Race and Gender in the American Music Industry - Essay Example

Race and Gender in the American Music industry Race and Gender in the American Music industry The American music industry is indisputably the most successful entertainment industry in the world (Frisby & Aubrey, 2012). The field has seen the emergence of global superstars like Jay-Z, Nicky Minaj, Beyonce, Eminem and others who have amassed a lot of wealth in the business. The industry elevates the musician to global stardom and celebrity status. In fact, most musicians who yearn for global fame work together with the American musicians (Frisby & Aubrey, 2012). The industry is so much coveted that people forget so much about the two vices that have reshaped it. The industry stands its heights today because it has passed through the impacts of racism and gender. Race and gender are two factors that have a significant influence in the American music industry. The study of the American industry reveals that the stereotypes and prejudices that are related to race and sex are vast within the booming business (Frisby & Aubrey, 2012). The most frequently victimized by this global industry are women and the blacks (De Lerma, 2012). Several and uncountable studies have been done and address the objectification of the women in the music videos and through demeaning nature that most lyrics take (Frisby & Aubrey, 2012). Still, what has been often documented is the involvement of women in the industry. Race in American music has come a long way since the 1960s when the vice was at its peak (De Lerma, 2012). Today, the skin color of the musician determines his or her audience and who buys his or her music. The two factors have a direct impact on the American music industry such that they affect the market sales of the music (Frisby & Aubrey, 2012). Most women in America who pioneered the female music admit that it took them immense struggle to get their music produced because they were simply women. They admit that it is through their resilience the industry is now a lesser bumpy road for the American women. Legends like Lionel Richie will report that it took them greater efforts for their voice to be heard in the entire America because they are black. Gender Inequality in the American Music Industry The American music industry is the only industry that permits the social discrimination against women. The fact is very sad and troubling. Bands always have the option of deciding whether they want the women members to take part in their tours (Frisby & Aubrey, 2012). When they permit a woman to such tours, she is merely equal to one of the instruments, merchandise sales person or the instrument technician. The job specifications in the industry are posted based on the merit of age and gender (Frisby & Aubrey, 2012). The reasons that the music producers and agents give for discriminating the women are anchored on their bad experience with a few women. Thus, they have developed stereotypes about the involvement of women in music and especially rock genre. Since the music industry has a unique nature, many of the important roles are placed on small businesses under the umbrella of large cooperation and independent contractors (Frisby & Aubrey, 2012). In most cases, the statistical data from more major companies are not readily availed to the public. Hence, it is more difficult to realize the disparities that exist between the male and the female (Frisby & Aubrey, 2012). Although the lower level positions appear not to be easily identified, the number of women in the senior positions in the music industry is approximated to be 4% (Frisby & Aubrey, 2012). This portrays the inferiority of women in the music industry based on gender-based discriminations. Rock music is most done by males (De Lerma, 2012). The females are merely taken to the backstage, or they work in the tour organization. The standard assumptions and the existing prejudices of women in the industry are attributed to many reasons. Some of them are the girlfriends or wives to the musicians or producers. Others belong to the groupies category. The women are discriminated because of the increasingly dominant perception about their sex through hegemonic ideas about females in the society. Since the sex stereotypes exist and are being perpetuated even more, women in the American music industry are furthering their attempts to be relevant to the industry (Frisby & Aubrey, 2012). Upcoming female musicians face it rough as they try to make a name out of the industry. They are exploited by producers. They are manipulated through assault and sexual violence or even ignored. They are treated as objects. Unfortunately, most females are submissive to such degrading antics (Frisby & Aubrey, 2012). Immediate adverse impacts can happen to the women who do not attempt to make a name in the industry. Due to the glamorization, most of the risk factors are prevalent within a range of promiscuous behavior and are often ignored. The kind of American music videos and lyrics that exist today depict a gross injustice that is subjected to women (Frisby & Aubrey, 2012). In most clips, the woman is perceived to be a sex object, and this is evident in their costumes in