New study reveals shocking gender gap at 2024 UK music festival lineups

A study by A2D2 has revealed a major gender gap in UK festival lineups, only strengthening previous conclusions about sexism in the industry.

The music tech company A2D2 has published a study unearthing another harsh truth about gender and success in music.  Namely, there appears to be a glaring gender gap in female mainstage acts as well as festival lineups generally.  Furthermore, the statistics ultimately show that this inequality persists regardless of the genre.

A2D2’s analysis reveals that male artists and bands have accounted for 63% of acts on average in 2024 thus far. In stark contrast, female artists and bands make up a mere 21% of the total lineup. This translates to a ratio of approximately three male acts for every female act, highlighting a significant disparity in representation.

The study ranks festivals based on gender representation, using the UK’s 10 major festivals as its sample size. Shockingly, Creamfields has exhibited the poorest gender balance, with 81% male vs. 10% female acts. While Glastonbury has a near 50-50 split on its mainstage, this is certainly no excuse.

A2D2’s revelations echo concerns raised by previous reports, both by FACTS and A2D2 in previous years. Namely, it published a study in December 2023 concluding that female DJs must perform twice as often to reach DJ Mag’s Top 100 status.  Thus, while there has been a gradual but hopeful rise in female representation, larger more entrenched festivals continue lagging.

Critics continue to argue that systemic sexism and industry norms contribute to the imbalance. Outside of electronic music, artists like The 1975’s Matty Healy have publicly advocated for gender-balanced contractual commitments.  Furthermore, members within the electronic community such as Nala, VNSSA, and Azzecca have also spoken out on these issues.

Festivals like Primavera, renowned for achieving perfect gender distribution since 2019, show progress in an otherwise stagnant landscape. With industry members increasingly noting the disparity, it’s time for concrete actions over mere promises. And as the 2024 festival season continues, there is still plenty of time to make good. To read more about the A2D2 study, head over to their website.

Featured Image / Exron Music

Ginger Ale

Having grown up just an earshot from Ultra Miami’s venue Bayfront Park, it was next to impossible for me not to fall in love with electronic music. My love for music was evidently strong enough for me to write my college essay on festival culture and continue attending Ultra for 10+ years now. I have always had a knack for writing and the power of words, which I continued cultivating through a Philosophy degree in college. Now, I am finishing up law school and hope to merge my passions by working in the music industry. I am an avid traveler and am certainly not afraid to hop on a plane for a music event. My next bucket list items to attend are Tomorrowland in Belgium and ADE in the Netherlands. Though the list could go on forever, some of my favorite artists include Franky Wah, Kevin de Vries, Eli Brown, and John Summit.

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