Down and Dirrty: Is it all about sex for women in music?

[Captain Hilts]

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article7117293.ece

I watched the video for Christina Aguilera’s new single, Not Myself Tonight, last week and found myself thinking, “Is that it?” She’s plumped for the fashion-forward options of a gimp mask, a see-through mac, a ball gag and a diamanté merkin. She sings a bad swear. She sits astride a willing model man and sort of snogs an equally up-for-it model lady. She sticks the middle finger up on both hands. Both hands! The intention, no doubt, is to be shocking, but she comes across like an ADHD kid who’s just learnt a rude word. Considering the sum of its parts, the only shocking thing about it is that it isn’t shocking at all.

Times have changed since Xtina made people catch their breath by slinking around a boxing ring in chaps and promising to be Dirrty. Now sex is everywhere, especially for women. Q, the music magazine, has had four female artists on its covers in the past 12 months: Lily Allen, who was topless; Lady Gaga, also topless (it wasn’t quite the same, but I’ll get to that); Cheryl Cole, soaking wet with mouth hanging open; and Florence Welch, who kept her top on, but lost her trousers and posed in pants. The point is that, for women, for female performers, talent has to come wrapped in a titillating bow. When it doesn’t, as with Susan Boyle, it’s all we can do to pick our jaws up off the floor.

...

[msongs]

1. music aimed at 12 years old. well if that's all you've got to offer, go for it :-) nt

[YOY]

2. That's pop. Pop is now and always will be the junkfood of music.

Rising above the fluff is always what great artists do.

There will be an other Joan Baez, another Joan Jett, another Cheryl Crow, another female artist who follows her own rules and rises above the fluff. If she's sexy on the side of that...hey more power to her.

Take a look at Sarah Silverman for the genre of comedy. She acts like no other female comic. She follows her own rules. So did Carol Burnett and Lily Tomlin.

[Merlot]

3. I wonder if there will ever be another Joan Jett, Chrissie Hind, etc...

All we seem to get these days is pop music. Serious artists seem to be few and far between, they don't get the endorsements of recording companies. Only the outrageous "lady gaga's" get the attention and contracts.

It seemed like during the 90's there were some good artists (women and men). Have there been any really outstanding new artists in the last decade?

[Warpy]

4. That's because pop music is mass marketed like sugar cereal

to kids who don't have the life experience to know any better. When those kids grow up and usually by the time they're in high school, they start going after something more nourishing, and that's when real talent gets a chance.

The kiddie pop is ubiquitous, though, overwhelming the equivalent of whole grain cereals on the shelf with its sugary vapidity.

However, the good stuff will always be out there, even if you have to leave our over corporatized shores to find it.

[Captain Hilts]

5. Sarah McLaughlin seemed to fall off the edge of the earth to be consumed by dragons. She was GREAT!

Wha' happen'? A really good voice.

[Tindalos]

6. Sarah McLachlin's playing at Lilith Fair this summer

Along with a lot of other very talented women. http://www.lilithfair.com/

[Captain Hilts]

8. Yes! I heard about that. I like women with strong voices. nt

[Tindalos]

7. There's lots of women in music

Maybe more than ever. Some prefer to focus on their music rather than being sexy and so they don't necessarily get a lot of attention. It seems like it's only the super-sexed-up ones that get hyped on the media.

[Jamastiene]

13. Agreed

Too many pop eye candy types get all the advertising and hype, while serious female musicians get ignored. Good ones are out there. You just have to look for them.

[Forkboy]

9. Depends on the genre.

With pop it's all about sex for men and woman alike. The best female artists aren't even coming close to pop. In the time I clicked on this thread I though of a half dozen female artist that blow me away, and I could come up with many more. And that's just in the weird ass stuff I get into. Some very strong, intelligent women making some interesting and challenging music out there....just not in the mainstream, where image rules the day regardless of gender.

[Echo In Light]

10. Ani immediately springs to mind ...

[Captain Hilts]

11. J-Lo's recent performance at the European music awards...

Yeah, right, it's about the music.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/music/2979057/Jennifer-Lopez-performs-at-World-Music-Awards.html

[Jamastiene]

12. Pop is BS anyhow.

There are rockin' women around. You just have to ignore the slick, formulated, packaged advertising for that pop teeny bopper baloney and go look for them.