Music is rhythms and rhymes that fuel our souls — a specific song can bring back waves of nostalgia from a simpler time. I remember watching my first music video, Nicki Minaj’s “Superbass.” On my low-quality iPad, I watched Minaj twirl her pink hair and rap lyrics that didn’t resonate much with me as a child but brought some happiness into my life.
My love for music grew as I got older, and my playlist consisted of Rihanna, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and Aaliyah songs. I found their music empowering, but as I started to become more aware of the music, lyrics, sounds, and content, I soon realized how sexist the music industry was toward women and how men got a pass for doing the same thing.
In 2013, Miley Cyrus released her chart-topping song “Wrecking Ball,” and the video was released soon after. The once bubbly Disney star who played the blonde and quirky Hannah Montana soon turned into a rebellious 20-year-old dressed in a white crop top, swinging from a wrecking ball. The video was met with harsh criticism from people who believed that Cyrus was trying too hard to stray away from her Disney image.
In a 2024 interview with Billboard, Miley spoke about the inspiration for the song. “My man wasn’t acting right,” Cyrus said. At the time, Cyrus had just broken up with her on-and-off-again boyfriend, Liam Hemsworth.
Cyrus went on to have a controversial performance at the 2013 VMAs with Robin Thicke. She was called out for twerking on him on stage, and it remains one of the most talked-about pop culture moments of the 2010s. Nonetheless, Cyrus received most of the backlash, not her male counterpart, Thicke.
Social media users were not on her side and used this time to shame her. Within the music industry, the constant shaming of women has been prevalent since the beginning of time. Women are seen as delicate creatures who shouldn’t display any sexuality that might disrupt the male gaze.
In 2004, Janet Jackson performed at the Super Bowl 38 Halftime Show alongside Justin Timberlake. During the performance, she suffered a wardrobe malfunction as Timberlake ripped off a piece of clothing that covered Jackson’s breast on live TV.
The “All for You” singer received tons of backlash for the performance, and she was ultimately blacklisted from the industry. The infamous performance even got the nickname “Nipplegate,” leading Jackson to become a laughing stock in the music industry, with people discrediting the work she had done over the years as a pioneer in the music industry.
The double standard for men and women in the industry continues to prove that men can get away with anything while women bear the consequences of their actions. The sexualization of young women at the hands of men and the manipulation imposed by the industry doesn’t get talked about enough, resulting in a continuous cycle of women being ridiculed for simply doing their jobs.
The music industry has a long way to go in improving its misogynistic ways against women in the industry. They need to continue to give women platforms to speak their stories, unleash their creativity and cultivate healthy habits that will continue to influence generations.