Hit Parade | Building a Herstory Edition, Part 2

Podcast: Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia
Host: Chris Molanphy
Date: August 30, 2024

Overview

This episode, hosted by chart analyst Chris Molanphy, continues an exploration of Lilith Fair—the influential all-women touring festival launched by Sarah McLachlan in the late 1990s. Picking up from Part 1’s examination of Lilith’s prehistory, this installment traces the Fair’s historic rise and impact, discusses the challenges and criticisms it faced—especially around diversity—its climactic years and attempted revivals, and investigates the event’s legacy for women in music, from millennial pop to the present.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Lilith Fair: A Challenge to Industry Wisdom (00:21–03:11)

• Lilith Fair was conceived as a direct response to prevailing industry beliefs that all-female lineups or radio blocks were commercial poison.
• Chris recounts stories of promoters, radio programmers, and artist managers warning women against touring together.
  • Quote: “You don't want to do that because it won't sell tickets…” – Sheryl Crow (Vanity Fair) [02:08]
• Sarah McLachlan expressed disbelief at this bias, noting the contrast with male rock acts often played back-to-back:
  • Quote: “I'd hear all these radio stations playing Pearl Jam and Soundgarden back to back … It just seemed a bit ridiculous to me.” – Sarah McLachlan [02:25–02:56]

2. Lilith’s Breakthrough: Commercial and Creative Triumphs (03:11–06:42)

• The 1996 beta version of Lilith with McLachlan, Paula Cole, Suzanne Vega, and Lisa Loeb was a commercial success, despite none being at their peak.
• These shows rejuvenated McLachlan creatively, setting the stage for the 1997 release of her album Surfacing.
• “Building a Mystery” debuted on the Modern Rock charts the same week as the first major Lilith Fair show (July 5, 1997).
• Surfacing hit #2 on the Billboard 200, held off only by the Men in Black soundtrack.

3. Lilith Fair’s 1997 Lineup: Elevating Women Across Genres (06:01–09:55)

• The lineup featured established and rising stars:
  • Suzanne Vega, Paula Cole (who released This Fire), Lisa Loeb, Meredith Brooks (“Bitch”), Shawn Colvin (“Sunny Came Home”), Fiona Apple, Tracy Chapman, Indigo Girls, Joan Osborne, Natalie Merchant.
• Country and Americana artists were included, such as Emmylou Harris and Mary Chapin Carpenter.
• The second stage highlighted fresh talent: Victoria Williams, Cassandra Wilson, Abra Moore, Dar Williams.

4. Criticism and Challenges: Diversity and Inclusion (09:55–12:22)

• Despite intentions, Lilith drew criticism for lacking diversity, often labeled as “white, cisgendered folky femme rock.”
• Notable acts declined, sometimes publicly:
  • Quote: “This tour isn't just about eating some chicken and hearing a few of your favorite female singers.” – Tori Amos, discussing her choice to tour with Alanis Morissette instead [10:56]
  • Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney): “I think it's important that not everyone get scooped up into the Lilith Fair vision because it keeps women's music kind of contained into this one box.” [11:02–11:17]
• The festival notably struggled to represent women of color and was initially almost devoid of hip-hop presence.

5. Broadening the Roster: Year Two and Beyond (12:22–18:11)

• Gradual improvement on diversity:
  • Tracy Chapman and unsigned India.Arie appeared; more black artists were included by year two.
  • Missy Elliott made her live festival debut at Lilith Fair 1998:
    • Quote: “Lilith gave Missy a live platform and a new audience, and Missy gave Lilith a new look, sound and style.” [13:36]
  • Queen Latifah joined the main stage in year two, as did R&B and genre-hybrid artists like Erykah Badu and Meshell Ndegeocello.
• The festival’s popularity soared; so did logistical challenges, with nearly 90 artists performing in year two.
  • McLachlan: “The second year nearly killed us … there were like 88 artists. It was insane.” [18:20]

6. Finale and Aftermath: Diversity and the End of an Era (18:11–27:08)

• 1999’s final original Lilith lineup was the most diverse yet (Dixie Chicks, Mýa, Christina Aguilera, Nelly Furtado, Tegan and Sara).
• Lilith helped break future stars but faced a tougher radio landscape. Male-dominated “bro rock” defined alt radio by 1999 (Limp Bizkit, Korn, Kid Rock, Creed).
• Major Lilith acts (Sheryl Crow, Sarah McLachlan) became pop radio stars rather than rock chart mainstays.
  • McLachlan’s biggest hits “Adia” and “Angel” charted high on pop charts but were ignored by modern rock. [23:34–23:42]
• By 1999, most Lilith performers had at least gold or platinum albums, but very few were diamond-sellers (10x platinum).
  • Quote: “When the dust settled and the third edition of Lilith was over in 1999, its performers were, you might say, women without a country. Too light for rock radio, too mellow for TRL.” [26:38]