the videos (Frisby & Aubrey, 2012). The American music industry and audience are obsessed with the nudity of female musicians. They want to undress the woman all the time. Hence, most videos will see the female players dressed in costumes that reveal most private parts of their bodies. The men in the videos, apparently well dressed, are depicted to be enjoying the scene by touching the women in a sexual compromising situation. The lyrics also do not do much favor to the women (Frisby & Aubrey, 2012). Terms like "bitch" and "whore" are commonly used in reference to women in the lyrics of most American rap songs. All these are gross forms of injustice and discrimination that is labeled against women in the industry. Race and its Impact on American Music Industry The mere mentioning of racial discrimination in the industry means that the blacks are the victims in most cases (De Lerma, 2012). Historically, black pop music, rhythm and blues, hip-hop and rap, jazz and blues, stood the opposition from the white favored pop music that in away epitomized the post-war conservatism (De Lerma, 2012). In comparison, the black pop was deemed raunchy, rowdy, unrestrained and revolutionary. The rift has developed to the emergence of black and white music that dominates the American music industry today. Modernly, the attitudes towards black musicians have shifted slightly (De Lerma, 2012). In some respect, black have become the byword for the originality of certain styles of music. For example, the media depicts a black person singing the blues genres of music as genuine because of the history behind it within the pop culture (De Lerma, 2012). The same is true of Jazz, Hip-hop or Soul genres. However, there exists a distinct and apparent racial divide within the music industry and the media (De Lerma, 2012). The genres like rock and pop are dominated by the white community. Rhythm and Blues and Hip-hop or Rap remains a black style. Since there is a racial divide in the genres of music in America, the difference also is conspicuous in the fan base. According to De Lerma (2012), in the 1960s, a white person could not listen to music of the black. The case was also right to the black people. They hated rock music. The situation has somehow improved positively. However, racial bias still thrives among music fans. The majority of the black community in the United States love hip-hop, rhythm and blues, jazz and blues (De Lerma, 2012). The white music fans are mostly affiliated to pop and rock. Consequently, the American music industry has an audience that is racially divided. The implication is that the market for the music produced by both white and black musicians is controlled by race. Thus, before a musician, regardless of the skin color releases music, he or she must try to appeal to both divides of the audiences so as to gain more profits. The racial divide that characterizes the American Music Industry is predominant and conspicuous in the various music award ceremonies in the country (De Lerma, 2012). The industry boasts of successful and famous music award ceremonies that are globally followed like the Brit Awards and the Grammy Awards. In such awards, the genres are well categorized like "Best Rap category" or "Best Rhythm and Blues Category" or "Best Rock" (De Lerma, 2012). Unsurprisingly, the rap and rhythm and blues categories are dominated by the black community or artists as the whites dominate the rock music. The racial difference is so apparent in the awards. In order to promote the black legacy in music, the black musicians and community decided to come up with their awards (De Lerma, 2012). It is believed that they felt racially segregated in the "white awards" like the Grammy. Consequently, the Music of Black Origin (MOBO) Awards and the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards were established to restore the dignity of the black people (De Lerma, 2012). The black pioneers of this awards felt that they needed to be respected and see the appreciation of their works. The awards have assisted in raising to stardom many black artists who could not make it to the nominees of the mega awards like Grammy and Brit. Quite unusual is that both MOBO and BET awards have seen both white and black musicians perform. In spite of the racial divide, BET, MOBO and Source Awards confirm the existence of racism and black and white music the American music industry. In summary, the paper has successfully addressed the significance of gender-based and racial discriminations in the American music industry. In spite of the popularity of the industry, it is not as good as people think mainly due to the existence of such prejudices. It is an excellent gesture seeing the numerous collaborations that both white and black musicians do in music. The effort to eliminate racial imbalance is seen from that. The increased number of women in the industry is a promising gesture of its efforts to kick away gender inequality. References De Lerma, D. R. (2012). Reflections on Afro-American Music. Frisby, C. M., & Aubrey, J. S. (2012). Race and genre in the use of sexual objectification in female artists music videos. Howard Journal of Communications, 23(1), 66-87. Read More