H-e, B-tch, and Hatred: The rise of derogatory lyrics in a women-dominated music industry
In PJ Harvey‘s ’50ft Queenie’, male privilege is mocked in a caricature-like fashion, with Harvey exploring what it means for a woman to assert dominance. The concept revolves around a giant, aggressive woman exuding self-assuredness—the opposite of what’s typically expected—as a way of critiquing the male power dynamics that are often overlooked under the guise of respectability. After all, when women display the same qualities, they are often labelled a “bitch”.
Musicians have been firing derogatory words in their music since day one, but when it comes to misogynistic vernacular, there have been a series of trends over the years that beckon exhaustive questioning. For starters, the term, depending on the context and who it’s used by, can be twisted and moulded into almost any meaning. For instance, words like “bitch”, when used by women, are typically uttered with a hint of playfulness or without a central anchor to make it sound as “mean” or demeaning as it might look on paper.
In Lizzo’s ‘Juice’, for instance, she uses it as a means of empowering herself, reflecting on a remark about not being the “baddest bitch” when that’s actually a title she holds dear. Similarly, in songs like Doja Cat’s ‘Paint The Town Red’ or Rihanna’s ‘Bitch Better Have My Money’, the word itself might seem more pointed towards another person, but it’s still used in a context of power and resilience rather than an overt attempt at using a derogatory slur.
However, when used by men, such words hold deeper complexities, perpetuating and normalising the use of sexist language in music. It stems from a more insidious play on oppression that suggests men can—and will—say such things to belittle, assert dominance, and ultimately make women feel degraded. Even if the songs themselves are implicit in meaning, such terms feel openly callous, diminishing a woman’s right to her own agency.
These trends have persisted even after years of fighting for enhanced rights or cultural progression, and as more women have entered the industry with the same or more successes than their male counterparts, the word choices have not only persisted but increased. For instance, while women topped the British charts for over 30 weeks last year, with several even claiming varying Brit Awards, this embrace has not been reflected as passionately in song lyrics over the years.
While women have risen, derogatory terms have flourished. A recent study by Startle analysing 600 chart-topping songs across six decades (1974 and 2024) actually draws attention to the troublesome fact that objectification and empowerment in the music industry are still two very distinctive and mutually exclusive strands. According to their findings, the biggest shift occurred at the turn of the century, specifically from 2004 onwards, with a 1,383% increase in female-negative words compared to the previous decade.
Which terms have seen the biggest rise?
Looking at Startle’s research, it’s easy to guess which words have become the most referenced by artists across the board. Actually, and perhaps unsurprisingly, there has also been a spike across rap and hip-hop, especially in recent years, with artists like Kendrick Lamar frequently turning to terms like “bitch” in his work. While including ‘freak’ in song lyrics became something of a trend from 1984 onwards, 60 other terms, including “bitch”, spiked from 2004 onwards.
However, while this increase began in 2004, with the word featuring in songs 18 times, this number nearly doubled in 2024, particularly following songs like Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’, which uses the word six times. This isn’t a new trend within Lamar’s discography, but it does demonstrate a broader cultural consciousness where such terms are overlooked despite the increase in female dominance in other musical spaces. Other terms, like “hoe”, have also seen similar increases.
And while all of this has been happening, positive language has decreased. For instance, words like “beautiful”, “honey”, and other terms of endearment have declined by 85% over five decades. That said, while this stark contrast to culture and progression seems dramatic, it, unfortunately, isn’t all that surprising, considering the length of time it usually takes for institutions or certain spaces of the arts to catch up when it comes to equality and representation.
According to Startle CEO Adam Castleton, while we continue to acknowledge and celebrate the increase in female presence across popular music charts and other spaces of the industry, we must also understand that the reasons for the rise in derogatory language are complex. “Firstly, some music genres – like rap, hip-hop and drill – are centred on the hyper-masculine principles of dominance, status and the objectification of women,” Castleton tells Far Out.
“The commercialisation and rising popularity of these genres means labels are likely to prioritise content that fits into established, lucrative formulas, which sometimes include misogynistic themes,” he continues, arguing that the same is true “when it comes to what sells more broadly”. In his view, because the music industry is still male-dominated in many places, and many women feel “pressured to conform to what the industry expects”, choices like “hyper-sexualisation” are usually made by predominantly male labels and execs.
However, he also suggests that another reason for the rise could be the influence of “virality” in the age of social media. After all, “shocking or controversial lyrics”, he says, are often the lifeblood of viral social media trends, which can bleed into streaming sites like Spotify and Apple Music, where listeners can “easily access uncensored lyrics”. While many artists will often have to give credence to some sort of radio edit, this exclusivity on streaming platforms can sometimes encourage them to use such language in their art.
However, while there’s a lot at play here, Castleton also argues that a change can occur when there’s a “wider cultural shift and avoidance of controversial music”. As mentioned previously, some of this can be attributed to women reclaiming the language as terms of empowerment, but this coasts a fine line more often than not, with some contexts “easily reinforcing a cycle of derogatory representation instead of breaking it”.
Still, with most cultural shifts, attitudes often surge forward while trends and behaviours take time to align. After all, it’s no secret that the fight for equality is far from over, and while women are currently taking the music industry by storm, the lag proves that a lot still needs to be done before the industry fully catches up. Representation is one thing, but real progress requires a deeper, more ingrained transformation—one where a woman with power and talent no longer faces labels like “bitch”.
