Misogyny in Music: Legal Challenges and Industry Reform

Industry context

In 2023, the UK music industry generated a record £7.6 billion in Gross Value Added—a 13% increase on 2022—and employed 216,000 full-time equivalents, up 3% from 2022[1]. Despite its economic significance, the sector remains dominated by self-employment and small businesses, compounding risks of unaddressed harassment and pay inequity.

Key findings and legal implications

The report outlined a wide range of issues and legal implications. Its key findings are summarised below.

Harassment and Discrimination: Sexual harassment and discrimination in the music industry disproportionately affects women, especially women from minority backgrounds, disabled women, and LGBTQ+ women. Those subjected to misconduct often lack accessible legal remedies.

Freelancer Exclusion: An estimated 70% of industry workers are thought to be freelancers, however, under the Equality Act 2010, these individuals may fall outside any protections depending on their ability to provide a substitute (known as ‘depping’) and the subsequent impact on their employment status. The forthcoming Employment Rights Bill may extend protection from third-party harassment against employees, but uncertainties remain regarding protecting freelancers.

Misuse of NDAs: Non-disclosure agreements intended for confidentiality are often used to silence harassment victims, raising both ethical and contractual issues. While NDAs cannot legally bar crime reporting, their practical effect is to deter disclosures.

Family-Related Discrimination: Parents and carers face greater challenges in the music industry. Freelancers in particular face inadequate maternity support and prohibitive childcare costs. Maternity Allowance rules are less flexible than paid-employee arrangements, perpetuating pay and advancement disparities.

Intersectional Discrimination: Section 14 of the Equality Act, which would allow claims based on two combined protected characteristics has not been implemented, restricting remedies for intersectional abuse.

Recommended legal reforms

The Women and Equalities Committee is urging swift legal reforms to better protect professionals in the music industry. The key recommendations are:

Amend the Equality Act 2010 to extend anti-discrimination and harassment protections explicitly to freelancers and implement Section 14 for broader intersectional claims.

Prohibit NDAs and similar confidentiality clauses in cases of sexual abuse, harassment, bullying, or discrimination by protected characteristic.

Endorse and resource the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) to set conduct standards, handle complaints, and promote industry-wide best practices.

Ensure the Employment Rights Bill incorporates freelancers within third-party harassment safeguards, holding employers accountable for external perpetrators.

Employer responsibilities

This report highlights the responsibility of businesses in the music industry —including record labels, production companies, and venue operators—to ensure strict compliance with harassment and discrimination legislation.

Employers should consider the following:

Policy and Procedure: Implement clear definitions of misconduct, ensuring they have robust reporting channels and confidentiality-protected complaint mechanisms.

Training and Culture: Mandate regular equality, diversity, and inclusion training for all staff, ensuring employees understand their rights and managers enforce protections.

Contract Review: Conduct regular reviews and revise contracts to remove coercive NDA language and embed explicit non-discrimination clauses.

Family-Friendly Practices: Align maternity and parental policies for freelancers with those available to employees, addressing pay and promotion biases.

Transparency and Audit: Conduct periodic pay audits, benchmark industry standards, and publish gender-neutral criteria for pay and progression.

Key takeaway

The Women and Equalities Committee’s report on misogyny in the music industry highlights persistent gaps in legal protections and workplace culture. For businesses, the message is clear: proactive measures are essential. Ongoing training and education will be central to creating more inclusive, respectful, and equitable work environments. These efforts will help to support a music industry that is both economically robust and socially responsible.

Insights | Employment

4 August 2025
| Elspeth Drysdale

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