Fewer Than 30% of Creators on Music Industry Rosters Are Women, New Report Finds

Music's Gender Parity Index analyzes more than 500 industry rosters, recognizes 63 companies and professionals in the 50% Club, and outlines a path toward parity by 2030

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- To mark Women's Equality Day in the United States, She Is The Music and ROSTR today released Music's Gender Parity Index, a new report finding that women account for fewer than 30% of creators on the rosters of record labels, music publishers, management companies, and booking agencies.

That underrepresentation extends to the professionals representing creators, with women comprising just 26.7% of managers and 25.9% of agents—revealing an imbalance at the economic core of the music industry.

Powered by ROSTR's music industry data, the analysis covers more than 500 companies and professionals across the IP-generating creator economy—from record labels and publishers to management companies and booking agencies. It also identifies 63 qualifying companies and professionals whose rosters comprise at least 50% women, collectively recognized as the 50% Club.

Why it matters:

Roster decisions influence which ideas receive capital, teams, distribution, global reach, licensing opportunities, performance opportunities, and the chance to generate long-term economic value. When women are underrepresented on these rosters, the industry risks underinvesting in creative voices, audiences, cultural perspectives, and revenue opportunities that could strengthen the entire music ecosystem.

Key findings from ROSTR's dataset include:

• Women represent just 29.7% of rostered IP-generating creators, fewer than three in ten.
• Women comprise 26.7% of managers and 25.9% of agents.
• Scale is not the barrier: three qualifying agencies with rosters of more than 100 creators have crossed the 50% threshold.
• Women have accounted for roughly 35% of new representation deals each year since 2023, indicating that recent progress has plateaued.
• Among those new representation deals, women's share of management signings has remained relatively steady at around 39%, while their share of new label signings has fallen from 38.4% in 2023 to 34.3% through July 10, 2026. In publishing, women account for just 27.8% of new deals.

Parity is already being achieved: one in eight qualifying companies and professionals has a roster comprising at least 50% women. In total, 63 qualifying companies and professionals have reached that threshold, demonstrating that balanced rosters are achievable across business models, markets, and roster sizes. Together, they form the 50% Club.

"The imbalance we see on charts, festival stages and credits starts long before the spotlight—it starts with who gets signed, represented, and backed," said Laura Segura, Executive Director of She Is The Music. "This report looks upstream at those career-shaping decisions, because more equitable rosters can change both the creativity and the economics of music."

Leading the way:

The report ranks the qualifying companies and professionals with the highest share of women on their creator rosters, across recording, songwriting, production, and multiple disciplines. This includes the industry's largest rosters across agencies, major labels, and music publishers (including CAA and WME among agencies and Concord, Kobalt, and BMG among publishers).

Some key takeaways include:

• CAA (38.6%), Universal Music Group (34.2%), and Concord (35.8%) have the highest shares of women on their rosters in their respective categories.
• Among the 10 highest-ranked agencies with rosters of at least 100 creators, three have rosters comprising at least 50% women: TBA Agency at 55.6%, Luger at 53.6%, and Select Music at 50.4%.
• All 10 of the highest-ranked management companies with rosters of at least 15 creators have reached or exceeded parity, led by Sandbox Entertainment at 66.7% women.
• Nine individual managers with rosters of at least 10 creators have reached or surpassed parity, led by Sebastien LeTellier of Raw Material at 81.8%. Cherie Lily of Voss Management, Jason Owen of Sandbox Entertainment, and Max Gousse of Artistry Group each have rosters comprising 64.3% women.
• Mouthwatering Records is the only qualifying record label with a roster of at least 30 creators in which women constitute a majority, at 55.9%.
• Five qualifying music publishers have rosters that are at least 50% women, with Terrorbird at 68.8% and Killphonic at 57.9%.

The North Star: Progress Toward Parity

To advance gender parity, the report proposes five commitments, detailed in the full report, for companies that sign, represent, employ, or invest in talent.

The report sets an aspirational benchmark of gender parity by 2030 wherever roster mathematics make that achievable. Where existing roster size and turnover make standing-roster parity unattainable by 2030, the commitment should be equally concrete: measure progress, set credible benchmarks, broaden outreach, expand pathways, and be transparent.

"ROSTR is proud to partner with She Is The Music on this report, which surfaces a hard truth: women make up only 29.7% of rostered IP-generating creators," said Katie Holmes, COO of The ROSTR Group. "To help close that gap, we're pledging $63,000 in ROSTR Pro subscriptions to support She Is The Music's work in honor of the 63 companies and professionals already in the 50% Club, where each company roster is made up of at least 50% women. This pledge will grow every time another company joins the 50% club."  

About ROSTR

ROSTR is the music industry's intelligence platform — making the people, deals, and infrastructure of music searchable, verifiable, and current. Used daily by managers, agents, A&Rs, executives, and bookers across the global music business. Co-founded by Mark Williamson, formerly of Spotify's Artist Services team. For more information, visit hq.rostr.cc.

About She Is The Music

She Is The Music is a global nonprofit organization that convenes and advances the women's movement in music. The organization works to increase the number of women working, leading, and thriving across all areas of the industry. Through mentorship, education, research, and community, She Is The Music brings together creators, executives, and companies to help build a more inclusive music industry that better reflects the world it serves. She Is The Music was co-founded in 2018 by Alicia Keys, Jody Gerson, Ann Mincieli, and Sam Kirby Yoh. For more information, visit sheisthemusic.org.

Figures reflect roster composition within ROSTR's dataset as of July 10, 2026 and should not be interpreted as a census of the worldwide music industry. Definitions, eligibility criteria, limitations, and correction procedures are provided in the full 2026 Music's Gender Parity Index. Data corrections may be submitted to data@rostr.cc.

Media Contacts

She Is The Music: Laura Segura, Laura@sheisthemusic.org

ROSTR: Vivian Donohue, Vivian@rostr.cc

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SOURCE She Is The Music