Why?

Because I am disappointed, frustrated and angry about the JJJ results. I am saddened that people don't think of women as equally important artists as men. I'm frustrated that even though they recognise most of the names of artists voted for, I still have men saying to me "yeah but is there that much women's music, I mean reallly?" Yes, there is! There's wonderful music that has been absolutely seminal, integral, core, call it what you will but it has been extremely important - Hole, Patti Smith, Aretha, Tori Amos, the whole Riot Grrrl movement! So, Australian youth have voted on JJJ, and the results are in, but I don't believe that we need to therefore accept that women have no place in "the best of all time". I simply don't accept that those results objectively, empirically prove anything. Except that JJJ's potted histories on their website, guiding people through the musical decades, and including only a minute handful of women's artists, wasn't a good move on JJJ's part. Except that people need to be reminded of the genuine contributions women have made to music, the wonderful creations they have made. Except that JJJ may still play Nirvana, but perhaps doesn't still play Hole.

There has been a lot of wonderful articles and blogs written about why the JJJ results are disappointing and should not be taken lying down. But apart from one or two attempts with unfortunately very small audiences, nobody has actually tried to find out what women's songs would have been voted for. And I feel we missed out - following JJJ's results online, what I saw emerge was that none of my favourite women artists were represented. Not one. I felt left out. I felt like my music didn't even exist. Being "the other", "invisible", really hit hard. And I am sad that the fans of women artists didn't get the same thrills listening to the countdown than the fans of male artists. I wanted to create for us the same experience - the fun, the excitement, the anticipation, the competition, the thrill of waiting for number one - and, this time, knowing that women wouldn't be ignored. So if anyone says "why don't you chicks stop complaining about it?" I can respond with "we're not just complaining - we're DOING something too." We don't want to just whinge - we want to see women represented.