The Grammys

Australian rocker Courtney Barnett, wearing a shirt for Seattle all-woman punk band Chastity Belt

In response to questions about why so few women were awarded Grammy's at last Sunday's ceremony, and why the only woman (Lorde) even nominated for Album of the Year was the only nominee not allowed to perform her song, Recording Academy president Neil Portnow suggested that perhaps women needed to "step up" to be recognized.

I don't know what world Portnow lives in, but musically it sure isn't mine.  Full disclosure - I don't own a single Bruno Mars record (he swept all the major categories at the awards) and most likely never will, so maybe I'm the one in the alternative universe.  Anyway, my point is that the majority of music I listen to, mostly post-punk, folk rock, psych-rock, and indie, is performed either by female-fronted bands, all-female bands, or bands with at least one or more women in them.  As a rule of thumb, I tend to not even trust a band that doesn't have at least one woman in it.

Some favorites that immediately spring to mind are auteurs like Annie Clark (St. Vincent) and Merrill Garbus (Tune-Yards).  All-woman bands like L.A.'s Warpaint and Madrid's Hinds.  Female-fronted bands like Alicia Bognanno's Bully, Sadie Dupuis' Speedy Ortiz, Ellen Kempner's Palehound, and Brittney Howard's Alabama Shakes.  There's Alexis Krauss and Sleigh Bells, and Alice Glass' now-defunct Crystal Castles. Husband-and-wife bands like Low and Yo La Tengo.  Folk rock bands with at least one (sometimes more) charismatic, multi-instrumentalist women, like The Decemberists, Blind Pilot, Typhoon, and even The Barr Brothers.  Not to mention pop divas like Beyonce, Rhianna and Taylor Swift. I personally don't listen to the latter bunch, but I can't deny their influence on pop culture.  

My list could go on and on and on - the only question is where to stop.  At almost every show I go to, there's usually at least one woman on the stage, and not just as a backup singer or eye candy but usually in a pivotal role.

Women have already stepped up and practically dominate some circles of rock music today.  It's not at all surprising to see one or more women on the stage even for male-fronted bands.  What is surprising is that someone like (elderly white male) Neil Portnow is so out of the loop that he doesn't even realize it, and thinks that musicians like Bruno Mars are the current rage (pro tip: he's not).  Women don't need to step up - Portnow needs to wake up, because the women have already stepped past his irrelevant, self-serving awards show.

Ironically, I'm going to a show tonight by a male performer (Jens Lekman).  I have no idea if he'll be performing solo or with a band, but in the past, he's had women provide his backing sounds.