Reviewed by Savannah Aldridge for Readers' Favorite

Yoko Ono breaking up the Beatles is a story as deeply entrenched in pop culture as the British Invasion itself, and Nirvana fans have long maintained Courtney Love was to blame for Kurt Cobain’s tragic death. But how did these women, and so many others in modern music, become cultural villains? In Can’t Stop the Grrrls: Confronting Sexist Labels in Music from Ariana Grande to Yoko Ono, musicologist Lily E. Hirsch argues that Ono, Love, and many other famous female musicians earned their poor cultural reputations because of misogyny in the music industry. Bolstered by interviews, stats, and a broad view of the history of pop culture, Hirsch dissects sexist titles such as “crazy,” “snake,” and “gold digger” that have long defined both famous and ordinary women alike. While confronting these labels, Hirsch shows that they are far from harmless, with case studies of stars such as Britney Spears and Kesha who experienced brutal abuse from both the men in their lives and society at large. She highlights the hope brought about by the singers who have pushed back against these stereotypes and the change we can bring by supporting them.

Can’t Stop the Grrrls permanently changed my understanding of the impact of misogyny on pop culture. So many modern fables that I had believed, like Mariah Carey being a spoiled diva and Courtney Love dragging down Cobain, were stripped away to reveal the double standards, along with plain old falsehoods, about these artists. I appreciate the dignity Lily E. Hirsch shows to the singers as she addresses sensitive topics, such as calling women like Kesha Sebert “liars” as they speak out against their sexual abuse. Hirsch speaks tactfully, yet frankly, about the obscene language and the disturbing experiences female pop stars have had to endure. These include profanity, racism, sexual and physical assault, substance abuse, and sexual remarks directed at minors. This book helped me gain a deep respect for female artists who have endured and overcome unimaginable obstacles, and I cannot praise it enough to anyone looking for a thoughtful read on the impact of sexism on the modern music industry.