FEATURE:
Crossing the Line
PHOTO CREDIT: Ketut Subiyanto/Pexels
The Proliferation of Derogatory Lyrics Against Women
__________
I was recently stunned…
PHOTO CREDIT: Julian Cordero/Pexels
by a recent article from The Telegraph that suggested women in music are driving misogyny. That negative language about other women is the reason for the proliferation of misogyny in music. Even though The Telegraph is a right-wing sh*t-rag, it still seemed such an unprovoked and weird take! Nobody would say women in music are fuelling misogyny. There are some songs from women where they are negative towards other women. That is not misogyny. If you listen to many of the major female artists in the mainstream, there are not loads of songs where they hate on women. It is such a bizarre and misinformed view of misogyny and where it is coming from! If you think about all the most aggrieve and explicit lyrics aimed at women that dehumanise and debase them, they are not coming from women like Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Doechii, Sabrina Carpenter or Charli xcx. That is what The Telegraph are seeming to suggest. Discounting that as a seriously deluded article that, in itself, is misogynistic, there is another article – from an actual journalist for a respectable site – that took a look at derogatory lyrics against women in music. Far Out Magazine provided a fascinating article about the proliferation and seeming rise of misogynistic lyrics by male artists. That article was published on 18th April:
“While women have risen, derogatory terms have flourished. A recent study by Startle analysing 600 chart-topping songs across six decades (1974 and 2024) actually draws attention to the troublesome fact that objectification and empowerment in the music industry are still two very distinctive and mutually exclusive strands. According to their findings, the biggest shift occurred at the turn of the century, specifically from 2004 onwards, with a 1,383% increase in female-negative words compared to the previous decade.
Which terms have seen the biggest rise?
Looking at Startle’s research, it’s easy to guess which words have become the most referenced by artists across the board. Actually, and perhaps unsurprisingly, there has also been a spike across rap and hip-hop, especially in recent years, with artists like Kendrick Lamar frequently turning to terms like “bitch” in his work. While including ‘freak’ in song lyrics became something of a trend from 1984 onwards, 60 other terms, including “bitch”, spiked from 2004 onwards.
However, while this increase began in 2004, with the word featuring in songs 18 times, this number nearly doubled in 2024, particularly following songs like Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’, which uses the word six times. This isn’t a new trend within Lamar’s discography, but it does demonstrate a broader cultural consciousness where such terms are overlooked despite the increase in female dominance in other musical spaces. Other terms, like “hoe”, have also seen similar increases.
IMAGE CREDIT: Far Out Magazine/Markus Spiske
And while all of this has been happening, positive language has decreased. For instance, words like “beautiful”, “honey”, and other terms of endearment have declined by 85% over five decades. That said, while this stark contrast to culture and progression seems dramatic, it, unfortunately, isn’t all that surprising, considering the length of time it usually takes for institutions or certain spaces of the arts to catch up when it comes to equality and representation.
According to Startle CEO Adam Castleton, while we continue to acknowledge and celebrate the increase in female presence across popular music charts and other spaces of the industry, we must also understand that the reasons for the rise in derogatory language are complex. “Firstly, some music genres – like rap, hip-hop and drill – are centred on the hyper-masculine principles of dominance, status and the objectification of women,” Castleton tells Far Out.
“The commercialisation and rising popularity of these genres means labels are likely to prioritise content that fits into established, lucrative formulas, which sometimes include misogynistic themes,” he continues, arguing that the same is true “when it comes to what sells more broadly”. In his view, because the music industry is still male-dominated in many places, and many women feel “pressured to conform to what the industry expects”, choices like “hyper-sexualisation” are usually made by predominantly male labels and execs.
However, he also suggests that another reason for the rise could be the influence of “virality” in the age of social media. After all, “shocking or controversial lyrics”, he says, are often the lifeblood of viral social media trends, which can bleed into streaming sites like Spotify and Apple Music, where listeners can “easily access uncensored lyrics”. While many artists will often have to give credence to some sort of radio edit, this exclusivity on streaming platforms can sometimes encourage them to use such language in their art.
