Diversity Within the Music Industry

Jessica Bailey

While music is all around us, during this pandemic, a much needed outlet of film and television has been practiced by many. While the mention of film scores most likely only brings the sound of Star Wars or Harry Potter, music transforms each Netflix show or horror movie you watch. 

Diversity within the music industry as a whole has been a work in progress with much of the well recognized names drawn back to white men. According to the Music Industry Investigation Report, 83% of industry professionals reported that over ¾ of their company’s leadership positions were held by white people. While this is an incredibly staggering statistic that acknowledges the lack of progression this industry has made towards diversity, it should not stop the black, female, or LGBTQ+ composers and musicians being any less influential to the global music scene. 

Quincy Jones and partner Bob Russell were the first African Americans to be nominated for an Oscar for best original song. Jones has been nominated for a total of seven Oscars, credited producer on 40 films, including Their Eyes are Watching God and The Color Purple. Beyond films, he worked with Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, and Ella Fitzgerald as music producer. 

Terence Blanchard is an esteemed black jazz musician who works to bring awareness to societal issues such as gun violence. He worked to compose the scores of Their Eyes are Watching God, Malcolm X, and Harriet, a movie following the story of Harriet Tubman. 

Shirley Walker was one of the first female composers working in Hollywood and paved the way for women in the film industry. Some of her most well known movies include Batman: Mask of Phantasm, Escape from L.A. , and Memoirs of an Invisible Man. The Shirley Walker Award was created by the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) to honor those who have contributed to diversity within the film and music industry. 

Angela Morley was the first openly transgender person to be nominated for an Oscar, which was for The Little Prince and The Slipper and the Rose in the 1970s. While she retained a lower profile status compared to other composers, she worked in the music department for E.T The Extra Terrestrial, Home Alone, Schindler’s List, and the original TV series of Wonder Woman. 

These are simply four of many and although their work is well appreciated, the composers themselves are incredibly under recognized. This can start through education and implementing more diverse pieces of music into middle school and high school music classes, rightfully acknowledging the work that has shaped the global music industry.