Women Hold Fewer Than 30% of Music Industry Rosters, New Index Reveals

On Women’s Equality Day, August 26 2026, the collective She Is The Music and data platform ROSTR unveiled the Music’s Gender Parity Index. The report confirms that women account for less than 30 % of creators listed on the rosters of record labels, music publishers, management companies and booking agencies across the United States and beyond.

The index pulls from ROSTR’s database, which tracks more than 500 companies and professionals involved in the IP‑generating creator economy. Within that pool, 63 entities—record labels, publishers, managers and agents—have rosters that contain at least 50 % women. ROSTR calls this group the 50 % Club.

Key findings reveal that women represent 29.7 % of rostered creators, 26.7 % of managers and 25.9 % of agents. Three agencies with rosters exceeding 100 creators have broken the 50 % threshold. Women have made up roughly 35 % of new representation deals each year since 2023, but their share of new label signings fell from 38.4 % in 2023 to 34.3 % through July 10 2026. In publishing, women comprise only 27.8 % of new deals.

The report ranks companies by the proportion of women on their rosters. CAA tops the list of agencies with 38.6 % women, followed by Universal Music Group at 34.2 % and Concord at 35.8 %. Among the ten largest agencies—each with more than 100 creators—TBA Agency, Luger and Select Music each boast rosters that exceed 50 % women. All ten of the largest management firms with at least 15 creators have reached parity; Sandbox Entertainment reports 66.7 % women. Individual managers also shine: Sebastien LeTellier of Raw Material lists 81.8 % women, while Cherie Lily of Voss Management, Jason Owen of Sandbox Entertainment and Max Gousse of Artistry Group each maintain rosters with more than 60 % women. Mouthwatering Records is the only qualifying label with a roster of at least 30 creators that is majority women, at 55.9 %. Five publishers—Terrorbird (68.8 %), Killphonic (57.9 %) and others—also feature rosters that are at least 50 % women.

To move the industry toward gender parity by 2030, the index proposes five commitments for companies that sign, represent, employ or invest in talent. ROSTR has pledged $63,000 in Pro subscriptions to support She Is The Music’s work and to honor the 63 companies already in the 50 % Club, with a promise to increase the support as more companies join.

The report underscores that roster decisions shape which creators receive capital, distribution, licensing and performance opportunities. The current imbalance suggests that the industry may be underinvesting in creative voices that could broaden audiences and revenue streams. These data provide a benchmark for companies and professionals seeking to assess and improve gender representation in their rosters.