Misogyny in Music

How does music perpetuate misogyny and the sexualization of women?

Have you ever found yourself in a situation when you are listening to your favorite song, only to realize you’ve had the lyrics completely wrong and they are actually extremely foul and disturbing? 

Have you ever questioned why the music industry produces lyrics that contain lyrics that sexualize women or romanticize violence against them?

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Misogyny in music, particularly within the genres of rock and hip-hop/rap, is a pervasive issue that is reflective of the societal attitudes towards women, sexual violence, gender equality, and more. From lyrics that perpetuate harmful stereotypes and normalize the sexualization of women to the underrepresentation and power struggles of women in the music industry, the effects of misogyny are displayed in all areas of music.

In rock music, misogynistic themes and lyrics are found in many of the most popular and defining songs of the genre. Researchers point to the over-sexualization of femininity as one of the reasons why rock has become so exclusionary to women and those that identify as female. Not only were female rock artists like Joan Jett and Steve Nicks doubted and sexualized, the lyrics produced by these male rock artists contributed to harmful ideas about the treatment of women, especially young women. David Bowie, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler were some of rock’s biggest stars that preyed on young girls and exploited the “groupie” era of rock, which is also reflected in their lyrics.

In hip-hop and rock, there are discussions about the negative portrayals of women that reinforce harmful stereotypes of women as objects or recipients of harmful language and violence. 

This project will explore the ways in which misogyny is embedded into the culture, lyrics, and attitudes of rock and hip-hop by examining their roots, the impact of these depictions on the listeners and artists, and what we do to change the industry.