Breaking the Gender Gap in Rap/Hip-Hop Consumption

Abstract

Some music genres have traditionally and mainly been consumed by men. This is the case of rap/hip-hop. However, data on the consumption of this genre in recent years shows a relevant increase in the number of women interested in this type of music. It would therefore seem to be pertinent to analyse this new trend, not only as a question linked to gender studies but also to marketing decision-making for the music industry, which is struggling to attract new audiences, a factor compounded in the pandemic. To frame this analysis, literature on music consumption, specifically in relation to gender and rap as an alternative music genre, has been reviewed from different approaches. An exploratory survey was conducted to obtain an insight into rap/hip-hop consumption and appreciation by gender. Results show that rap concert attendees’ satisfaction and interest in this kind of music are high, irrespective of gender. Only knowledge, which has not been as extensively studied, seems to be different between men and women, with this factor being slightly higher for the former. In addition, the identification of three clusters (involved, apathetic and hedonists), including both women and men, leads us to suggest that the gender gap in rap/hip-hop consumption is closing.