(Toronto) A new report on Canadian radio airwaves indicates that music performed by women is still largely underrepresented on commercial music stations.
The study examined the 150 most played songs between 2013 and 2023, as well as all tracks played in 2023 on popular radio formats, including top 40country and rock music.
She found that, regardless of format, women’s songs – especially those by women of color – were played far less than men’s.
Women were the least represented on rock stations, particularly hard rock, where they received only 1.9% airplay on average in 2023.
Among the top songs on country radio, women were played 12.8% of the time, or two songs per hour.
The study shared with The Canadian Press before its publication Monday was conducted by musicologist Jada Watson as part of her SongData research program, in partnership with the National Arts Center in Ottawa and the activist group Women in Music Canada.