“Timeless” rock masculinities: understanding the gendered dimension of an annual Belgian radio music poll

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article explores the gendered dimension of De Tijdloze Honderd (the Timeless Hundred), an annual Belgian radio music poll organized by public broadcasting radio station Studio Brussel. Female artists have been consistently underrepresented in the poll of all-time favorite songs. Drawing on a quantitative and qualitative analysis of ten editions of the program throughout its history, this study set out to assess gender disparity in the Timeless Hundred and explore how the three most “timeless” male acts negotiate hegemonic masculinity. I argue that the Timeless Hundred inadvertently reiterates the belief that “timeless” popular music is chiefly the product of men who rock, despite the presence of masculinities that undermine a hegemonic masculine rock ideal. Particularly the gendering of rock music, processes of canonization, and the creation of a collective memory have co-constructed music polls that lack fair gender representation. I conclude by emphasizing the importance of public initiatives that expose these structural dynamics and help to reimagine popular music’s history as truly inclusive and representative.