Break up with your boyfriend, his Spotify Wrapped was only men
By Mia Costales
There’s a well-known saying that goes, “The eyes are the window to the soul,” and I’m here to tell you that’s bullshit — it’s your playlists. I’m a firm believer that the music you listen to is a direct reflection of who you are as a person, the perfect glimpse into your soul. Sure, a Tinder profile or Instagram page can provide you with a preview of what you’re getting yourself into. In Humboldt it’s mostly just some guy posing with a dead fish, some guy gently caressing a guitar, or what have you. But once you’ve tapped into arguably the most crucial information — someone’s music taste — that’s when you’ll know if he’s a keeper. Chris Brown, Jason Aldean, Drake and not a single woman to be found? GIRL, RUN!
According to Spotify’s 2023 listening data reported by everynoise.com, 31.9% of female listeners streamed female or mixed-gender artists, while only 19.2% of male listeners streamed female or mixed-gender artists. This statistic is disappointing to say the least, especially when there are so many prominent female artists topping the charts. Artists like Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish consistently placed in the top ten of Billboard’s 2024 Hot 100. So why is it so hard for men to listen to women artists? Senior kinesiology major Nick Weil chalked it up to prevalent misogyny within the scene.
“Men should diversify their music taste,” Weil said. “A lot of male-dominated music is misogynistic and upholds those values and the patriarchy, which is really disappointing. There is so much to explore in the world of music and women have been crucial to the development of it, and so not listening to female artists is like shooting yourself in the foot.”
Starting at the source is the only way to level out the gender listening gap. So many local music scenes are grossly inaccessible for women, and especially queer women and women of color. While Arcata’s scene may be better than most, we still have a long way to go. Practically every femme has a similar story of feeling unsafe or unwelcomed in their local music scene, and it’s up to the men and masc-presenting people to create a non-hostile environment that not only accepts femme-produced art, but celebrates it. However, it is also up to femmes to allow themselves to take up space, even if it makes people uncomfortable. It’s up to us to not take no for an answer and advocate for female voices in spaces where they’ve been historically suppressed.
Stream more female artists. Go to your local record shop and buy their albums. Support women at shows. Listen to your local femme DJs on the radio. I implore you to step outside of your comfort zone and consume femme-produced art, because the biggest red flag is a man who doesn’t listen to women.
“I think that it’s important for us all to challenge ourselves to listen to more underrepresented artists,” Alexis Roberts, a junior music major, said. “I’d challenge us all to find a new female composer, rockstar, blues player, jazz artist today. Because everyone’s voices should be heard and a lot of these voices have been stifled historically. Listen to more POC, queer, disabled and femme sections of all genres.”
Mia Costales is a senior journalism major and the Life & Arts Editor for The Lumberjack. With a background in music performance, she hopes to combine her love of music and the arts with her passion for localized news and activism to bring thoughtful and informed stories to the public.
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