"Female Vocalist"

Catari Jaguar

Just debating with the fella over this now and thought I'd hand it over to the Ladies (and Gents)...

I was listening to Paramore and one of its tags on last.fm was "female vocalist". I don't think it's fair that different genres of rock/ metal should be categorised as "female vocalist". I don't think the artists listed; Britney Spears, Bjork and Paramore are in anyway similar. You would never group say, The Beatles, Johhny Cash and Pantera based on the fact that they are/have male singers.


Lacuna Coil
The Distillers
Paramore
Fly Leaf
Hole
Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs
Evanescence
The Donnas
Night Wish

^^^ There are a few rock type bands off the top of my head from my media player. I think they all have different styles, my boyfriend says he won't listen to females in bands because he doesn't like it. That's a band immediately dismissed because there's a female singing. Don't women have different vocal ranges/ styles/ sounds?! They are dismissed as being for 16 y/o girls.

It came up that a female lead singer is the only recognisable figure in a band e.g. Amy Lee (Evanescence). I personally, in any group apart from say U2 or Metallica would only be familiar with the lead singer/ lead guitarist. Also, I don't know the names/ faces of most of the females or males in those bands mentioned. It's not relevant for me, I like the music as a whole.

It also came up that females get most video time/ photo shoot attention. Does this mean that in order for a "female vocalist" band they need to have an attractive woman to gain interest. Their looks have nothing to do with their sound. Look at all the bashing Beth Ditto gets in magazines and her voice rocks.

I've also found that female solo artists e.g. Fiona Apple, Cat Power get much less airplay than say pop tarts like Lady Gaga and Britney. Can women in the music business be given an equal chance unless they are pop puppets showing a bit of skin? I find the whole thing insulting.

Any lads want to give their opinions on bands with female singers?

Bit of a discussion here Last.fm female vocalists

Adam

thats a little bit overly feminist and overly sensitive i think

firstly, it wasn't commonplace for a female vocalist to work in the rock industry, so when they came along, it was notable. if it had all been women, and then a few men popped up, there would be a male vocalist tag.

secondly, yes, the more attractive they are the better, but that applies similarly to male singers. do you think robbie williams was so popular for his amazing music? (even though i kinda like him, not a great example maybe...)

lastly, dont ever compare fiona apple or cat power to those pop travesties again please it's a less popular genre, and gets less airplay than the others regardless of the sex of the singer, simple as.

Catari Jaguar

Mirror wrote: »

lastly, dont ever compare fiona apple or cat power to those pop travesties again please it's a less popular genre, and gets less airplay than the others regardless of the sex of the singer, simple as.

Thanks for the input

Jack Johnson, Paddy Casey, Damien Rice get as much airtime as boy bands (man bands)...

And I wouldn't compare them but they were both tagged as "female vocalist"

Adam

Lil Kitten wrote: »

Thanks for the input

Jack Johnson, Paddy Casey, Damien Rice get as much airtime as boy bands (man bands)...

now thats just not true, and not a very constructive statement to bring to the debate unless you're willing to back it up somehow...

Catari Jaguar

Mirror wrote: »

now thats just not true, and not a very constructive statement to bring to the debate unless you're willing to back it up somehow...

Just based on listening to the radio. For a while there acoustic singer/song writers were huge.

Doctor DooM

Speaking as someone who is looking for a "female vocalist" for their band, I can 100% confirm it is because I am looking for a voice which is different and therefore effectively an extra, different instrument which will give a new dimension to the existing band.

sometimes I just do want to hear a female vocalist.

Sometimes I want to hear a male one, or a distorted guitar, or music with no guitars.

Anyway it's a good idea from a marketing point of view, thats why it happens.

Adam

Lil Kitten wrote: »

Just based on listening to the radio. For a while there acoustic singer/song writers were huge.

very true, but thats just a phase that got popular. however i know a lot of people that would listen to a song by jack johnson/damo rice/etc. on the radio but wouldn't be a particular fan of the genre. it was just a case of those particular artists getting it right
like norah jones. i'd say she's had more airplay than the three of them put together, because she got it right.

Britney....a travisty.....I'm leaving this thread before I get too upset to contain myself. :mad:

Adam

SDooM wrote: »

Speaking as someone who is looking for a "female vocalist" for their band, I can 100% confirm it is because I am looking for a voice which is different and therefore effectively an extra, different instrument which will give a new dimension to the existing band.

sometimes I just do want to hear a female vocalist.

