Hit Parade: "Building a Herstory Edition" Part 1

Podcast: Slate’s Hit Parade | Host: Chris Molanphy | Date: August 10, 2024
Main Theme:
Exploring the rise of women in 1990s rock, pop, and alternative music, the origins and impact of Lilith Fair, and the complex trajectory of female artists on the charts.

Episode Overview

Chris Molanphy takes listeners through a half-century of women changing popular music, with a special focus on the root causes and meteoric rise of the Lilith Fair tour in 1997. He traces the lineage of female singer-songwriters and bandleaders who paved the way, not just for commercial success but for the bold assertion of women's artistry in the face of industry skepticism and radio marginalization.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Lilith Fair: A Turning Point for Women in Rock (01:20–07:01)

• Context:
  • Lilith Fair launched in 1997 as the first major, women-only touring festival.
  • Founded by Sarah McLachlan, it was a direct counter to the music industry belief that you couldn’t put more than one or two women on the same bill.
  • Despite its blockbuster success, rock radio was ironically starting to turn away from women at the very moment women were dominating stages and charts.
• Quote:

  “Many of the biggest acts on the radio and the Billboard charts at the time were women... Even the ones who weren’t at Lilith Fair.” — Chris Molanphy (02:59)

• Insight:
  • Lilith Fair’s success culminated a decade where female artists thrived, but this peak coincided with a regression at rock radio, underlining a recurring cycle of progress and backlash.

2. Historical Precedents: Joni Mitchell and Woodstock (07:01–11:02)

• Context:
  • Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock” became iconic—yet she wasn't allowed to play the festival.
  • Out of 32 Woodstock acts, only 5 included women.
  • Her song became a hit for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, not for herself.
• Quote:

  “A woman who would become the voice of her generation was pressured into missing the signature live music event of her generation.” — Chris Molanphy (09:08)

• Memorable Moment:
  • “And on top of this, the song Joni Mitchell wrote about Woodstock was a hit not for her, but for a foursome of men who were never discouraged from attending…” (09:52)
• Insight:
  • Even celebrated pioneers like Mitchell faced exclusion, highlighting the persistent marginalization of women in live music and history.

3. The 1980s Neo-Folk and Female Band Leaders (11:02–21:23)

• Context:

  • After the folk and singer-songwriter wave, the mid-to-late 80s saw a new wave of female artists making inroads—Suzanne Vega, Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs), Melissa Etheridge, Tracy Chapman, and others.
  • These artists blended folk, pop, and alternative influences, with notable chart and critical success often eclipsing their male counterparts.

• Timestamps/Notable Songs:

  • Suzanne Vega’s "Luka" cracks the pop Top 5 (14:09–15:12)
  • Tracy Chapman’s "Fast Car" becomes a multi-platinum breakthrough (15:22)
  • Indigo Girls, Edie Brickell, and others on the newly launched Modern Rock Tracks chart (18:59–19:54)

• Insight:

  • Billboard’s new Modern Rock chart (1988) gave unprecedented visibility to female and mixed-gender acts, reflecting—and accelerating—a more egalitarian era.

4. The Alternative & Grunge Era: New Opportunities and Setbacks (21:23–26:39)

• Context:

  • Women thrived in early 90s alternative/modern rock, scoring hits and critical acclaim (e.g. Sinead O’Connor, Concrete Blonde, The Sundays, Cranberries).
  • However, the rise of grunge brought renewed male dominance, even as women like Melissa Etheridge, Juliana Hatfield, Tanya Donnelly, Courtney Love (Hole), and Dolores O’Riordan (Cranberries) flourished.

• Quotes:

  “Even during the peak of grunge, female artists showed they could go toe to toe with the new generation of guitar rockers.” — Chris Molanphy (23:38) “The first five to ten years of alt rock’s reign were... an exceptionally egalitarian time, gender-wise.” (27:26)

• Memorable Moments:

  • PJ Harvey, Liz Phair, and Hole each win critical "Pazz and Jop" Album of the Year honors three consecutive years (1993–1995) (25:22–26:39).

5. The Quiet Ascent of Sarah McLachlan (28:11–32:44)

• Context:
  • McLachlan’s early albums charted modestly but quietly gained momentum through persistent college and alternative radio airplay.
  • Her signature sound coalesced with “Fumbling Towards Ecstasy,” and songs like “Possession” (31:44).
  • By 1996, she was a “stealth rock star,” not an obvious festival mastermind.
• Insight:
  • Lilith Fair's conception was less about a star's ego, more a result of McLachlan’s community-minded, collaborative approach during a creative lull.

