A letter signed by high-level execs from Universal Music Group, Atlantic Records, Roc Nation, Sony, and Epic took the Grammys to task.<\/b>
\nIn the wake of this year\u2019s Grammy\u2019s ceremony, during which Album Of The Year nominee Lorde was not allowed time to give a solo performance, and when only one woman collected a prize during the televised ceremony during a time of intense scrutiny on how women are treated in the industry, Recording Academy President Neil Portnow put his foo t in his mouth saying, \u201cwomen who have the creativity in their hearts and souls, who want to be musicians, who want to be engineers, producers, and want to be part of the industry on the executive level\u201d need to \u201cstep up.\u201d
Portnow has since apologized and tried to clarify his comments, but the calls for him to be ousted have only intensified. Today, a collection of some of the most powerful women in the music industry have again taken the Portnow to task for his remarks, while also decrying the state of the organization that he\u2019s charged with running.
In a letter signed by Michele Anthony, an executive vice president at the Universal Music Group; Jody Gerson, the chief executive of Universal\u2019s publishing arm; Julie Greenwald, the co-chairman of Atlantic Records; Sylvia Rhone, the president of Epic Records; Julie Swidler, the general counsel of Sony Music; and Desiree Perez, the chief operating officer of Roc Nation, that was obtained by the New York Times, the group declared the academy is \u201cwoefully out of touch with today\u2019s music, the music business, and even more significantly, society.\u201d
While these executives don\u2019t go all the way to asking for Portnow to resign, their judgment is harsh. \u201cNeil Portnow\u2019s comments are not a reflection of being \u2018inarticulate\u2019 in a single interview. They are, unfortunately, emblematic of a much larger issue with the Naras organization as a whole on the broader set of inclusion issues across all demographics,\u201d they wrote.
After his comments spurred a public outcry, Portnow went on record to try and clarify his message. \u201cOur industry must recognize that women who dream of careers in music face barriers that men have never faced,\u201d he said. \u201cWe must actively work to eliminate these barriers and encourage women to live their dreams and express their passion and creativity through music. We must welcome, mentor and empower them. Our community will be richer for it.\u201d
Since then, the Grammys have established an independent task force that is charged with scrutinizing, \u201cevery aspect of what we do as an organization and identify where we can do more to overcome the explicit barriers and unconscious biases that impede female advancement in the music community.\u201d
It\u2019s a first step to be sure, but an important one that will hopefully see more women spotlighted on the Grammys stage in the years to come.<\/p>\n

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