Pop Music Has An Age Problem

Every year, the hottest new artists are hitting the music scene at younger and younger ages. But what happens to the veterans of the industry? When examining how the music industry treats women over 35, it is clear to see how the growing age bias disproportionately affects women.

Written by Adam Cherian

Photo courtesy of Madonna

On Aug. 21, 2000, Madonna released one of the biggest hits of her career. “Music” is a bombastic dance-pop track that hit number one on the Billboard hot 100 charts by early September that same year, making it Madonna’s 12th and, currently, final No. 1 on the chart. At the turn of the century, Madonna was still one of the biggest artists in the industry. But even though she was on top of the world, this chart-topping achievement was impressive for a different reason: At the time, Madonna was 42 years old, making her part of the exclusive club of women over 40 with a Billboard number one hit.

The glaring lack of women over 40 snagging No. 1 hits is unsurprising. At the time, “Music” was the fifth No. 1 hit from a woman over 40. This would only be topped in 2016, with Sia’s “Cheap Thrills” finally breaking the dry-spell. Then, years later, came Mariah Carey with her smash hit “All I Want for Christmas is You.” 2019  was the last time ’til date that a woman over 40 has taken that coveted No. 1 spot. Some women in music today have been able to beat this and continue to create, however. Beyonce, for example, continues to lead the way for women in music, at her stunning age of 40. The fact that only seven women were able to make No. 1 hits is commendable on their parts. That being said, how low that number is is concerning, and begs the question: Why is it so difficult for women to gain recognition once they get well into adulthood?

The music industry — specifically pop music — has historically been ageist. Ageism is defined as the prejudice against a person on the basis of their age. When discussing how the music industry contributes to this system of oppression, the cultural attitudes towards people of a certain age are revealed. For example, the fact that it is perfectly acceptable for record labels to not sign talented artists on the basis that they are “unrelatable” and “too old,” shows that many people find this type of discrimination acceptable. Madonna is a perfect example of this phenomenon: She went from being one of the biggest female artists in the world to failing to chart her most recent album, Madame X. In a 2016 speech at the Billboard Women in Music Awards, she called out the industry on its “relentless abuse” of mature women trying to succeed in this musical landscape.

Photo courtesy of Alix Malka

The discussion of ageism in the music industry must be intersectional, however, as it is clear that men are not held to the same standard. Just this year, the super-duo Silk Sonic debuted and blew up the charts with hits like “Leave the Door Open” and “Skate.” Both members — Anderson Paak. and Bruno Mars — are in their late 30s. In contrast, the older a woman in the industry becomes, the closer critics will look at their appearance, art, and overall personality. Even worse, women have to compete with the inevitable new crop of girls that will rise in pop music. A classic example of this is Christina Aguilera’s 2010 album Bionic. Reviewers of this album berated Aguilera for daring to make songs about sex saying that it was getting “old,” and went as far as comparing it to her older work. The most glaring way in which reviewers showed their ageist ways was the insistence on comparing Aguilera to then-newcomer Lady Gaga. Bionic tanked, and though Aguilera would go on to have some success in the 2010s, she has not been able to replicate the success of her older material.

This combination of age and gender discrimination may seem superficial when talking about celebrities. However, the way in which pop culture seems to show this intersection of people has influence on everyday people. In a survey conducted by Forbes and Out-Wit Inc., 80% of women in the workplace have experienced some form of gendered ageism. Older women often feel ignored, with younger colleagues taking precedence over them. So even if it may seem humorous to see wealthy celebrities complain about their woes, there are real-world consequences for not making older women visible in the industry.

Photo courtesy of Craig McDean

Ageism not only affects maturing women, but actually has grave consequences for younger artists as well. The debuting pop stars of today are becoming younger and younger. Olivia Rodrigo, for example, debuted her serious music career at the age of 17 in January earlier this year. Showcasing young talent is nothing new, however, and has been seen by the likes of many stars, such as Britney Spears. This reveals an underlying obsession with youth that the music industry seems to have. Think of Billie Eilish, who debuted at the young age of 13, and has recounted in interviews the abuse she has received as a minor within the industry. Not only was she facing that abuse, but was also receiving disturbing attention by predatorial men waiting for her to turn 18. Young girls in the industry are constantly being brought up and often groomed within the industry, not for their talents, but for their relatability and looks.

Women within the industry have accepted for decades the mistreatment they will inevitably face. Gendered ageism is only one aspect of this inequity, but it is a prevalent trend nonetheless. Ultimately, though, there needs to be more accountability on the industry itself for deliberately edging out the veteran women within it. Audiences as well need to change their attitudes towards women and age for the art of women to be taken seriously.