Why gender balance in music matters for culture and brands
Becky Wixon, CD of Balance the Mix, an initiative championing female and diverse musical talent, argues that the lack of diverse voices in music production impacts advertising, with homogenous creators leading to homogenous ideas.
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Next year’s Isle of Wight Festival line-up was recently announced, and has been received with excitement. But there is a glaring statistic people are missing: nearly 80 per cent of the performers are male.
This isn’t unique to the Isle of Wight - headline festivals across the UK often reveal similar patterns, and with more major line-ups set to be announced in the coming weeks, it’s likely we’ll see the same imbalance reflected elsewhere.
From the stage to creative campaigns, the voices shaping the music that defines our culture remain narrow and unrepresentative.
It’s easy to celebrate the headline acts and the festival’s legacy, yet this disparity highlights a deeper, persistent issue across the music industry. Gender inequity isn’t confined to the stage; it runs through studios, production rooms, and the decision-making processes that shape what audiences hear. According to a recent report, fewer than 6% of music producers in the UK are women, with even fewer from other underrepresented groups.
From the stage to every brand’s creative campaign, the voices shaping the music that defines our culture remain narrow and unrepresentative.
ABOVE: The 2026 Isle of Wight Festival line-up.
But this isn’t just an ethical concern - it has real commercial implications. Music drives memory, emotion, and cultural resonance in ways visuals alone cannot. When the creators behind the soundtracks are overwhelmingly homogenous, campaigns and events risk feeling predictable, inauthentic, or disconnected from the audiences they aim to reach.
Automation and AI [in music] offer exciting creative possibilities, but without deliberate action, these tools risk amplifying existing inequities.
The Unstereotype Alliance’s Inclusion = Income report proved that ads with progressive representation drive stronger engagement and commercial return. Music isn’t just decoration, it's a vital part of the authentic storytelling process. When campaigns feature inclusive, meaningful music alongside inclusive narratives, audiences see and hear themselves reflected more honestly, building trust and stronger business results.
Yet too often, campaigns rely on the same sources, the same composers, and the same familiar voices. The result is a creative echo chamber: culturally narrow and ultimately forgettable.
ABOVE: Calvin Harris, one of the pale, male music festival favourites.
The music industry is being reshaped by technology. Automation and AI offer exciting creative possibilities, but without deliberate action, these tools risk amplifying existing inequities. Emerging and underrepresented artists already face barriers to being heard, and algorithmic curation that favours familiarity over originality threatens to narrow the cultural landscape even further.
The music of tomorrow could become less human, less diverse, and less meaningful.
The music of tomorrow could become less human, less diverse, and less meaningful if we fail to act now to establish frameworks and practices that allow diverse talent to be discovered, amplified, and celebrated.
This is not just an inclusion issue for today – it is a strategic imperative for the industry’s future. Diversity behind the music shapes the ideas, experimentation, and innovation that define cultural trends. It determines not only what audiences hear today, but also which voices and sounds are preserved for tomorrow. Festivals, labels, and brands must embed representation in every decision about who creates, licenses, and produces music - to reflect society and ensure the industry remains relevant and resilient.
ABOVE: A 2019 UK Music report found that women accounted for just under 20 per cent of artists signed to record labels.
While the challenge is systemic, there are concrete steps the industry can take to shift the balance. It starts with a close examination of creative supply chains: who is being briefed, commissioned, credited, and paid, and how these figures compare to the diversity of the audiences they aim to reach.
Inclusivity must be embedded into the creative process at every stage. Measuring the impact of these efforts is equally critical - tracking engagement, recall, and audience sentiment can reveal how inclusive sound shapes connection and cultural resonance.
Gender balance in music isn’t just an ethical obligation - it is a commercial and creative imperative.
Finally, supporting emerging talent through mentorship, paid placements, and visible credits ensures underrepresented voices are heard and can influence the industry.
The Isle of Wight Festival line-up is a stark reminder that representation matters - on stage and behind it. Music shapes culture, builds emotional connection, and amplifies stories in ways visuals alone cannot.
Gender balance in music isn’t just an ethical obligation - it is a commercial and creative imperative. Festivals, labels, and brands that prioritise inclusivity will produce work that reflects the diversity of society, and drives lasting cultural and business impact. Inclusive sound is not charity; it is culture, and its power is essential to sustaining music as a human, meaningful art form.
