Keychange Pledge Report 2023-2025
Keychange Pledge Report Finds Progress on Gender Balance in Music – But Structural and Regional Gaps Persist
New data highlights uneven progress across Europe, limited intersectional parity, and the urgent need to invest in future music leadership.
Keychange today publishes its Keychange Pledge Report 2023-2025, offering one of the most comprehensive public datasets to date on gender balance and intersectional inclusion across the global music industry.
Drawing on data from hundreds of Pledge signatories worldwide, the report shows that while gender balance targets are being met by a significant proportion of organizations (50.7%), progress remains uneven across regions, sectors, and identities, with Western European festivals continuing to dominate participation and reporting.
The findings underline a critical reality: commitment alone is not enough. Without stronger accountability mechanisms, broader sector and regional engagement, and targeted leadership development, structural inequalities in music will persist.
“The latest pledge report demonstrates that gender equity in music is achievable and sustainable,” said Aysha Hussain, pledge co-manager. “The progress is not without its challenges; financial pressures, market inequalities, and gender imbalances in leadership roles continue to slow change, while consistent data reporting and intersectional inclusion require continuing development. However, pledge signatories are increasingly embedding systemic intersectional inclusion in their gender equity work, highlighting the crucial shift beyond stage visibility, to internal organizational culture and infrastructure for long-term change.”
Key Findings from the 2023–2025 Report
● Relatively high gender balance targets achieved: 50.7% of reporting signatories met gender balance targets in 2025, 67.4% in 2024, and 67.7% in 2023. The 2025 survey also introduced a partial-success option, with 36% of respondents reporting progress, showing that the majority of
organizations are actively advancing gender equity.
● Festivals remain dominant, accounting for up to 48% of reporting signatories, despite growth in agencies, promoters, and education providers.
● Geographic imbalance persists across both reporting and overall signatory participation: organizations based in the UK and Germany continue to dominate, while representation from Eastern and Central Europe and the Majority World remains limited.
● Intersectional parity remains a key challenge: While many organizations are achieving gender balance, progress across race, class, accessibility, and socio-economic inclusion is slower. Signatories report that limited access to diverse talent pools, financial constraints, and external market pressures continue to impede intersectional equity.
● Intersectional progress is emerging alongside gender equity: In 2025, one-third of reporting signatories committed to intersectional pledges addressing race, class, accessibility, and socio-economic background. Of these, 78.8% (14 out of 18) reported perceived substantial progress.
● Awareness and accountability have increased, with signatories reporting that the Pledge has
influenced internal decision-making, monitoring, and organizational culture.
From Evidence to Action
The report highlights the need for the music industry to move beyond headline targets towards systemic change, including:
● Broader engagement beyond festivals, across labels, publishers, broadcasters, agencies, and education;
● Improved reporting tools and incentives for long-term accountability;
● Stronger support structures for organisations working towards intersectional equity;
● Investment in leadership pathways for gender diverse people and backgrounds.
In response, Keychange confirms that the findings of this report are directly shaping its next phase of work, including the development of new digital tools for signatories and a renewed focus on leadership and talent pipelines.
“The data makes one thing clear: progress happens when accountability meets action,” said Lea Karwoth, Keychange Leaders project lead; “Our next steps focus on equipping organizations – and individuals – with the tools, knowledge, and leadership pathways needed to create lasting change.”
What Comes Next
The Keychange Pledge Report will inform the rollout of the Keychange Toolkit and Online Signatory Environment, designed to support organizations with practical guidance, benchmarking, and peer learning.
As International Women’s Day approaches, Keychange will also announce the 2026 cohort of its Talent Leadership Program, translating the report’s insights into concrete investment in the next generation of music leaders from underrepresented genders and backgrounds.