7. Lilith’s Revival Attempt and the Generational Shift (27:08–33:28)

• McLachlan revived Lilith in 2010, but the tour struggled due to a changed industry, ageism, and shifting audience demographics.
  • McLachlan: “Our intentions in hindsight weren’t really pure … we didn’t look at how all those women who came to the shows in the 90s now have children and jobs and mortgages.” [29:55]
• Chris Molanphy ponders the possibility and requirements of a modern Lilith, emphasizing the need for new leadership and reflecting on massive changes in the music landscape since the 1990s.

8. Legacy and the Future: Chart Sisterhood (33:28–39:27)

• Lilith’s spirit endures as women dominate charts and collaborate at unprecedented levels:
  • Lorde (“Royals”) broke a 17-year drought of solo women topping the alternative chart in 2013.
  • Contenders for a modern Lilith: Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, and others—a reflection of women’s unprecedented commercial power.
  • Brandi Carlile’s “Girls Just Wanna Weekend” concerts echoed Lilith’s collaborative ethos.
• In 2020, several female duets topped the Hot 100 back-to-back, an unprecedented “chart sisterhood.”
  • Doja Cat & Nicki Minaj’s “Say So,” Megan Thee Stallion & Beyoncé’s “Savage (Remix),” Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande’s “Rain On Me” (Spring 2020).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On industry skepticism:
  “Conventional industry wisdom held that multi-female concerts or airplay of back-to-back women artists on the radio was commercial poison.” – Chris Molanphy [01:32]
• On “containing” women’s music:
  “It keeps women's music kind of contained into this one box. And that makes it easy for women's music to stay marginal.” – Carrie Brownstein [11:11]
• On Missy Elliott’s debut:
  “Missy wowed the Lilith crowd with her boldly freaky style … It was a mutually beneficial relationship. Lilith gave Missy a live platform and a new audience, and Missy gave Lilith a new look, sound and style.” – Chris Molanphy [13:36]
• On festival burnout:
  “The second year nearly killed us… there were like 88 artists. It was insane.” – Sarah McLachlan (Vanity Fair) [18:20]
• On generational change:
  “There is no shortage of candidates (for a modern Lilith), especially when you consider how music made by women has evolved since the turn of the millennium.” – Chris Molanphy [30:41]
• On Lilith’s bittersweet impact:
  “When the dust settled and the third edition of Lilith was over in 1999, its performers were, you might say, women without a country. Too light for rock radio, too mellow for TRL.” – Chris Molanphy [26:38]
• On 2010 revival struggles:
  “Women who came to the shows in the 90s now have children, and jobs, and mortgages.” – Sarah McLachlan [29:55]

Important Timestamps

• Lilith’s Industry Challenge: [01:32–03:11]
• Surfacing hits & Lilith synergy: [04:11–06:00]
• Lineup Details: [06:01–09:55]
• Criticisms of Inclusion: [09:55–12:22]
• Missy Elliott’s Festival Debut: [13:30–14:45]
• Second Year Expansion & Burnout: [17:43–18:20]
• Festival’s Final (and Most Diverse) Lineup: [18:11–20:16]
• 2010 Revival Attempt: [28:12–29:55]
• Modern Chart Sisterhood Highlight: [36:31–39:27]

Flow and Tone

Chris Molanphy’s narration is both analytical and storytelling, blending statistics, musical trivia, and cultural critique, always with a deep respect for his subjects’ artistry and for the historical nuances of gender, genre, and industry politics. The episode moves chronologically, but with thoughtful asides and callbacks, maintaining an engaging tone that balances nostalgia with forward-looking cultural critique.

Conclusion

This episode of Hit Parade doesn’t just chart the rise and fall of Lilith Fair, but uses its arc to trace broader trends and struggles for women in pop and rock—celebrating its impact while candidly addressing its limitations and the changing music landscape. Molanphy leaves open questions about the future of all-women festivals, but emphasizes the lasting legacy of collaboration and visibility forged by Lilith and its alumnae, closing with a nod to Sarah McLachlan’s continued influence and the enduring sisterhood of women in music.