Diversity and Inclusion in the music industry
In the 21st century, music is everywhere whether that be live music or music on the radio, on television, on a CD recording or on social media. There probably isn’t a single day we don’t listen to or at least hear music. The music industry is an immense industry with an estimated global value of over US$50 billion (about $63 billion) and is growing year on year. This also makes it one of the most influential industries in the world. Where does such a grand and impactful industry stand in terms of diversity and inclusion? Is the diversity we observe as consumers of music reflective of the diversity at the core of the music industry? This blog will focus on the outer and inner diversity and inclusion of the music industry and its development over the past few years.
Looking at diversity and inclusion in the music industry from different perspectives
Compared to many businesses, the music industry can at first seem to be diverse and inclusive. The UK Music Diversity Report was launched in 2016 to promote diversity and inclusion in the UK’s music industry and the main findings in its 2020 Workforce Diversity Survey of the UK Music Diversity Report 2020 shows positive results. According to the survey, the proportion of Black, Asian and other ethnic minorities among those aged 16-24 is 30.6%, a 4.7% increase from 2018. In addition to this, the proportion of women increased from 45.3% in 2016 to 49.6% in 2020. Also, if we look at the music charts, artists from minority groups seem well represented. The global nature of music, its innumerable genres and performance styles and its accessibility means that there isn’t a big hurdle to getting started. Needless to say, it is only a handful of these people who become professional musicians and even few become stars. However, compared to a sport such as fencing where we need to go to a fencing school and have the correct gear just to experience it, music is more accessible.
However, let us turn our focus to the music companies that release the music and promote these artists. The UK Music Diversity Report 2020 revealed that the proportion of Black, Asian and other ethnic minorities at senior executive levels is 19.9%. Another study by USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found that among the 70 music companies, the proportion of top executives from minority groups was just 13.9% when 40% of the US population identify with a minority group. There is a great difference between the diversity that the consumers perceive through the artists and the true diversity of the industry stemming from the music companies. With such a difference, can we really say that the music industry is more diverse and inclusive than other businesses and industries?
Where to start playing the music?
Change must begin from the core and in the music industry, that is the music companies. To harvest a truly diverse and inclusive industry, companies must review their current inner structure as well as their methods of recruitment and promotion for their future inner structure. At Ikigai Authentic, we strive to tackle social issues such as diversity to make a business worth working for and a society worth living in. As a global diversity and inclusion consultancy firm, we can unleash the potential for diversity and inclusion in your business to achieve greater business growth.