However, while there’s a lot at play here, Castleton also argues that a change can occur when there’s a “wider cultural shift and avoidance of controversial music”. As mentioned previously, some of this can be attributed to women reclaiming the language as terms of empowerment, but this coasts a fine line more often than not, with some contexts “easily reinforcing a cycle of derogatory representation instead of breaking it”.
There are some key takeaways. How women, when they use seemingly derogatory language, it is about empowerment and taking back control. It is not about hating women and misogyny. When men use it, it is very much about ownership and possession. Women being seen as property and assets. It is not reserved to underground artists. Even huge names in Hip-Hop seem to use women as pawns and objects. In the midst of the rather pathetic and toxic beef with Drake, the way women were portrayed in some of the songs (such as Euphoria) was appalling. It is nothing new. If a genre like Drill or Rap has a tradition of aggression and misogyny towards women and that seems to be what makes artists popular then new acts coming through will carry on that legacy. Also, the idea of ignoring the music or listening less. In an age where this music can spread rapidly, it is going to be heard and shared even if people stop listening. Women reclaiming certain words and terms. It is down to men in these genres to change the narrative and to change their ways. How likely and easy is this?! At a time when there are incels and social media influencers brainwashing young men and normalising misogyny and abuse of women, will we see a rise in these derogatory and disrespectful lyrics?! I caught this Far Out Magazine and it shocked me. Women like Lizzo (Juice), Rihanna (Bitch Better Have My Money) or Doja Cat (Paint the Town Red) using the word ‘bitch’ is a playful or authoritative way. Not attacking women. It is about confidence. They are not abusing other women. Maybe that is where The Telegraph got confused. Not understanding context and intent. That or they just love fuelling hatred against women. In any case, Kelly Scanlon’s words above are much more factual, illuminating and evidence-based. With women dominating Pop, it seems like a much healthier environment than it could be. Imagine if Drill and Hip-Hop, largely male-dominated, was in mainstream Pop’s position and the harm that could cause!
I do think that it is down to the industry and men in genres like Drill and Hip-Hop that need to take ownership. To boost and ally with women rather than to continue this toxic and misogynist narrative that they feel they need to conform to. The moment huge artists start to do this then others will follow. Not only is it hugely disrespectful and degrading for women; it also sets a terrible example to young men listening to the music. This then spreads into their lives and the way they view women. It is interesting how Scanlon ends her article: “Representation is one thing, but real progress requires a deeper, more ingrained transformation—one where a woman with power and talent no longer faces labels like “bitch”. She talks about women storming the industry (completely true) but there being this lag in terms of representation, equality and respect – three things women have not been afforded enough of. How virality and this hyper-masculinity means that so many artists are completely comfortable stripping women of any respect, decency or agency. It is brilliant when women reclaim certain words and can transform that into something empowering and positive.
“Representation is one thing, but real progress requires a deeper, more ingrained transformation—one where a woman with power and talent no longer faces labels like “bitch”
However, as there is such a rise in misogyny and dangerous language towards women, maybe it is a futile long-term strategy. The influence of certain lyrics and music is also too powerful to truly subvert or de-escalate. I think that the industry does need to react to fact and statistics that clearly show derogatory lyrics that are misogynist are rising and creating a hugely dangerous environment across some genres. Not to promote or encourage it but to confront it. Artists who use this sort of language banned or called out. Some might say that is against free speech but, considering the content of the lyrics, allowing it to flourish is enormously disturbing. Rather than normalising misogyny, it needs to be seen as hate speech. Laws brought in that make it a criminal offence. If artists have to entangle themselves in criminal cases and are demonetised or censored then this is a disincentive. What we have at the moment is a horrific and festering tide of misogyny that, contrary to some right-wing and deluded sources, is nothing to do with women and their language – it is funded and fuelled by men. It is a basic matter of respect: the very least women deserve. The sooner women are seen as amazing human beings that warrant respect and decency, then the better society will become. It make take a lot of work and take a long time, but it is clear that we are in a moment of crisis that…
IMAGE CREDIT: Far Out Magazine/Harry Shelton
SHOULD alarm every music fan in the world.