Change the Conversation fights gender inequality in the music industry by providing support, education, and community for female artists and executives.


WHAT WE DO

 Our mission is to raise awareness and create change so that more female voices will be heard in country music. Our goal is to have more women played on radio stations, digital streaming platforms, signed to record and publishing deals and offered high-profile opportunities, such as more slots on tours and festivals and performing on TV and awards shows. 

We Dispel the myths that women don't support other female artists or desire more female voices on the radio. We commission research and include expert opinions to present the truth of women's successes, such as album sales, ticket sales, social media influence and endorsement deals. We provide new artist development,  mentoring opportunities and other guidance to help young female singer-songwriters and executives. 

WE FIGHT INEQUALITY WITH TRUTH.


WHY IT MATTERS

The lack of voices heard on country radio affect not only those who are making music , but those listening as well. Music plays  a powerful role in shaping our popular culture . Today's music does not reflect who we are as a country and sends the wrong message to our girls and women. Too often, country songs portray women as a pretty ornament on the passenger side. It is time to reclaim a woman's place in the driver's seat.

When women don't hear music made by women, it takes its toll on our self-esteem, dreams and ambitions. It is time for women to hear their stories and experiences reflected in popular music, especially during a time when so many songs objectify them. This is about refusing to limit girls' dreams. 

THIS IS ABOUT DOING WHAT IS RIGHT. 


 WHY NOW

Although country music is known for its iconic female artists, from Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn to Tammy Wynette, Reba McEntire and Shania Twain, the format has become increasingly male-dominated in the last decade. While women are making some of the best music today, as evidenced by their frequent industry-voted award wins for album of the year, too few are receiving radio airplay. 

SOME OF THE FACTS

Four Months of EqualPlay: An Update

Research provided by Dr. Jada Watson of the University of Ottawa

Ten percent is a key statistic for women in country music by the end of the last decade. Their songs received 10% of the spins within the Top 150 of the Yearend Airplay Reports (Mediabase), 10% of the daily spins on the Weekly Airplay Reports (Mediabase), 10% of the Top 20 and Top 10 songs on both Mediabase and Billboard Country Airplay charts, and 10% of the songs on Billboard’s Yearend Airplay Chart. In fact, depending on the time of day a listener tuned-in to their local station, it would have been possible in 2019 not to hear a female voice during daytime hours. As a result of a programming practice that limits space for their songs or programs them in the evening and overnight, women’s voices have become increasingly invisible and unfamiliar to radio’s listeners.

Tuesday, May 12 marked 4 months of CMT’s EqualPlay pledge. Over the last 4 months, 3 songs by women have reached the #1 spot of the chart, including Maren Morris’ “The Bones” for a two-week stint in February, and Gabby Barrett’s “I Hope” and Ingrid Andress’s “More Hearts Than Mine” with back-to-back #1s. Each of these achievements were particularly notable: Morris’s marked the first multi-week #1 on the Airplay Chart in 7 years since Carrie Underwood with “Blown Away” in 2012 – it was also named the longest leading #1 ever by a solo female country artist on the Hot Country Songs chart (surpassing Taylor Swift’s 10-week reign in 2012 with “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”), and was the singer’s first multi-format #1 when it hit #1 on both the Billboard’s Adult Pop Songs and Mediabase Hot A.C. charts. Barrett’s and Andress’ marked a historic first for back-to-back #1s for debut female artists. Their chart-topping success also marks the end to a dry spell for Warner Nashville, who hadn’t had a #1 with a female artist since Faith Hill with “Mississippi Girl” in 2005.

While we’ve celebrated more songs in the top of the chart over the last few months, many have raised concerned (SongData included) over the decreasing number of songs by women in the bottom positions of the chart. As the handful of songs by women at the top of the chart reach their peak and exit the chart, there are fewer songs in the bottom to climb the chart and take their place. There situation is, if this continues, on the verge of returning to summer 2019 numbers when women represented just 6% of the top positions of the charts.

Click here to read the full May 22, 2020 update at songdata.ca 

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