Singers and Stereotypes: The Image of Female Recording Artists*

Abstract

This study investigates the image of popular female singers in different musical styles as conveyed through their album cover photographs. Slides were made of ninety‐one albums recorded by women between 1973 and 1981. They were shown in subgroups to panels of judges who rated them on thirty‐one traits. These traits represent either (a) aspects of the “traditional” feminine stereotype, (b) qualities of sexual attractiveness, or (c) positive, but not specifically feminine, traits. The results indicate that female singers were rated positively, regardless of musical style. Country singers were rated relatively high on the traditional traits, while rhythm and blues artists were high on sex appeal and positive traits. Rock singers were rated as aloof and high on positive traits but low on traditionalism and sex appeal. Pop singers were not rated high or low on any dimension. Some differences in male and female raters’evaluations were found. It was concluded that female recording artists generally are not presented in the same stereotyped manner as women are usually portrayed in other forms of media advertising.