FEATURE:
The Dial, Retuned
ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: depositphotos
Inside the Gender & Racial Disparity Data Report on UK Radio 2023-2024
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LAST year…
when reports came out about the gender and racial breakdown across U.K. radio, there was some troubling statistics and realisation. Women were vastly underrepresented when it came to airplay across U.K. stations. It was even more grim for artists of colour. There needed to be changes. U.K. stations could not just sit by and have this sexism and racism continue. A complete ignorance of incredible artists. This year, the findings are far more positive. As I will explore, though it is brilliant that BBC Radio has really retuned the dial and stroke gender equality across a few of its stations, there is little move from some. Bauer Media radio stations are especially lacking, though some have improved from last year. A huge thanks to Why Not Her? for their hard work and passion. They have provided the breakdown – gender and ethnicity – of the artists who appear on the Top 100 and Top 20 song playlists. A thanks too to Linda Coogan Byrne of Why Not Her? She is an equality campaigner who has poured so much of herself into it. I am going to bring in the press release that showcases some of the key findings. There are also comments from Linda Coogan Byrne and Winnie Ama. You can see the Gender & Racial Disparity Data Report on UK Radio 2023-2024 here. It is a year for cheer and optimism:
“Why Not Her? Annual Radio Data Report on UK Radio 2023/2024:
In a landmark year for gender equality in music, women have taken the lead in the Top 100 songs on UK Radio, making 2024 a historic year for female artists on the airwaves. This significant achievement is not only a triumph for the artists themselves but a testament to the cultural shift driven by the UK radio industry towards greater gender parity.
For the first time, female artists have outpaced their male counterparts, with women representing 41% of the Top 100 songs, compared to 39% for male artists and 20% for gender collaborations. This progress is a clear indicator that intentional efforts to promote gender equality in the music industry are yielding remarkable results.
The progress we celebrate today is a testament to the power of collective action and the unwavering commitment to gender equality. As we continue to support and uplift female artists, we move closer to a future where the music industry reflects the rich diversity and talent that exists within it.
Let us continue to champion inclusivity and celebrate the voices of all artists, ensuring that the airwaves remain a platform for diverse and equitable representation.
Gender Breakdown in Top 100 Airplay Chart (Jan-Jun 2024)
· Female artists: 41%
· Male artists: 39%
· Collaborations: 20%
Ethnicity Breakdown in Top 100 Airplay Chart (Jan-Jun 2024)
· White artists: 71%
· People of Colour (POC): 17%
· Ethnicity collaborations: 12%
Top UK Radio Stations' Gender Disparity (June 2023 - June 2024)
· BBC Radio 2: Achieved 50% gender parity.
· BBC Radio 6 Music: 50% female artists.
· BBC Radio 1: Increased support for female artists, achieving higher female representation in their Top 20.
Top Played Songs and Artists
- Most played song overall: "Lose Control" by Teddy Swims
- Most played UK artist song: "Lovers in a Past Life" by Calvin Harris x Rag 'n' Bone Man
- Most played artist: Dua Lipa, with 5% of songs in the Top 100
Top Repeated/Impacting Artists in the Top 100 Songs across UK radio (so far) in 2024
- Dua Lipa is the most repeated artist with five songs.
- Taylor Swift and Lewis Capaldi follow closely with four songs each.
- Ed Sheeran and Miley Cyrus each have three songs.
- Becky Hill also has three songs.
These artists dominate the UK radio airwaves with multiple hits, reflecting their popularity and influence in the current music scene.
Label Impact Analysis
Record Label Dominance:
- WMG (Warner Music Group): 40%
- Atlantic, Warner Records, Parlophone, Curb Records, Champion Records
- UMG (Universal Music Group): 32%
- Island, Virgin Records, EMI, Polydor, Universal Music, Republic Records, Mercury, Motown EMI, Def Jam, Positiva
- SME (Sony Music Entertainment): 20%
- RCA, Columbia, Black Butter, Ministry Of Sound, Sony Music, Insanity Records, AWAL, Relentless
- Independent: 8%
- gamma., Human Re Sources, Bmg Rights Management, XL Recordings, Champion Records
Songwriter/Producer Analysis
Songwriter definition, defined by PRS: Composer (includes composing producers); Author (including lyricists); Composer/Author; Arranger; Translator
Data source: PRS
The Top 100 songs had 463 songwriters.
