Words: Holly Sampson (she/her)
CW: Sexual harassment / Abuse
Women, non-binary, and queer artists are already taking matters into their own hands, but who will step up next?
The UK’s music scene might be evolving, but the stage is still far from level. In 2024, women were topping the charts, breaking records, and reshaping pop culture, yet men continued to dominate festival line-ups and headline slots. Music company A2D2 revealed that UK music festivals, on average, feature about 3 times as many male artists as female artists. Even behind the scenes in production teams, studios, and boardrooms, the same old tune plays on repeat.
This story is all too familiar. Back in 2019, Scottish festival TRNSMT came under fire for the lack of female and non-binary acts in its 2020 line-up. Out of 23 artists on the main stage, only 3 included, or were, women. Yet organiser Geoff Ellis dismissed calls for equality, claiming a 50/50 gender balance would take ‘several years’ because the industry needs more women ‘picking up guitars’ and ‘forming bands’. Fast forward to 2025, and the 3 main headliners for June 2026 are, once again, straight white men. Female acts such as Amy MacDonald, The Last Dinner Party, and CMAT have been announced, but none have managed to secure the top slot. Surely we shouldn’t have to wait a decade for women to finally claim their place at the top of the bill?
The problem here isn’t a lack of talent, it’s a lack of opportunity. For many women, landing the gig, balancing schedules, and drawing a crowd remains the hardest part. The Women Musicians Insight 2023 Report found that female musicians are generally more highly qualified than their male peers: 14% more women hold a music degree, and 15% have a postgraduate music qualification. Despite this, female musicians typically earn less than their male colleagues, with an average annual income of £19,850 compared to £21,750 for men. Add in caring duties and a lack of support structures, and many are left navigating the industry alone, or forced to abandon their dreams of making it big entirely.
The treatment and safety of women in music tips the scales of equality in favour of men, and creates an indisputable imbalance of power. For decades, the industry has been seen as a “boys’ club” where sexual harassment and abuse are widespread, from management to audiences. During a 2023 UK parliamentary inquiry, former Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac spoke out, stating that there is a ‘tidal wave’ of sexual harassment cases in the industry yet to be exposed. The Women and Equalities Committee’s 2024 Report also revealed that 1 in 3 female musicians have been sexually harassed at work. At the same time, the industry’s continued reliance on non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) ensures that victims remain silent, allowing their abusers to walk free. Until these harmful patterns are rewoven with real equality, respect, and care, women will keep being told the stage is theirs while the system pulls the strings.
Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic and cost-of-living crisis have played a major role in all this, too. The UK’s grassroots music venues are facing their toughest gig yet, with 2 grassroots music venues shutting their doors every week in 2023, according to Music Venue Trust. With soaring bills, dwindling crowds, and tightening licensing laws, the local music scene hangs by a thread, and those already on the margins are hit hardest. Women, non-binary people, queer artists, people of colour, and working-class creatives are often left in the shadows, pushed to the side of the stage.
So, what happens when the tightknit local scene begins to unravel, and who will be there to stitch it back together again? Stepping up to the mic is Girls Girls Girls, a community-led organisation supporting women and queer people in the Glasgow music scene. Founded in 2022 by 3 Glasgow based musicians and artists known as Emily Beckwith (Lacuana), Priya Fergusson, and Riley, the collective has hosted a variety of industry events. From open mic nights, to panel discussions and networking opportunities, they give both well-known and up-and-coming artists a platform to perform, collaborate, and celebrate with one another.
The community has now amassed over 1,200 followers online. What began as an honest conversation about the music industry between 3 retail co-workers has now grown into a widespread movement. ‘As friends and colleagues, we shared our experiences being young womxn in music’, the founders explain. ‘We all had similar stories. We felt as though there was no space for womxn to feel comfortable performing and sharing their music – Girls Girls Girls aims to change this’.
And they’re not alone. Across Scotland, other grassroots organisations are stepping into the limelight, carving out stages where female, non-binary, and queer artists can finally be seen and heard. Hen Hoose, a Glasgow-based songwriting collective, unites award-winning female and non-binary artists, writers, and producers, giving them a safe space to produce new, multi-genre music. Meanwhile, Popgirlz Scotland continues to challenge gender bias in the popular Spotify playlist, and delivers eye-opening lectures at UK universities, which expose the often overlooked gender-related issues in the UK music industry. Together, these collectives act as looms of change. They offer more than just opportunity, they create belonging. By weaving networks of support, creativity, and solidarity, they help underrepresented artists build confidence, amplify their voice, and dismantle the systemic barriers that shape inequality in music. In a scene that often feels frayed at the edges, these organisations hold it together, ensuring no one is left behind.
Forget competition, it’s connection and community that keeps the scene alive. Scotland’s grassroots collectives are rewriting the bill, putting women and non-binary voices exactly where they belong: front and centre. When straight white men hold the mic, it’s no surprise women have to scream just to get a verse in. The stage is set, but who should the spotlight fall on next: on the industry that books the line-up, the venues that host the gigs, or the government, whose policies could finally deliver fair pay, safe spaces, and flexible working conditions? Women, non-binary, and queer artists are already taking matters into their own hands, but who will step up next?
