Breaking the Algorithm – Reflections from MusicBiz 2025 (Atlanta)
This past May, we participated in a pivotal conversation at MusicBiz 2025:
“Breaking the Algorithm: The Impact of Gender Biases in Music Recommendation” — a panel dedicated to algorithmic equity, power structures in data, and feminist responses to the hidden biases shaping music discovery.
Alongside Julie Knibbe (Music Tomorrow), Jessica Powell (AudioShake), and moderator Johannes Giani (Cyanite), we analyzed:
How collaborative filtering in music platforms reinforces historical inequalities.
Why biased training data doesn’t neutrally reflect the world but perpetuates a cycle that silences diverse voices.
The challenges of building recommendation engines that not only reflect society but also contribute to repairing it.
🎙️ From DigitalFems, we conveyed a clear message:
“Digital infrastructures that exclude gender and render it invisible (metadata) become invisible to automated systems. And if we don’t act, the cycle of exclusion perpetuates.”
Our fellow panelists captured the moment with sharp honesty:
“Bias isn’t a footnote in ethics: it determines who is seen, heard, and compensated.”
“Should algorithms passively reflect society or actively correct its inequities?”
We are proud to have been part of this critical exchange and thank everyone who participated, not just to listen but to build better systems. Because ethical AI in music isn’t a luxury; it’s a responsibility.
Thanks to MusicBiz for creating a space for these urgent conversations. Let’s keep moving forward.
