Loud Women

{{infobox company | name = Loud Women | logo = | location = London, England | industry = Music promotion | foundation = 2015 | founder = Cassie Fox | genre = Punk, indie rock, indiepop, riot grrrl, electro | website = {{URL|loudwomen.org}} }}

'''Loud Women''' (stylised in all caps) is a nonprofit music promoter, online zine, festival and record label, established in London in 2015, and focusing on female DIY artists and female-led groups.

Loud Women has received coverage in ''Louder Than War'', ''Vive Le Rock'', ''God Is in the TV'', ''NME'', ''Clash'' and ''Kerrang!''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kerrang.com/features/loud-women-fest-is-challenging-live-music-gender-imbalance/|title = LOUD WOMEN Fest is challenging live music's gender imbalance}}</ref>

==History== Loud Women was established in 2015 by musician Cassie Fox (of the band I, Doris) to address the scarcity of live music opportunities for new female-led bands and female artists on the London music scene,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thealtclub.com/loud-women-fest-qa/|title=Loud Women Fest: Q&A with founder Cassie Fox|date=October 12, 2020}}</ref> as well as wider issues of representation and equal opportunities in music.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/london-loud-women-festival-to-return-in-2021-2747869|title=London's Loud Women Festival to return in 2021|website=NME|date=September 8, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/aug/20/all-female-music-festival-lineups-native-loud-women-fest-boudica-hearher|title='It's an act of defiance': the rise of all-female festival lineups|date=August 20, 2019|website=The Guardian}}</ref>

In addition to regular concerts, a Loud Women Fest has been held once a year in London since 2016 (2020 excepted),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://kitmonsters.com/blog/loud-women-fest-2016|title=KitMonsters – Loud Women Fest 2016|website=kitmonsters.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://whenthehornblows.com/content/2019/9/16/festival-review-loud-women-fest-2019|title=Festival Review: Loud Women Fest 2019|website=When The Horn Blows}}</ref> with Loud Women Fest 8 taking place in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://femmusic.com/2024/09/02/8th-loud-women-festival-london-uk-september-7-2024/|title=8th Loud Women Festival|date=11 July 2025|website=Femmusic.com}}</ref>

Loud Women Records was established in 2016 and has released five various artists compilation albums: in 2016,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://echoesanddust.com/2017/03/loud-women-volume-one/|title=Loud Women Volume One|date=March 7, 2017|website=Echoes And Dust}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://grrrlswithguitars.com/loud-women-volume-one/|title=Loud Women - Volume One (Album Review Part 1)|date=January 27, 2017|website=Grrrls With Guitars}}</ref> 2019,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shoutsmusic.blog/loud-women-vol-2-track-listing-revealed/|title=Loud Women Vol. 2: Track Listing Revealed|date=August 5, 2019|website=SHOUTS - Music from the Rooftops!}}</ref> 2021,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://louderthanwar.com/loud-women-volume-3-album-review/|title=LOUD WOMEN: Volume 3—compilation album review|first=Audrey J.|last=Golden|date=April 8, 2021}}</ref> 2022 and 2023.

In 2017 Loud Women inaugurated the annual 'HERcury' award for best album by a UK female music band/artist. The award has so far been presented to the Menstrual Cramps (2017), ILL (2018), Dream Nails (2019), Nova Twins (2020),<ref>{{cite web | url=https://louderthanwar.com/ltw-albums-of-the-year-2020-numbers-51-250/ | title=LTW Albums of the Year 2020: Numbers 51 - 250 | date=2 December 2020 }}</ref> Lilith Ai (2021),<ref>{{cite web | url=https://getinherears.com/2021/12/23/gihe-ones-to-watch-2022/ | title=GIHE: Ones to Watch 2022 | date=23 December 2021 }}</ref> Petrol Girls (2022),<ref>{{cite web | url=https://optionalmusic.co.uk/petrol-girls-scoop-the-2022-hercury-prize-for-their-album-baby-by-loud-women-for-loud-women/ | title=Petrol Girls scoop the 2022 Hercury Prize for their album 'Baby' by LOUD WOMEN for LOUD WOMEN - Optional Music | date=17 September 2022 }}</ref> Big Joanie (2023),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://loudwomen.org/2023/09/13/big-joanie-scoop-the-2023-hercury-prize-for-their-album-back-home/|title=Big Joanie scoop the 2023 Hercury Prize for their album ‘Back Home’|first=Loud|last=Women|date=13 September 2023}}</ref> and Problem Patterns (2024).

In May 2021, Loud Women released a charity single, "Reclaim These Streets", written by Cassie Fox with additional lyrics performed by Brix Smith, to raise awareness of violence against women, following the eponymous campaign protesting the death of Sarah Everard. All profits from the sale of the track went to Women's Aid. The recording featured over sixty vocalists and musicians including Siobhan Fahey, Debbie Googe, Charley Stone, Debbie Smith, Laura Kidd and members of KaitO, Salad, Scarce, Sidi Bou Said, Hagar the Womb, Big Joanie, Desperate Journalist, Dream Nails, Petrol Girls, the Tuts and the Chefs. The song reached #3 in the iTunes alternative chart.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thevpme.com/2021/05/18/track-of-the-day-loud-women-reclaim-these-streets/|title=Track Of The Day - Loud Women - Reclaim These Streets|date=May 18, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vivelerock.net/women-say-it-loud/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514102554/https://vivelerock.net/women-say-it-loud/|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 May 2021|title=WOMEN SAY IT LOUD!|first=Gerry|last=Ranson|website=Vive Le Rock Magazine}} </ref>

Initially active solely in London, Loud Women has since opened chapters in the US, Australia, Canada and Ireland, as well as hosting events elsewhere in the UK such as Hastings and Brighton.

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Music promoters Category:Underground punk scene in the United Kingdom Category:British independent record labels Category:Feminist organisations in England