Women in the music industry deserve recognition

Despite the fact that pop has been around for a long time, it never seems to be taken as seriously as other music genres. Maybe it’s that the genre uses mostly synthesized tracks instead of live bands. It could also be that the choruses of these songs can be repetitive (we’ve all seen the meme juxtaposing Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” to Beyoncé’s “Who Run the World,” as if music today isn’t written with as much merit). Or, it could have something to do with the fact that pop is undoubtedly dominated by women.
There’s no shortage of female mega-popstars, many of whom should get way more recognition for their careers than they do. In recent history, we’ve had artists like Mariah Carey, Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus… the list goes on. I’m not here to argue that Beyoncé isn’t recognized for her contributions to the industry, but I am here to make the point that the other ladies on this list (and more) deserve to be taken just as seriously. 
Recently, Billboard named Ariana Grande its 2018 Woman of the Year. Her interview focuses a lot on how she has survived the industry as a woman, and how she still isn’t taken as seriously as she should be, especially by men. She made it clear she’s not afraid to walk out of sessions where her talent and capability is called into question, and she’s willing to burn bridges to demand respect for herself. I love to hear that she’s demanding the level of respect she deserves, but, at this point, should she really have to?
Ariana Grande can produce her own sessions. She writes her own music. She has some of the most impressive vocals of any singer to come from our generation, period. She should be able to walk into a recording studio with the knowledge that she’s already proven herself countless times and shouldn’t have to worry about someone questioning that.
The same goes for all women in all genres of music because — I’ll let you in on a secret — if a man entered the industry with even half of those qualifications, he would be more highly regarded than most or all of those women who’ have fought to make their way to the top. The music industry, as well as many other industries, are still boys’ clubs. Any woman trying to get in is eyed skeptically and has to “prove” that she can hang.
I’m not saying no male in music deserves their fame. Many do. I only argue that they don’t necessarily have to fight as hard to get there. Merely their gender does not make it more difficult for them to prove themselves as a serious artist. Pop is already less respected than other genres. The moment a woman enters into the pop genre, she has all of the odds stacked against her, regardless of the fact that pop is a female-dominated genre of music. She has to be able to do it all, or she’s viewed as unable to do anything. It’s time that we all check our biases when it comes to women in music, evaluate their talent objectively and appreciate them for their hard work. I have a strong suspicion we would see more women climbing their way to the top across all genres.