Report: An Equal Music Industry in Finland by 2040: Vision, transition pathways and actions

This report presents the Finnish music industry’s gender-equal and equitable transition agenda. It was co-created in the Equal Futures in Music 2026 Transition Arena, which was established to create strategies for addressing the systemic gender equality challenges that the music industry faces. The Transition Arena brought together 29 Finnish music industry “changemakers”, who together envisioned desirable futures and pathways to change.

In Finland, the percentage of women music creators ranges from 21% to 25%, depending on their role (2025). Furthermore, the latest survey on leadership roles in music indicated that over 70% of the industry’s board members are men (2017). The Transition Arena changemakers attributed the slow shift towards parity to various norms and practices such as the tendency to prioritise short-term economic gains over values and well-being, social norms regarding family care duties and parental leave, and a stressful and unstable work culture. The music industry is also afflicted by a culture of belittlement and harassment, gendered roles, a lack of diverse role models, a boys’ club culture and criticism of women’s appearances.

The changemakers envisioned a music industry that strives for non-discrimination, gender equality and accessibility, and which by 2040, will truly serve music. Industry actors will take full responsibility for ensuring that everyone has equal opportunities to create music and participate in formal and informal music education and music-related hobbies. The 2040 target is to double the value of the music industry to three billion euros and to reform the industry’s demographics to more accurately reflect Finnish society.​​​​​

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The report was published in partnership with: Asla Jo, Finnish Composers’ Copyright Society Teosto, Finnish Music Creators, Finnish Music Foundation (MES), Finnish Music Publishers Association, Finnish Musicians’ Union, Gramex – The Collective Management Organisation for Recorded Music in Finland, Hög Light & Sound Oy, IFPI Finland, Mimmi Label, Music Finland, NODUS Sustainable Design Research Group, Playground Music, SheSaid.so Finland, Sony Music Entertainment Finland, Tavastia-klubi, TAVATA & Tomi Creative.