Average of 4.6 songwriters per song
Gender Split
23% Female songwriters
76.8% Male songwriters
0.2% Non-Binary songwriters
Ethnicity Split
78% White songwriters
20% POC/Mixed songwriters
2% Latin songwriters
Insights
· 98% of songs by female artists had at least 1 female writer.
· 33% of songs by male artists had at least 1 female writer
· 95% of of songs by female artists had at least 1 male writer
· 100% of songs by male artists had at least 1 male writer
· 77% of songs by male artists were written only by men, with 0 female writers
· Male artists are more likely to write alone/with their own gender 77% vs female artists who only wrote alone/with their own gender 5% of the time
· 19% of songs by gender collaborating artists had 0 female writers
· 100% of songs by POC artists had POC writers
· 47% of songs by POC artists had 0 female writers
· 33% of songs by White artists had 0 female writers
· The song with the most songwriters is ‘Lighter’ by Galantis x David Guetta x 5 Seconds Of Summer. It has 13 songwriters.·
Celebrating a Historic Year for Women in UK Radio
London, UK - June 2024
In a landmark year for gender equality in music, women have taken the lead in the Top 100 songs on UK Radio, making 2024 a historic year for female artists on the airwaves. This significant achievement is not only a triumph for the artists themselves but a testament to the cultural shift driven by the UK radio industry towards greater gender parity.
For the first time, female artists have outpaced their male counterparts, with women representing 41% of the Top 100 songs, compared to 39% for male artists and 20% for gender collaborations. This progress is a clear indicator that intentional efforts to promote gender equality in the music industry are yielding remarkable results.
Commendations are due to the UK radio stations, especially the trailblazers in gender equality who played more than 25% women in their top 20 radio annual playlists. Leading the charge are BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, Capital FM, KISS, Heat Radio, Channel 103 FM, and Island FM. Their dedication to inclusivity has paved the way for this momentous cultural change.
Equally noteworthy are the stations that have room for growth, including Absolute Radio, Smooth Radio, Magic Radio, Heart FM, 3FM, KISS Fresh, Lincs FM, Northsound 1, and Tay FM. We look forward to seeing these stations make strides towards greater gender balance in the coming years.
This year's BRIT Awards further highlight the strides made, with Raye making history by winning six awards, including Album of the Year and Artist of the Year. Raye's journey from overcoming industry obstacles to reclaiming her power and inspiring countless others showcases the transformative power of perseverance and talent.
The most played artists of 2024 further emphasise this shift. Dua Lipa stands as the most played UK artist, while Taylor Swift leads as the most played international artist. The most played song overall is "Lose Control" by Teddy Swims, with "Lovers In A Past Life" by Calvin Harris x Rag'n'Bone Man being the most played UK song.
The progress we celebrate today is a testament to the power of collective action and the unwavering commitment to gender equality. As we continue to support and uplift female artists, we move closer to a future where the music industry reflects the rich diversity and talent that exists within it.
Let us continue to champion inclusivity and celebrate the voices of all artists, ensuring that the airwaves remain a platform for diverse and equitable representation.
Comment from Linda Coogan Byrne on the Outstanding Culture Change on UK Radio
“In a historic year for gender equality in music, the UK radio industry has achieved remarkable progress by leading the charge towards greater representation of female artists. Women now represent 41% of the top 100 songs on UK Radio, outpacing their male counterparts and highlighting a significant cultural shift towards inclusivity and diversity. This achievement underscores the power of collective action and the unwavering commitment of UK radio stations to promote gender parity.
The efforts of trailblazing stations like BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, Capital FM, KISS, Heat Radio, Channel 103 FM, and Island FM have paved the way for this momentous change. Their dedication to playing more than 25% women in their top 20 annual playlists demonstrates a commendable commitment to inclusivity.
