It’s a Boys’ Club, Isn’t It?: One Dimensionality in Portrayals of the Female Rocker

Motti Regev states in his article “Artistic Value and the Case for Rock Music,” “Women are rarely accorded the status of “great” rock artist…” (94). In this paper I will argue that the reason for women’s lack of credibility as rock artists stems from society’s ingrained belief that women can only be one dimensional. I will use examples of how rock critics and the media downplayed female rock artists such as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Betty Davis, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Tina Turner, and Alanis Morissette by limiting them to a singular label (i.e. “angry,” “sexy,” etc). By comparing their experiences to their male counterparts I will explore how gender affects the way society allows male rock musicians to be multifaceted yet denies the same for women.