Stacy L. Smith, associate professor at the Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism and lead author of the study, cautiously welcomed the findings. While the latest numbers have increased, she noted, women still represent an average of only about 23 percent of performer credits on all songs surveyed since 2012 (some years that figure has been as low as 17 percent ).
“For the second year in a row, the percentage of female artists on the popular charts has increased,” Dr. Smith said in a statement. “This is a notable milestone and worthy of celebration. However, it is still important to recognize that there is room to grow. “Women occupied less than a quarter of artistic roles in the 12 years examined, and these figures are still far from representing 50 percent of women in the population and music audience.”
In some ways, the study, which received funding from Spotify, reflects a banner year for women in pop music. Artists like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and SZA dominated the charts and media, and Greta Gerwig's film “Barbie” became a pop culture touchstone with a hit-filled soundtrack that hit No. 2.
At the 66th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, female artists dominate the nominations in major categories. SZA leads with nine nominations and will face almost all-female competition, including Swift, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey and the band boygenius. (Only one man, Jon Batiste, was nominated as a performer in the three most prestigious categories of album, record and song of the year.)
Among the study's other findings, the growth in women's songwriting credits last year was “almost exclusively due” to an increase in the number of songwriters who are women of color: 55 people in 2023, up from 33 the year before. and 14 in 2012. These included SZA, Beyoncé, PinkPantheress and Ice Spice.