However, it is with a heavy heart that we must contrast this progress with the situation in Ireland. Despite our campaigns and calls for action, meeting with political parties and the new media commision numerous times over the last 5 years - we continue to be met with empty promises, Irish radio stations and the media regulators have largely failed to shift towards gender parity. We asked, "Why not her?" and the UK radio stations responded with action and results. In Ireland, our pleas were met with silence and inaction.
It is essential that we continue to push for change and hold media outlets accountable for their role in shaping a fair and equitable industry. The success in the UK shows that with determination and commitment, meaningful change is possible. It is time for Irish radio and its broadcasting authorities in the Coimisiún na Meán, to take note and follow suit, ensuring that female artists receive the recognition and airtime they deserve.
Let us celebrate the progress made and continue to advocate for a future where gender equality is the norm across all airwaves”
Winnie Ama also comments:
“It is amazing to see that the Top 100 UK chart includes lots of females, ethnic minorities, and local UK artists this year. For the first time in 35 years of chart data, music in the charts finally reflects the modern society that we live in.
This year, the UK music industry should be held up as an example of how it is possible for organisations (radio stations) and individuals (radio presenters) to create inclusion consciously at each level, with real impact on culture as a whole.
A lot of people discover new music through the radio, the impact of having a diverse range of artists on radio will inevitably have a ripple effect throughout culture and artist careers.
Long may this continue”.
There is a lot to be happy about! I did not think that BBC Radio 2 especially would affect gender equality in the Top 20 songs department. I listen to shows now and they are full of male artists. It goes to show that, across the board, they have made efforts to redress a serious problem. In terms of gender breakdown of all artists in the Top 100 UK Radio Airplay Chart, women were ahead. The ethnicity breakdown is a little less optimism. Still a way to go in terms of representation. BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 6 Music have struck a great balance. So too have BBC Radio 1. Even if 1Xtra is heading in the wrong direction, three huge BBC stations have committed themselves to gender equality. Bauer and Global radio stations have to learn from the BBC. There are some improvements that give encouragement, though Kerrang! Radio, Absolute Radio, Smooth Radio and Radio X need to learn lessons and improve for 2025. Capital FM has made strides.
In all, it means BBC stations have taken to heart findings from last year’s report. I do think that this should be the biggest takeaway in terms of gender. Bauer and Global still need to do a lot of work. Even so, there are some improvements here. Potential for bigger steps next year. The Gender & Racial Disparity Data Report on UK Radio shows how the radio stations have changed over the past five years. You can see how they have improved/fallen behind. There is a lot of brightness. Apart from some worrying findings – 100% of artists on the Top 20 playlist at Absolute Radio are white! -, there is cause for celebration. It is clear that Absolute Radio, Radio X, Kerrang! Radio and Kiss Fresh need to make steps. BBC stations very much leading the way. Let us not forget that this report is about the gender and ethnicity of artists in the Top 20 playlists, rather than right across the board. If you look at schedules for most stations (apart from BBC Radio 6 Music), things might look more skewed towards male artists. Despite this, what has been put together by Why Not Her? proves that, for many stations, it is important that female artists are very much included in the Top 20 playlists. This is very good indeed! Three very clear sections. The first section of the report is an analysis of the Top 100 Radio Airplay songs in 2024 from both UK and International artists, from Jan 2024 to June 2024 in all radio stations combined across the UK, looking at the gender and ethnicity across the Top 100 Airplay songs. The second section takes a look at the songwriters behind the Top 100 songs on UK Radio in 2024. The third section is an analysis of 27 individual radio stations, looking at the gender disparity present in the Top 20 most played songs by British artists, in Britain, over the period of JUNE 1st 2023 to JUNE 1st 2024. The collective data clearly and brilliantly shows how things have changed and (mostly) improved from last year. Let’s hope that this trend continues. A huge thanks and salute once more to Why Not Her? for their amazing research and dedication putting together the Gender & Racial Disparity Data Report on UK Radio. It is incredible that things have improved for female artists and artists of colour. Especially for women. Some important steps. Let’s hope that this evolution occurs…
YEAR after year.