Sort of Nothing Like A Book Club: Issue 23

This weeks' editor:
Kate

Hello,

Welcome to Sort of Nothing Like A Book Club, the newsletter from Creative CoLab (formerly CAGED Arts).

Last week it was announced that an alternative version of the song "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues would be played on some BBC radio stations this Christmas. This news caused heated debate to erupt on social media with people defending and critiquing the decision.

Each year the debate about this song resurfaces. It got me thinking about how words and phrases that we wouldn't use in real life situations are present and accepted in songs and music. This is especially true when it come to sexist and misogynistic language and messages.

Over the next few editions I am going to take a deep look into sexism and misogyny in music and the music industry.

For this edition I have been looking at sexism found in music lyrics.

Read on to find out what I've discovered.

"Tryna to find the words to describe this girl without being disrespectful" - Sexism in music lyrics

Over on the blog I've been taking a look at the sexism in song lyrics. I look at how prominent this misogyny is, why it occurs and the impact it can have in society.

Women Write the Most Empowering Music - and these 41 Songs Prove It
This list compiles 41 songs from artists celebrating their woman hood. These empowering songs are the perfect tunes to give you a confidence boost.

'Misery Business' and the Emancipation of the Bad Feminist
In this piece Andrea Panaligan speaks about songs that contain internalised misogyny with a particular focus on "Misery Business" by Paramore. She explores the pressure placed on self declared feminists to always be 'perfect' and highlights the importance of allowing yourself and others to grow and learn.

How the music videos of the 2010s saw women take back power
This piece looks at how music videos changed during the 2010. Looking at videos from artists such as Rhianna, J-Lo and Lady Gaga it examines how they rejected the male gaze which had previously been prominent in the medium. It looks towards the future of music videos and envisions a future where the male gaze is left behind and a more inclusive vision of female sexuality is represented.

Misogyny in Hip Hip
In this talk, Ellen Chamberlain looks at the history of women in hip hop. Looking at key events in the 90's she examines why misogynistic language became so prominent in the music genre.

Girl In A Country Song
This music video and song by country duo Maddie & Tae calls out the treatment of women in country songs and music videos. They highlight the objectification and lack of respect shown to women in the genre.

And Lastly...

It's so easy to get swept up in the music and rhythm of songs that you don't fully pay attention to the lyrics. But it's so important to look at all media and art we consume with a critical mind.

If you have any thoughts you'd like to share about anything we've touched upon in this issue we'd love for you to get in touch.

Bye!