Taylor Swift is the most searched woman on Google. She has consistently dominated the music industry, making history with many of her achievements. In 2023, she embarked on the Eras Tour, which became the highest-grossing tour ever, garnering $2 billion in revenue. Swift was also the first artist to receive four Grammy Awards for the Album of the Year. Throughout her career, she’s had 12 No. 1 hit singles and is the most decorated artist in American Music Award history. Despite her massive, undeniable success, she still faces disproportionate waves of hate — people criticize her body, relationships, music and every other aspect of her life far more than her male counterparts in the industry. 

Misogyny is so normalized today that it becomes almost invisible. It’s woven into the discreet rhetoric used for women in pop culture and intertwined in everyday attitudes. In pop music, women top charts, populate headlines and dominate the spotlight, redefining the future of the music industry. Artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Tate McRae and many others have forged incredible success over the last few years, but they’ve also faced intense and often unjust backlash. Women in pop music should not have to face the scrutiny their male counterparts don’t, and, to avoid perpetuating it, individuals should be more aware of the double standards that women in the music industry face. 

Women are constantly subject to double standards and inequitable comparisons with male artists in the pop genre. In April, pop singer Sabrina Carpenter headlined the Coachella Music Festival two weekends in a row. Her set, dubbed “Sabrinawood,” featured 20 songs, including hits “Espresso,” “Manchild” and “Taste.” During both weekends, she enlisted a wide range of high-profile celebrity guests, including Madonna, Samuel L. Jackson and Will Ferrell. Though her performance showcased much of her skill and vocals, people still found something to criticize — many said her performance felt too rehearsed, that the pacing was off or that she didn’t have enough crowd interactions, despite the concert’s capacity being enormous. 

Carpenter’s performance went above and beyond. The set contained five costume changes, each tied to the story she was weaving, and high energy throughout the entire 90-minute performance.

“It’s the most ambitious show I’ve ever done,” Carpenter said in an interview with Perfect. “Most of the time, you’re really quickly thrust into physical rehearsals, but this time around, we started this process around seven months ago. So it’s been a long journey. It will be very special.”

Pop singer Justin Bieber also headlined two weekends at Coachella, though his set was far more laid-back. He entered the stage in an oversized hoodie from his brand Skylark and scrolled through his laptop, commanding a minimal stage presence. Bieber opened by halfheartedly singing his highly anticipated hits while his old YouTube videos played behind him. Throughout the show, it seemed as if he was wandering around the stage aimlessly, whereas Carpenter had choreographed sequences and stunning, complex outfits throughout her show. 

In contrast to Carpenter’s grandiose production, Bieber’s performance was subpar, yet he received more praise. Bieber’s set reflects the reality that the standard for a “good” performance is much higher for female performers. Even though Carpenter put on the show of a lifetime, the public still found a way to downplay her success, while Bieber could merely stand on stage and sing and still receive praise. When women have to perform at a much higher level than male artists for the same praise, the double standard becomes clear. 

Katie Jelen is the owner of Honestly Good Music, a music licensing company, and has worked in the music industry since 2010. Jelen said she’s seen how poorly the industry treats women. 

“I do feel like I have had to advocate for myself in terms of promotions and pay and be more aggressive in order to push ahead,” Jelen said. “Whereas I feel like male colleagues seemed to climb more easily and get handed certain opportunities.”

Standards for male singers are much more relaxed, while women walk a very thin line. They are either doing too much or too little, and can never win. With her upcoming album, “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love,” pop singer Olivia Rodrigo shifted her clothing aesthetics to hint at the romantic theme of her new project. At the forefront of her new wardrobe has been the “babydoll” dress. Rodrigo has since faced intense backlash, with critics arguing that wearing the dresses infantilizes her. 

Similarly, with the release of his new album, “Kiss All The Time, Disco, Occasionally,” and subsequent tour, pop singer Harry Styles recently updated his style. When he first rose to fame around 2017, Styles typically wore suits with florals or bold patterns. During following tours, he shifted towards colorful shirts, dress pants and suspenders. Now, Styles has shifted toward more casual, understated outfits. Even though both artists shifted their aesthetics to match their new albums’ tones, only Rodrigo’s choice was heavily condemned. Thus, the line of acceptability in the public’s eye blurs, and women are always the first blamed. 

Former FOX 5 news anchor Laura Evans Manatos said that, in her experience, women in the limelight are held to much higher standards than their male counterparts.

“Women in the public eye are expected to look flawless, never appear needy, bounce back immediately after childbirth, avoid talking about childcare and project total availability,” Manatos said. 

The media also perpetuates the narrative that the pop scene is too small for multiple women, often pitting successful artists against each other. In the 2010s, fans theorized there was a feud between Katy Perry and Taylor Swift because both artists were reaching new career heights and had reached mass success. Many hypothesized that Perry had “stolen” one of Swift’s backup dancers, and Swift’s song “Bad Blood” was inspired by the occurrence. 

Though there was no proof that this was the case, it turned into a massive phenomenon lasting years. Occurrences like these are devastating for both the artists’ mental health and for their careers. The controversy dominated the media so tremendously that Swift’s release of “Bad Blood” overshadowed Perry’s “Witness” album. If two successful women cannot coexist in the same industry, they will never be able to truly express themselves in the way male artists can. 

Singer-songwriter Chappell Roan exemplifies the disparity in criticism between men and women artists. The public has exceedingly ostracized Roan after she made it clear that she would set boundaries with the media. After a photographer shouted at her in 2024, Roan began setting limits with the public, including refusing to give fans autographs. The public has since labeled her as hating her fans. 

People expect women to be more polite to the press, whereas men often stand up to the public or paparazzi. In 2025, Bieber confronted the paparazzi for invading his privacy. Fans subsequently turned the recorded interaction into a carefree meme. Women receive much more scrutiny than men even when protecting their own safety, but they should not have to face this double standard. The public laughed at the viral moment lightheartedly, while when women say the same kinds of things, they’re criticized. 

Throughout their lives, society consistently marginalizes women, and the music industry looks down upon their forte in the same way. Not only are female artists dismissed as “shallow” or “silly,” but an inconsistent stigma surrounds their fans, who are described as “hysterical” or “unhealthily obsessed.” Many still disregard masculine sports fans who dress up, place bets or paint their faces for games. It’s normal for a man to obsessively enjoy something considered “manly,” but when a woman does the same thing and “fangirls,” it’s seen as strange. 

Fans are detested for enjoying pop music that’s considered inherently feminine, and a man who enjoys pop music will be judged or questioned. The only way that a man could enjoy something so feminine is if he weren’t “manly enough” or were “too feminine.” Pop music is simply not “distinguished” enough for people to take it seriously. 

Additionally, reactions to a female artist releasing new pop music differ from reactions to new music released in other genres. Sophomore Elora Bove listens to pop music and said she’s noticed a greater general dislike towards women in the industry. 

“I’ve noticed that there is often a lot more hate towards female artists, especially those who voice their political views,” Bove said. “Whenever a female pop artist puts out music, people are quick to judge.” 

Even at the heights of their success, female pop stars are constantly scrutinized at far higher rates than their male counterparts. Advocacy for women in the pop music industry is vital because women shouldn’t have to work twice as hard just to be dismissed.

Manatos said that women in the industry should be aware of the double standard, and warned that they shouldn’t let people overstep their bounds.  

“Stay true to yourself and be acutely aware of gender biases,” Manatos said. “With that knowledge, be intentional about whether you choose to play the game or fight for equal treatment. Protect yourself, stand up for yourself and set boundaries.”