Pollstar (01/06/23)

Women artists were seriously underrepresented in tours on Pollstar's Worldwide chart this past year, with women and bands that included female members accounting for just 32 spots on the Top 200 Worldwide Tours, or 16%. Men ruled the Top 10 of the Worldwide Tours chart, and the first woman-led tour was only ranked in 12th place with Lady Gaga's Chromatica Ball Tour, which grossed almost $125.9 million. The last decade of data based on the Worldwide Tours reveals little improvement in gender balance among top-grossing tours, with 2022's numbers just past the previous year's 13%. Although 2022 was the first year the chart highlighted 200 spots rather than 100, women dominated only 14% the Top 100. "It's a systemic issue," says Women In Music President Nicole Barsalona. "You don't see as many young girls being encouraged to go into this line of work on the executive side or on the artist side. And then the other part is they don't see themselves — and that representation hinders that first step." Diversify The Stage founder Noelle Scaggs observes that men's domination of album sales also plays into women's underrepresentation. As more women assume roles in the music and touring industry, the easier it will be for more women artists to launch and advance careers.

Read the full story from Pollstar.