WOMEN IN POP MUSIC

<p>WOMEN IN POP MUSIC</p><p></p><p>By Helen Challis</p><p></p><p> <P> A survey of female pop and rock artists and their place in the largely male-dominated music industry featuring studies of women in punk rock (The Slits Poly Styrene Siouxsie Sue) the Riot Grrrl movement (Courtney Love Hole Bikini Kill L7 and others) bhangra indie/ alternative pop rap and hip-hop and sexism in pop music. </P> </p><p> <P> There are chapters on musicians and singers such as Kate Bush Sinead O'Connor Joan Armatrading P.J. Harvey and Madonna. 'Whatever I did was sabotaged by the fact that I had tits.' (Caroline Coon on managing The Clash). </P> </p><p> <P> In much of mainstream rock and pop there are only a few types of 'femininity' available: women as mother-figures or as wan wistful virgins (Mary Hopkins Kate Melua Lynsey DePaul) or as sexual wild women (Madonna Courtney Love Tina Turner) who are often seen as prostitutes. One or two other female types have been developed such as the socially-aware type (Sinead O'Connor Tracy Chapman 10000 Maniacs' Natalie Merchant Queen Latifah). </P> </p><p> <P> Usually women in pop simply have to do what men do becoming tomboyish (Joan Armatrading Sinead O'Connor early P.J. Harvey) donning leather jackets and striking aggressive macho poses (Suzi Quatro Joan Jett) or imitating male aggro and thrash bands (L7 Bikini Kill and the Riot Grrrl movement). Even when they are also songwriters or musicians as well as singers many women in pop are not taken seriously and are seen as relatively innocuous: Beverly Craven Barbara Dickson Kylie Minogue Alanis Morrisette. Carly Simon Annie Lennox Carole King Karen Carpenter Diana Ross and Rickie Lee Jones). </P> </p><p> <P> The important female pop stars (Yoko Ono Tina Turner Madonna Courtney Love Kate Bush) simultaneously confirm notions of female identity and rewrite them. Stars such as Madonna actively confront gay lesbian queer bisexual and heterosexual forms of sexual identity. But Madonna always has to do this in an environment dominated by patriarchal heterosexuality. Female pop stars - Tina Turner Joan Armatrading Sade Madonna k.d. laing Poly Styrene - help to rewrite the way women are viewed in patriarchal culture. The successful stars counter the awful time that many less successful female acts have endured. </P> </p><p> <P> Revised and updated with new illustrations. </p><p> <P> Fully illustrated. Notes and bibliography. </p><p></p><p><br></p>