Sometimes I want to hear a male one, or a distorted guitar, or music with no guitars.

Anyway it's a good idea from a marketing point of view, thats why it happens.

couldn't agree more. if i were to list my favourite vocalists, i'd say the majority would be female. i find them more interesting and characteristic outside of the pop genre. ergo, i like to be able to find female vocalists with ease, so i wont complain about a little bit of sensible labelling, i dont consider it a sexist thing.

Catari Jaguar

Good points yea...

I was thinking more along the lines of say I was in a band, the next Led Zeppellin and was dismissed because of being female. Or worse, accepted just because being female was the "in" thing from a marketing perspective.

If myself and Joe Soap from down the road both sang the same song for the same band, which of us would be accepted by a broad audience and which would be relegated to appealing to teen girls on the Twilight soundtrack? Which of us would have to make sure we looked pretty on the album cover?

I don't know where I'm going with this myself, I just got really riled up but won't post OH opinions because they wouldn't reflect his views accurately.

Adam

Lil Kitten wrote: »

Good points yea...

I was thinking more along the lines of say I was in a band, the next Led Zeppellin and was dismissed because of being female. Or worse, accepted just because being female was the "in" thing from a marketing perspective.

If myself and Joe Soap from down the road both sang the same song for the same band, which of us would be accepted by a broad audience and which would be relegated to appealing to teen girls on the Twilight soundtrack? Which of us would have to make sure we looked pretty on the album cover?

I don't know where I'm going with this myself, I just got really riled up but won't post OH opinions because they wouldn't reflect his views accurately.

well as i said, i'm a big fan of female vocalists. i honestly enjoy listening to all the bands you listed in your original post. i was vistually playing in a flyleaf cover band not too long ago.
but if someone doesn't like female singers i guess that's fair enough, if a bit close minded for my liking.
but for you and joe soap to sing the same song, well i couldn't begin to guess which i would prefer. i dont like all male singers. i dont like all female singers. i judge each on their individual merits.

Nightwish

There's a separate genre called "Female Fronted Metal". Some sound similar, others dont. They are grouped together as there are many who like the female voice. It brings a different aspect to the sound of rock or metal music. Nothing sexist at all about it.

KatCookie

i'd guess that i'm going against the graain here... but as a female and a lover of rock music, i find the female voice often quite annoying!
Bands such as Paramore irriate me SO much, Amy Lee from Evanescence would be one of few female vocalists-in-a-band that i actually like! i do like decent female vocalists on their own, like Nelly Furtado, and i can appreciate good singers without actually liking them

I realise that i am being Sexist, and i'd usually be one for equality, but for me, if i seen "female Vocalist" tag on last.fm and then seen it compared to Paramore or MCR then i'd be inclined to stay away from that band! It helps cut out what i dont like in bands, i find most mens voices just "better"
Just my 2c worth

Adam

KatCookie wrote: »

i'd guess that i'm going against the graain here... but as a female and a lover of rock music, i find the female voice often quite annoying!
Bands such as Paramore irriate me SO much, Amy Lee from Evanescence would be one of few female vocalists-in-a-band that i actually like! i do like decent female vocalists on their own, like Nelly Furtado, and i can appreciate good singers without actually liking them

I realise that i am being Sexist, and i'd usually be one for equality, but for me, if i seen "female Vocalist" tag on last.fm and then seen it compared to Paramore or MCR then i'd be inclined to stay away from that band! It helps cut out what i dont like in bands, i find most mens voices just "better"
Just my 2c worth

that's completely fair, and i dont think it's sexist, it's just you being aware of your personal tastes.

Lockstep

A big problem with most female fronted bands is that it becomes their gimmick. They become known for having a female as their front(wo)man rather than anything else about them.

I've played with a few female fronted bands in my time and have seen some fantastic female fronted bands too (Tsunami Bomb were rather excellent)

WOmen are more than capable of being accepted as genuine singers in their own right rather than some cute little hologram for the charts. Bands such as Epica etc.

It really does depend on the woman though, some bands like Arch Enemy sound very similar to their male counterparts so it is no issue, others seem to define themselves by the fact that they have higher singing voice than the dudes.

Dragan

The difference between what a male and female vocalist would traditionally be able to do is quite dramatic.

Also, as people said, it can become part of the marketing.

It's basically the same as listing the instruments.