindsets, but only if there is an active campaign to practically bring about the necessary change.
PRS for Music Foundation, for example, launched a special call to arms through its Women Make Music grants opportunity in April of this year and I also like what Kate Nash is doing with her national scheme, which she launched back in March to encourage more girls to get into songwriting.
Kate, like myself, believes that the preconception of women as performers only takes away from our perceived ability to write songs. Similarly, the Association of Independent Music held an open meeting in 2008 to encourage women to stand for committees and boards. Until then, the body only ever had two women on its board and, because of that call for change, today it has six.
From my own experience, it is clear to see that women are shockingly underrepresented in the higher echelons of this industry. I am the first female Deputy Chairman of PRS and I am also a director of a successful independent publishing company. I have been sitting on the board of the MPA for seven years, alongside many other board level music industry appointments. However, if I go into new circles within the music industry, I am still asked if I am a singer or someone’s partner. Something has to change.
Paulette Long is PRS Deputy Chairman, Publisher. She has worked in the music industry since 1984, in public relations, publishing and artist management amongst other areas.
In 2004 Paulette was elected to the board of directors at the Music Publishers Association (MPA) and a year later, became a trustee for the PRS for Music Foundation. She is a director at Westbury Music Ltd an independent music publishing company, Urban Voice, a voluntary non-profit organisation focused on the creative development of youngsters, ADMM (the Alliance for Diversity in Music and Media), and is the Chair for Urban Development, a one stop shop for East London’s new urban music talent.
What you think of Paulette's comments? Leave your opinion below.
Got something to say? Make your voice heard! Open Mic is a space for our members and readers to raise a subject for discussion. We reserve the right to edit and select submissions before publishing.
Send your story and photos to magazine@prsformusic.com with the subject ‘Open Mic ‘
