Sexism and the role of women in country music

As the 1990s came to a close, country music’s biggest stars were women — Shania Twain, Faith Hill and the Chicks ruled the charts.

Fast forward to 2021, and it’s “bro country” as far as the eye can see. Women are often the subjects of songs — wearing short shorts as they climb into pickup trucks. Women appear in as few as 10 percent of the songs on country radio. How did we get here? And how have women found ways to fight back and find paths for themselves? Writer and journalist Marissa R. Moss unpacks these questions and more.

At the top of the show, reporter Paige Pfleger talks about her recent story about women’s negative experiences with men in songwriting sessions.

Guests:

• Paige Pfleger, WPLN arts reporter
• Crys Matthews, singer/songwriter
• Marissa R. Moss, author of Her Country: How the Women of Country Music Became the Success They Were Never Supposed to Be
• Leah Turner, musician

Additional reading and resources: 

WPLN: In Nashville’s songwriting scene, women say sexism impacts who they write with and what they write about

Tennessean: Women accounted for 10% of country radio airplay in 2019, new report says

Tennessean: Want to hear more women on country radio? Most listeners do, a new poll says

Rolling Stone: Inside Country Radio’s Dark, Secret History of Sexual Harassment and Misconduct