Punk, Pop, and Pay Gaps: Gender in the Music Industry

Music has always been more than just entertainment—it’s a powerful tool for protest, a megaphone for the unheard, and a force for social change.  

Kadie Philp sits down with Dr. Norma Coates, associate professor at Western University, to explore the intersection of music, gender, and activism.  

From the defiant blues singers of the 1920s to modern icons like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, they discuss how women in music have consistently challenged injustice, reshaped cultural narratives, and fought for economic and social equality.    

Listen For:
10:24 Women in Punk: Screaming Against the Status Quo
19:47 MTV, Madonna, and the Sexualization of Female Artists
28:27 The Spice Girls, Britney Spears, and “Girl Power” in the 2000s
37:35 Race, Gender, and the Music Industry’s Ongoing Gaps    

GUEST: Norma Coates, Ph.D
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