Tomato-gate

Tomato-gate (also SaladGate) was a 2015 controversy in country music, stemming from comments made by radio consultant Keith Hill to the country radio trade publication Country Radio Aircheck, regarding the under-representation of women in the play lists of country music radio stations. Hill advocated that stations ought not play songs by women artists back to back, and drew an analogy with the composition of a salad, with male artists as the lettuce, and female artists as the tomato garnish. The comments sparked broad outcry on social media and and from a number of high profile women artists and others in the industry. It resulted in various measures aimed at addressing the gender gap in country music; however, despite the attention it garnered, subsequent investigation indicated that the gap has worsened in the years following the incident. Quotes It’s the first time [the show’s] been hosted by a couple of tomatoes! Erin Andrews and Brittany Snow hosting the 2015 CMT Awards, quoted in Yahr Emily CMT Awards really love Carrie Underwood, and 10 other lessons from the always-strange show https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2015/06/11/cmt-awards-really-love-carrie-underwood-and-10-other-lessons-from-the-always-strange-show/?utm_term=.89f955c8a5b4 26 December 2018 The Washington Post June 11, 2015 Labels felt it was too hard to break a woman at radio so they weren’t signing them, and radio says the labels aren’t giving them the artists. When I signed Miranda [Lambert to Sony in the early 2000s], it was never ‘Uh-oh, she’s a female.’ That only started in the last 10 years. I [recall] taking an artist around, and a record label exec said, ‘I’m not signing any females’ — not even ‘I’m not signing your female.’ I mean, that was spoken. Executive Tracy Gershon, as quoted in Willman Chris Country Music Dials Down on Girl Power as Nashville’s Women Find Even Fewer Slots https://variety.com/2018/music/news/country-music-women-nashville-radio-fewer-slots-1202977051/ 26 December 2018 Variety October 11, 2018 If you want to make ratings in country radio, take females out. The reason is mainstream country radio generates more quarter hours from female listeners at the rate of 70 to 75 percent, and women like male artists. The expectation is we're principally a male format with a smaller female component. I've got about 40 music databases in front of me, and the percentage of females in the one with the most is 19 percent. Trust me, I play great female records, and we've got some right now; they're just not the lettuce in our salad. The lettuce is Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton, Keith Urban and artists like that. The tomatoes of our salad are the females. Keith Hill, from the original story which started the controversy, as quoted in Keel Beverly Sexist 'tomato' barb launches food fight on Music Row https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2015/05/27/sexist-tomato-barb-launches-food-fight-music-row/28036657/ 26 December 2018 The Tennessean May 27, 2015 This is the biggest bunch of BULLSHIT I have ever heard. I am gonna do everything in my power to support and promote female singer/songwriters in country music. Always. Miranda Lambert, as quoted in Dries Kate Where Are the Women in Country Music? Watching, Waiting and Ready https://themuse.jezebel.com/where-are-the-women-in-country-music-watching-waiting-1713165149 26 December 2018 Jezebel June 29, 2015 Whether or not a song gets airplay should be based on how good the SONG is…not whether it’s sung by a male or female. It’s kind of like comparing tall artists to short artists, blondes to brunettes, bald guys to guys with hair….what does it matter? Martina McBride, as quoted in Smith Grady #SaladGate: Expert draws ire comparing country music's women to tomatoes https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/may/27/saladgate-tomatoes-women-country-music 26 December 2018 The Guardian May 27, 2015 I think it got a lot of attention focused on something that frankly the audience probably knows nothing about, which is the fact that there are gatekeepers at radio and people that consult and decide what gets played,” McBride said. “I don’t think people were really aware of that. … I don’t know if it’s helped or not helped, but we do have some more females getting some airplay on the radio than there was a year ago. Martina McBride, as quoted in Yahr Emily Martina McBride talks women in country, #Saladgate and going ‘old school’ for new album https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/05/02/martina-mcbride-talks-women-in-country-saladgate-and-going-old-school-for-new-album/?utm_term=.b8d342949c07 26 December 2018 The Washington Post May 2, 2016 Don't worry babe. I see an opportunity here. (A) big ole vagina-shaped opportunity. Jennifer Nettles, reacting to statements by Hill, as quoted in Keel Beverly Sexist 'tomato' barb launches food fight on Music Row https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2015/05/27/sexist-tomato-barb-launches-food-fight-music-row/28036657/ 26 December 2018 The Tennessean May 27, 2015 I wrote the song “Fight Like a Girl” about Tomatogate. (Radio consultant) Keith Hill said, men are the lettuce of the country salad, women are the tomatoes. You put a couple on top, but any more than (19) percent is too much. That’s literally almost a direct quote. Me and my two really good friends got pissed off and wrote a song, which I think is the best way to handle being pissed off. Kalie Shorr, as quoted in Stewart Allison Women of Country are battling for a place at the table https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-ott-women-of-country-0223-story.html 26 December 2018 The Chicago Tribune February 19, 2018 External links Category:Country music Category:Sexism