Popular music is strongly gendered as an art form impacting how gender and sexuality are portrayed in today's society. It has become a prime arena for the presentation of male identities and the way in which these identities may be played out. However, today there are multiple artists defying what was traditionally accepted as masculine.

So what has happened?

And where are we today?

Hegemonic masculinity summarises the most dominant and socially valued kind of masculinity, distinguishing it above other kinds of gender identity that do not conform to this ideal. Other varieties of masculinity, on the other hand, deviate significantly from the hegemonic image and are either excluded or subjugated to it. As a result, hegemonic masculinity represents and enacts dominance over alternative male identities as well as women.

Hegemonic ideals for masculinity shift depending on what is socially prized within a period piece, qualities can consist of refraining from femininity, the resistance of homosexuals, self-reliance, aggression, success, and confining emotions. There are many prominent male singers who have expressed ideologies within songs that have enforced hegemonic masculinity ideals for many men.

Here are some examples of widely used music that is founded on ideals of hegemonic masculinity:

Jay-Z - “If you having girl problems I feel bad for you son, I got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain’t one”. ‘99 Problems’

Kanye West - “feel like me and Taylor might still have sex, Why? I made that bitch famous, For all the girls that got dick from Kanye West, If you see ‘em in the streets give ‘em Kanye’s bests, Why? They mad they ain’t famous”. ‘Famous’

Lil Pump’s famous song ‘Gucci Gang’ enforces the need for success and achievement as a measure of prized masculinity.

These explicit examples showcase hegemonic masculinity ideals for men. For decades these songs have impacted males' perceptions of what it means to be masculine. However, what we have also seen over this period of time is rising forms of masculinity challenging hegemonic forms becoming more widely accepted.

Many artists in the music industry have followed dominant kinds of masculinity embedded into society, however, Prince is a key example of someone who has redefined his own form of masculinity.

Prince expressed himself in a way that showed his personality and made others feel comfortable in presenting their unapologetic selves.

He was well known for his bright coloured outfits and accessories which exceeded fashion expectations and attracted the world. He was passionate about being creative with his looks and celebrating his sexuality and his gender.

When Prince was releasing music, many artists instilled these strong masculine ideologies in their music and produced more meaning into the ideology. Prince’s music broadcasted a different view, and his style was outside of the gender norms of masculinity.

His outfits and confidence blurred the gender lines, and he was careless about what the world thought of him. His strength and passion for music made him stand out and redefine masculinity.

Like Prince, Elton John produced his identity through his outfits and confidence in being authentically himself. He wore extravagant costumes when he performed on stage that were the opposite of the stereotypical male fashion at the time.

His sexuality became criticized by the media and his songs were temporarily banned on the radio for his self-expression.

His aesthetic of glam and colour provoked criticism as he was seen as “too ambiguous” for the music industry. However, despite the criticism from society and the press, he continued to go bolder and more extravagant with his costumes and his music.

Elton John made statements with his music and outfits and wasn’t afraid to express his sexuality and transcend gender boundaries, which made him one of the most profound artists to resist hegemonic masculinity.

Despite the criticism these two artists faced, they have become extremely iconic and have redefined the industry opportunities for who artists can be today.

Elton John performing live in an out-of-the-ordinary costume for his time.

Elton John

Prince

Elton John

Prince

An artist today who has taken inspiration from Elton and Prince is Harry Styles.

Harry was a member of the band One Direction, which was fairly vanilla and mainly conformed to the hegemonic ideas surrounding boy bands at the time. There was much pressure on boy bands to cater to younger female audiences, meaning there was a lot of masculinity - baggy jeans, tight t-shirts and sneakers, and song lyrics that were predominantly aimed at attracting girls.

After leaving the boy band and embarking on a solo career, Harry broke free from the barriers that once confined him and unleashed a fresh, gender norm-defying persona. Harry mentioned in Vogue that “anytime you’re putting barriers up in your life, you’re limiting yourself”. He stated in an interview with Variety that he takes inspiration from others who have defied gender norms, such as Prince, Elton John, and Freddie Mercury.

Harry can often be seen sporting things traditionally seen as feminine. The 2020 issue of Vogue marked a revolution when Harry was the first solo male to make it onto the cover of the magazine and he was wearing a ball gown. Harry’s iconic persona has sparked important discussions regarding gender norms and more specifically, toxic masculinity. Gender was once seen as conveying a set of rigid rules to which men and women were expected to conform to. Harry Styles stated in Vogue that he views gender as a ‘game’ meaning it can be “bent and shifted, rather than a rigid, set rule”.

Harry Styles performing 'Adore You' at his Love on Tour exhibiting a pink sparkly outfit

There is a myriad of new male artists following the same trajectory as Harry.

Lil Nas X appeared at the 2020 Grammys in a hot pink suit, defying the traditionally masculine theme of plain suit and tie.

Another is Jaden Smith, who wore heels at the 2017 met gala and is currently working on a non-binary fashion line.

These artists are respected and admired by so many around the globe, so their ability to convey an important message to the world is monumental.

The industry has expanded into a more accepting place for minority groups of gender ideals. Gone are the days of criticizing artists for their ambiguousness banning them from expressing their authentic selves. Although there is still a long way to go, the progress over the last fifty years should be perceived as revolutionary as artists are setting the bar for generations to come.

As Jaden Smith said;

“I’m taking the brunt of it so that later on, my kids and the next generation of kids will all think that certain things are normal that weren’t expected before my time”.

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