2017 Year In Review: Men Dominate Charts / Women Have Their Worst Year Ever

Published: Sunday 31st Dec 2017 by Rashad

Scribbled in history books for some good and not-so-good reasons, 2017 brought with it some of modern music’s most memorable moments.  Now, as the year draws to a close, TGJ is reflecting on our favorite moments that rocked – and to some degree reshaped – the Urban and Pop musical landscape as we know it.

Next, we reflect on the year we truly asked ‘where my girls at?’ as they were hardly ever found on charts.  Details inside:

The Weeknd‘s ‘Starboy’ shone as the year’s first #1 Hot 100 single, but little did we know at the time it would serve as just a foretaste of what the chart would reflect throughout 2017.  Thanks to domination from the likes of Bruno Mars, Kendrick Lamar, Ed Sheeran, and more, women were blocked from the top spot and ultimately top 10 of the tally for most of the year.  Only Taylor Swift, Cardi B, and Beyonce were served seats at the top spot (and their respective runs were short in comparison).

In fact (as we reported here), women were so scarce on charts there was a time only 4 female acts were in the top 40!  By the year’s end, only 12 songs by females entered the top 10 of the Hot 100. Here is a list of female artists who entered the top 10 as leading acts this year:

  • Alessia Cara – ‘Scars To Your Beautiful’
  • Lady Gaga – ‘Million Reasons’
  • Katy Perry – ‘Chained to the Rhythm’
  • Rihanna – ‘Love on the Brain’
  • Miley Cyrus – ‘Malibu’
  • Cardi B – ‘Bodak Yellow’
  • Camila Cabello – ‘Havana’
  • Taylor Swift – ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ & “…Ready For It’
  • Demi Lovato – ‘Sorry Not Sorry’
  • Halsey – ‘Bad at Love’
  • Mariah Carey – ‘All I Want For Christmas’

Unfortunately, their limited appearances were not limited to the Hot 100.  On the Billboard 200 – a chart dominated by Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Ed Sheeran, and more this year – only 8 of the 40 albums that hit #1 belonged to females.  Of those 8, Taylor Swift’s is the only one that stayed at the top for longer than a week.

But, if you thought complaints around the lack of female representation was limited to charts, you were wrong.  Twitter users launched an all out war against the American Music Awards when their nomination’s tally listed so few females.  Branding the show the ‘American Men Awards’ or ‘All Men Awards,’ feminists lit up the show for the absence of estrogen on its nomination’s list.  Click here to read that.

Here’s hoping next year spells differently for the girls.

Your thoughts?

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  1. Taylor swifts number 1 fan!!! December 31, 2017

    Taylor Swift is going back to the top of the billboard album charts this week. So good end to the year!

    • DanYiel Iman January 1, 2018

      She’s wack much like her #1 fan!!

  2. Fancy BISH December 31, 2017

    Katy Perry flopped the whole damn year hunnie…PO’ THANG! lol

  3. Earnestine Hardy December 31, 2017

    This is a bunch of garbage all these men who dominated the charts for 2017 is the dumbmiss s*** i ever heard the only male that’s dominating anything is Chris Brown whether y’all want to admit it or not period, but he don’t need y’all approval we all know it anyway nobody’s better then him nobody and kiss my ass for the one’s who think their is don’t care facts is facts.

    • Caleb January 2, 2018

      What’s he dominating exactly?

  4. Are you Dumb December 31, 2017

    There arent enough talented woman in the industry right now. Sure, Beyonce, Taylor, and Mariah have enough legions to carry their careers on the charts, but there’s no female in the game right now with “Whitney” talent. That’s why people like Adele can put out an album that will outsell everyone in a week, the world is looking for TRUE A+ VOCAL ABILITY

    • tru.tea.ldn January 2, 2018

      SZA can sing but lets see what happens

  5. DanYiel Iman January 1, 2018

    Actually rap & mumble rap is making a comeback for what who knows, not many SANGERS are getting recognition because the industry wants to push whoever can mumble on a track!!

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