Angry Girl Music

For me, I think one of the main interesting concepts in the modern music industry has to be angry girl music and how certain examples of it are heavily commercialised while others are almost shunned. Similarly to the discourse surrounding sad music written and performed by women, there is certainly a lot of backlash to anger in female music. The rational part of me wants to say that I don’t understand this, and in an ideal world none of us would, but then I remember the deep rooted patriarchal structure in society and the objectification of women and suddenly I see how certain people (not to stereotype but it is predominantly men) would be threatened by women expressing a human emotion. 

So what sets popular angry girl apart? Unfortunately, it all seems to come back to these patriarchal structures too. Certain traits are shared by this kind of music, take Olivia Rodrigo for example. A really great musician who often writes songs with a tone of anger, especially when she delves into pop punk. However, aside from the surface and a few cryptic lyrics like ‘I know my place’ she doesn’t tend to address the deeper issues behind her feelings. This, to men especially and to those women who are afraid to identify as feminists, is much more palatable. Of course, it doesn’t take much research to find out that Olivia herself is a feminist, but a lot of these kinds of people will take music at value, especially those who don’t think artists should delve into politics. 

Then we come to artists like Fiona Apple, Martha Wainwright and riot grrrl punk bands. The kind of angry girl music which society at best tolerates. But for women who embrace their humanness and right to feel anger, they can find solace in this rejection of social norms. A particular favourite of mine is ‘Under The Table’ by Fiona Apple for its accurate depiction of what it feels like to be essentially put in your place in public. And my favourite part of this song is the way she rejects this ‘Kick me under the table all you want / I won’t shut up’. 

Of course, this shows a wider problem in society, but for the moment just get yourself on some angry girl music of any variety. Truthfully, you’ll feel better.