Raising Their Voices report details Australian music industry’s darker, disturbing aspects
A landmark report into the inner workings of the Australian music industry has shone a stark spotlight onto disturbing aspects of the sector, triggering an apology from industry leaders.
A landmark report into the inner workings of the music industry has shone a spotlight on disturbing aspects of a sector that tends to attract young workers through its perceived glitz and glamour.
Published on Thursday under the title Raising Their Voices, the 78-page report reveals that bullying, sexual harm, systemic discrimination, underpayment and alcohol abuse are all rife in an industry where unsafe working environments are commonplace.
The findings of the independent review are based on the experiences of more than 1600 music industry workers, including 1271 survey respondents, 266 one-on-one interviews and 16 focus groups.
Of those surveyed, 55 per cent said they had experienced some form of workplace sexual harassment or sexual harm, with a third of respondents reporting at least one incident of sexual harassment in the past five years; men made up 74 per cent of alleged perpetrators.
As well, 76 per cent of survey participants reported experiencing bullying at some point in their careers. Four out of every five women (81 per cent) reported experiencing bullying in the past five years, compared with 67 per cent of men, while two-thirds of the bullies were said to be men.
Led by MAPN Consulting, the report was funded by many of the industry’s big players such as ARIA, APRA AMCOS, Frontier Touring and Live Nation, as well as labels including Sony, Universal, Warner and Mushroom.
Following its publication on Thursday morning, a group of key industry members including the aforementioned businesses issued a joint statement of acknowledgment.
“As leaders in the Australian contemporary music industry, we accept the distressing findings of the review,” said the statement. “We acknowledge the harm documented by the review, and we are sorry. This review has been a vital process of listening and truth-telling. We thank all the participants for their courage in speaking out, in bravely reliving their experiences, and engaging in this critical report.
“We acknowledge the impact of these behaviours on the lives of victim survivors from our industry,” said the joint statement. “Everyone has the right to work in an environment free from bullying, sexual harassment, sexual assault and discrimination. As disturbing and confronting as the findings are, the Australian music industry is committed to change and to rebuilding trust. The music industry should – and will – foster safe, welcoming, respectful, creative, and fun environments. We have been listening and have heard your calls for change. We can and will continue to do better. We all can.”
The report has its roots in a volunteer working group established last year of industry members who agreed to establish a national strategy to drive cultural change.
One of those members, Julia Robinson, the outgoing managing director of the Australian Festivals Association, said: “It is a really important report; it is very detailed, and the consultants have applied a rigour to capturing those stories, to hear those voices of the industry.”
“That is always what we set out to do: to really understand the problem before we can move forward with any solutions, which the report has also done with the 17 recommendations.”
Those include establishing a cultural reform council to address sexual harm, sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination, as well as designing and implementing a code of conduct for music industry members in an attempt to prevent harmful behaviour.
The Raising Their Voices report notes the overwhelming passion that leads individuals to pursue a music career can be a double-edged sword, particularly when ruthless employers take advantage through underpayment and other abusive practices.
“We call it the ‘music tax’, where you will do anything or be paid anything to get the chance to ‘make it’ or be involved with those who do,” one respondent said.
As well, the report details the problems created by the industry’s prevalence of free alcohol, which can blur professional and personal boundaries while creating an environment evocative of high school peer pressure.
One participant said young workers were expected to be “vibe merchants” who attended gigs and parties and stayed late, drinking and dancing, to create a fun atmosphere for others present.
“Free booze is everywhere and people drink because they think they should,” said one respondent, while another noted the “unspoken rule that you can’t leave until your boss does.”
The release of Raising Their Voices comes shortly before much of the industry gathers in Brisbane next week for the Bigsound conference and festival.
With significant buy-in from many of the sector’s major players to this point, Ms Robinson is hopeful that the report’s findings and recommendations will be a hot topic among Bigsound attendees and beyond.
“This whole process has been quite heartening in that the industry has really galvanised; over 50 funders have put their hands in their pockets to hold a mirror up to themselves, and see what is happening,” she said.
“It is unprecedented for an industry to come together like this, and to be committed to making this change,” said Robinson, who will soon join ARIA as its head of policy and advocacy. “This really is a signal for change for the industry.”
The report is published at musicindustryreview.com.au, with the authors noting that the content may be distressing for those who’ve experienced sexual harm.
More Coverage
