A new study by Dr. Stacy L. Smith and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative has found that women and people of color are still significantly underrepresented in senior executive positions across the music industry. The study examines 106 music companies, including Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Spotify, iHeartMedia, and SiriusXM. The gender, race, and ethnicity of 2,793 executives at the VP level and above was assessed across all the companies evaluated. Across the major 37 companies, women made up only 13.2% of leadership positions. Underrepresented racial and ethnic communities hold a small share of the pie at 7.9% of top roles, while only 5.3% were women of color. In contrast, 84.2% of top executives were white men.
The study highlights the discrepancies in who gets to lead in the industry. Men held 84.4% of CEO/president roles, while women filled 15.6%. The majority of top executives (82.2%) were white and 17.8% were underrepresented. Women of color held 4.4% of these top roles.
The findings remind us that while progress has been made, there is still much work to be done in achieving true equality. Andreea Gleeson, Chief Executive Officer of TuneCore (a sponsor of the report, in addition to Believe), called for all leaders to take initiative to create lasting, systemic change. By championing and uplifting women and diverse talent at all levels, including the executive ranks, we can build a stronger, more innovative industry.
The percentage of women and underrepresented top executives increased somewhat, with 77 top companies logging 15.6% of women in CEO and/or presidents roles. Women CEOs and presidents were most likely to lead companies in the music distribution sector (28.6%) followed by publishing (21.4%). However, few labels (16%) or streaming companies (10%) had women at the top, and no music group top executives were women. Women of color were least likely to fill a top executive position.
The report also features actionable solutions for change, including the use of measurable and objective criteria to guide hiring and promotion, creating flexible pathways to promotion for all employees, and pursuing sector-driven solutions that account for unique company needs.
