Music and Gender

When I reflect on the music I've listened to, I can see how gender influences what people are expected to listen to and how they are viewed in music. I moved to the US three years ago from Sweden, where I was born, and throughout that time I have listened to a lot of different music and noticed some differences. When thinking about the ways that men and women see music differently, it's interesting to consider the genres of music that I listen to the most, rap, RnB, and afrobeat.

One thing I've noticed is that men and women tend to listen to different sorts of music. For example, many of the men I know prefer rap music, whereas most of the women I know prefer RnB or pop. It's not that individuals can't love different kinds of music, but there seems to be a stereotype that rap is more for men since it's typically loud and strong, whereas RnB and pop, which is softer and more emotional, is more for women. I love listening to both, depending on my mood. Afrobeat, on the other hand, feels the most balanced that I've experienced. Both men and women listen to it in the same way, which is one of the reasons I appreciate it so much and it suits most occasions.

Bottom by Gunna. A loud and strong rap song with harsh lyrics about money, cars, and girls.

Ocean Eyes by Billie Eilish. An emotional song about feelings.

When it comes to how men and women are approached in music, I've seen a few differences, particularly in rap and R&B. Male rappers can be viewed as powerful and dominant, whereas female artists are sometimes judged on their appearance rather than their talent. Female rappers, such as Nicki Minaj and Cardi B, have had to work very hard to get to where they are today. When I think about rappers, I can probably name a lot more male rappers than female rappers. So there's a difference between what kind of music males and women are creating. But I also think that's because different genders make different parts of music better. I prefer male rappers, and singers I prefer females.

Un-thinkable (I'm Ready) by Alicia Keys ft. Drake. This is a perfect example of how Alicia Keys uses her beautiful voice and Drake raps with his deeper voice, which creates a dynamic and incredible song.

Some positions seem to be more typical of one gender than the other when it comes to performance. My grandma sings in a choir and I've watched her perform a couple of times. As an example, I saw that the men and women in the choir are frequently divided into separate voice groups. Softer voices are often sung by women, and stronger voices and bass are typically sung by men. Apart from vocal performance, during my childhood in Sweden, I've seen that women typically work as music teachers, whereas men are more likely to be in charge of things like leading or supervising musical events. Men are more likely to handle technical responsibilities such as sound and music event management. When I've been to concerts or festivals, I've mostly seen men walking around fixing all the instruments, sounds, and things like that.

I've also noticed that certain instruments are viewed as "for men" or "for women". For example, I don't know any female drummers, and I think that's because people tend to think that drumming is only for men. This, in my opinion, is disappointing since everyone should play any instrument without being concerned about what other people may think. I'm sure there are women who play the drums equally as well, but I don't think I've seen a female drummer.

Finally, I am mindful that gender expectations in music exist, even if they are not always obvious. This involves to what individuals listen to, how they are represented in the media, and who is hired to do particular jobs in music. I believe some parts can be done equally as good. But I also believe some parts of music, women do better. For example, their softer voice suits better for genres like RnB while men, I think raps better.