6. The Alanis Effect, Changing Charts, and the Market’s Shift (32:53–37:59)

• Context:
  • The huge crossover pop/rock breakthrough of Alanis Morissette ("Jagged Little Pill") marks both the zenith and a turning point.
  • As pop radio embraced alternative women, modern rock radio started excluding them.
  • Final #1 by a solo woman on Modern Rock Tracks: Tracy Bonham’s “Mother Mother” (1996).
• Quote:

  "Mother Mother ... became the last alternative chart topper by a solo women artist. Forget this, the next 17..." — Chris Molanphy (36:42)

• Insight:
  • The marketplace shifted: success at pop radio started making alternative radio gatekeepers wary of female-driven hits, marking an end of an era.

7. From Crossover Hits to Pop Mainstays—Jewel, Cardigans, and a Shifting Landscape (38:00–41:44)

• Context:
  • Acts like Jewel and The Cardigans found sustained pop radio success but diminishing support from alternative/rock radio.
  • Albums like Jewel’s “Pieces of You” became massive sellers, but her presence on modern rock charts diminished quickly.
• Insight:
  • By 1997, the market had compartmentalized: women could dominate pop, but were increasingly marginalized at alternative formats.

8. Genesis of Lilith Fair (41:44–44:13)

• Context:

  • McLachlan, facing writer’s block, took her manager’s suggestion to do short runs with female friends (Paula Cole, Suzanne Vega, Lisa Loeb).
  • Their first multi-artist show (Clarkston, MI, June 14, 1996) sold out, followed by other successful dates.
  • The moniker "Lilith" (after the mythic first woman) was first used for a September 1996 Vancouver gig.

• Quote:

  “Lilith, named for the female figure in Jewish and Babylonian mythology who supposedly spurned Adam the first man.” — Chris Molanphy (43:23)

• Memorable Moment:

  • The organic, communal spirit and commercial success of these shows provided the proof (and brand) for the coming mega-festival.

9. Cliffhanger: The Impact and Aftermath (44:13–End)

• The episode closes with a tease that part two will follow the full-blown Lilith Fair tour and its broader repercussions, noting the poignant irony that just as women were proving commercial equals (and then some), the radio and industry began to purposely sideline them.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• "At the very moment Lilith was selling out venues nationwide, Radio Rock Radio in particular, was pivoting away from women performers. It was a story as old as rock and roll itself." — Chris Molanphy (03:47)
• “A woman who would become the voice of her generation was pressured into missing the signature live music event of her generation.” — Chris Molanphy (09:08)
• "Mother Mother ... became the last alternative chart topper by a solo women artist. Forget this, the next 17..." — Chris Molanphy (36:42)
• “I was having writer’s block...I liked the idea of doing a few shows, but I didn’t want to do a whole tour. Terry [her manager] was like, why don’t you do a few shows with artists you’ve played with before?” — Sarah McLachlan quoted by Chris Molanphy (41:44)
• “This Vancouver gig was the first to bear the name Lilith.” — Chris Molanphy (43:23)

Useful Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:20 – Opening discussion: Lilith Fair and 1990s context
• 07:01 – Joni Mitchell, Woodstock, and women’s exclusion in rock history
• 11:02 – The 1980s: Suzanne Vega, Natalie Merchant, Tracy Chapman
• 18:59–19:54 – Modern Rock chart changes, the rise of female-led bands
• 21:23 – Early 90s alternative & grunge: opportunities and setbacks
• 28:11 – Sarah McLachlan’s early career and evolving sound
• 32:53 – Alanis Morissette, Jewel, and female crossover hits
• 36:42 – The “last” female solo #1 on Modern Rock Tracks
• 41:44 – Formation and early shows of what would become Lilith Fair
• 43:23 – Background on the Lilith name and festival branding

Summary Takeaway

Chris Molanphy deftly maps the winding road of women in 80s/90s alternative music, setting the stage for Lilith Fair as both crowning achievement and bittersweet turning point. The episode is rich with anecdotes, critical analysis, and chart trivia, balancing stats and stories to reveal an era when women stormed the gates of "boys' club" rock, only to be boxed out just as they proved themselves indispensable. Lilith Fair was not just a celebration, but a protest—a testament to girl power fighting for the main stage.

For Next Time / Part 2

Stay tuned for a deep dive into Lilith Fair’s national tour, reactions from the industry, and the event's long-term impact on popular music and gender representation.