Under the Surface: Racism in the UK Music Industry
The UK music industry has a long history of discrimination, dating back to the 19th century when racist ideas that legitimised British imperialism found their way into popular music, ‘minstrel shows’ and ‘coon songs’.
Today, the UK music industry is publicly celebrated for its ‘rich heritage’ and diverse range of talent. Yet under the surface, there’s a troubling reality of racism and systemic bias still present – hindering the progress and representation of minority employees.
In this article, we’ll explore these deep-rooted issues and discuss what steps can promote change within the UK music industry.
Racism in the UK music industry today
In 2022 Black Lives in Music published the largest-ever study on racial inequality in the UK music industry, asking 1,718 black musicians and industry professionals to shed light on their experience. The study shed light on the many challenges that black people face in the music industry today:
- Racial abuse – More than 60% of Black music creators have experienced racism themselves and almost 70% have witnessed it. This includes indirect forms of racial abuse such as microaggressions or being treated differently due to race or ethnicity, as well as direct forms like being subjected to explicitly racist language.
- Career barriers – 86% of black musicians said they have faced barriers to their career because of their race. Black musicians are often faced with the choice between catering to the whims of their record labels or lacking opportunities to progress. Some black artists get pigeon-holed into stereotypically ‘black’ genres. Some high-profile artists have even been asked to change their names or alter their appearance.
- Lower pay – The study found that black music creators earn £299 less per month on average compared to white musicians.
What steps can promote change?
The abuse and challenges that BAME employees face in the music industry are troubling. Yet there are measures that could help the industry become more inclusive and equitable, including:
- Legal support – When clear cases of racial profiling are found to be taking place, action needs to be taken by the government and organisations that provide legal advice and services for musicians.
- Transparent reporting – Employers need to be open and clear on how racism manifests itself within their organisations. Mandatory duties to report would enable consistent and clear frameworks that help better tackle discrimination.
- Industry standards – Unlike in other industries in the UK, standards in the music industry are not currently well-regulated. Codes of conduct should be put in place to protect all minority employees in the music industry from musicians to technical staff, creating safer and more inclusive work environments.
Additionally, more and more people need to speak out when they witness instances of discrimination. With many employees reporting accounts of events that clearly demonstrate prejudice, it’s important that the perpetrators are held accountable and not allowed to minimise or deflect the real harm that their actions cause.
What does the future hold?
Racism is very much still present in the UK music industry and attitudes are not as progressive as many people like to claim. Thanks to advances in reporting and organisations pushing for change, positive steps towards a more equitable and inclusive industry are underway. Yet greater collaboration and participation is needed to ensure that progress doesn’t grind to a halt.
