Koda report highlights ongoing gender inequality in Danish music industry

Gender equality remains a pressing issue in the Danish music industry, according to Koda’s annual gender statistics report, which reveals that only 20% of its Danish members are women. Furthermore, just 10% of the organization’s financial distributions go to female members.

Loui Törnqvist, chairperson of Koda, expressed disappointment over the lack of progress in gender equality over the past five years, stating, “The big and discouraging news is that there has not been any general positive development.” Koda represents 51,000 members across Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland, but the report focuses solely on Danish members, leaving the exact number of women unconfirmed.

Koda’s role is to assist songwriters, music publishers, and composers within the realm of the Kingdom of Denmark, ensuring that artists receive payment when their music is played. This is the fifth time Koda has released a report specifically addressing gender statistics among its members.

Törnqvist acknowledged the known causes of inequality and emphasized the need for concerted action at various levels to achieve a more balanced gender representation in the industry. He noted that changing deep-rooted cultural habits is challenging, but believes it is possible and essential.

He identified streaming services as part of the solution, highlighting the positive impact of systematic efforts to promote equality, as seen with initiatives from Danish Radio (DR). However, he stressed that a significant effort is still needed and called on major music streaming platforms to join the fight for gender equality in the music industry.