The parade of naysayers notwithstanding, I think you're right.
More men make music than women. Composers tend to be male. Instrumentalists too, except in one special category: orchestral string players. Producers,
sound engineers, instrument builders and just about everyone else connected with music are predominantly male. The only job in music where women are
well represented is the one you've all been talking about: vocalist (and, sometimes, lyricist).
Men listen to more music than women do, too. At any rate, they buy more of it, and it seems to me that men tend to take a deeper technical interest in
the music they listen to than women — even woman musicians — do.
This male dominance explains, I think, why men outnumber women in most people's music collections (even women's). Some may see it as a feminist
issue. I think music was originally something men invented to appeal to and seduce women, so it's hardly surprising that men tend to dominate the
art. Actually, I believe this is true of art in general.
As for why men tend not to listen to female pop singers, I think it's because women write and sing songs with lyrics that appeal to other women, and
not so much to men. A lot of the time, their songs dissect personal feelings and relationships — unsatisfactory ones, for which the men involved
usually get the blame. Men aren't usually very interested in hearing that kind of thing. When men sing about 'love', it's usually sexual yearning
they're talking about.
Female singers and songwriters who go beyond you-said-I-said-she-said to write and sing about subjects of general interest (sex, fun, work, war,
politics, money, etc, etc) do appeal to men. Some of them, like Patti Smith, Kate Bush or P.J. Harvey, probably have more male than female
listeners.
I think the difference is best exemplified by this lady, who has quite a large male
following. Other female performers change costumes between songs; she just changes instruments.
Fan Note: the guy she bows to at the start of the video is Albert Lee, a brilliant English guitarist who is renowned (according to someone I
know who toured with him recently) for having 'a girl in every port', so to speak. Watch the way he ogles the star right through the song and...
draw your own filthy conclusions.
Snsoc
One of the enduring mysteries I’ve encountered in my life is the phenomenon of why men don’t take female rock and pop musicians
seriously.
I'd have to agree with others here in that talented female musicians are taken seriously, but prepacked pop princesses marketed towards tweens
(Miley, Swift, Britney, et al.) is another story.
Most guys aren't gonna squeal when the latest tweeny pop princess gets airplay, but rest assured they're not afraid to rock out when a band like In
This Moment, Kittie, Halestorm, or Otep is played.
Likewise, I know many guys who've purchased albums of artists like Björk, Amos, McLaughlin, and older stuff like Joplin, Joan Jett, and Stevie
Nicks.
When you say "men don’t take female rock and pop musicians seriously" I get the sneaking suspicion you mean "tween/teen boys", because most men I
know can easily appreciate a talented songwriter/musician/vocalist regardless of their gender.
Klassified
... Orianthi ...
Definitely. She can hold her own against guitar virtuosos like Santana, Vai, and Satriani any day (twice on Tuesdays).
edit on 10/24/13 by redmage because: (no reason given)
Female here, and even though both these women were mentioned separately I had to throw this in.
I have noticed a large percentage of guys I know won't give female musicians the time of day.
edit on 25-10-2013 by calstorm because: (no reason given)
edit on 25-10-2013 by calstorm because: (no
reason given)
I think the subject matter that females like to sing about does not appeal so much to guys. There seems to be a lot of "you did me wrong so I kicked
you out see if I care" going on and it is all about relationships. This is a big generalisation I know and there are lots of exceptions but listen to
female singers and you'll know what I mean. The industry probably is a lot to blame.
Listen to male dominated bands and listen to what they sing about. Being a muso and working with guys and girls I can tell you it is very different
when there is a girl in the band. That's all I have to say about that.
There are a lot of great shout-outs on this thread, and some women I've never heard of, so thanks.
I'm glad that I'm not the only guy here who likes females singers. I did go to Lillith Fair once- with 15,000 women and like, five guys. That felt
weird. Got to see Chrissy Hynde, Sheryl Crow, Beth Orton, Sarah McLachlan, Cibo Matto and Sixpence None the Richer, though. That was pretty cool.
XY here and I love female and male vocalists/musicians equally as well. However, looking at my music list, there are considerably more male
selections, but I believe that to be a demographically based thing. Many of my favorite singles are performed by females though.
My top choices:
1. Amanda Palmer - Massive admiration!
2. Laurie Anderson - So excellent. If there is such a thing as precognition, Ms. Anderson has it.
3. Annie Lennox
4. Combustible Edison
5. B-52s
6. Enya - Sleepytime
7. Bjork - I follow the "Bjork" rule, where if she comes on the radio, the volume MUST be increased at least slightly - or we'll all die!
8. Kate Bush
I'm gonna be the party pooper a bit ... I suspect there has been a bit of sexism in the music industry over the years in that there is likely more
men than women artists historically? Not 100% sure, I'd have to go double check ...
Other than that, I think men are scared to admit they buy Miley Cyrus albums much more so than women are scared to admit they listen to Willie Nelson.
I think the same rule applies to walking into gay bars for men, it's terrifying for some of them.
Though now more than ever people seem to not care as much. I'm pretty positive men are buying Miley albums also. I think I might tag a few of them in
record stores and try to hunt down their owners and confront them in some type of talk show intervention on youtube.
Actually ... no ... I'm going to go home and watch television. Sigh.
For whatever reason, as i grew up (born early 1970's) female rock musicians did seem a rarer breed than males. But then again, there is a lot of
crap, adolescent rock music and perhaps alot of female musicians wanted no part of that and followed their own path instead which involved music
rather than chasing public exposure. Perhaps the A&R folk thought it would not sell - but those days seem over now, as the glut of successful female
performers who write and perform their own material that we see nowadays evidences.
The "alternative"/less commercial side of popular music was a lot more representative though, as a teen the Kims Deal and Gordon were musical hero
to me and still set my synapses flaring.... and i've never heard a voice to chill me like Lisa Gerrard. There are others of course but this aint an
exercise in namechecking
But to so strongly say that blokes dont listen to female musicians is way wide of the mark, many dumb teenaged boys perhaps though.
Oh another thing that I have thought of is that there seems to be a great number of really good female singers out there to listen to so maybe there
is too much competition. There appears to be far more female singers than male these days so it may be harder for females to get heard. I was teaching
guitar to a kid recently when I told him that I sang in my band. He was surprised and said "I thought only girls sang". What can you make of that?