Recommendations of the editorial team
The activist and author Rike van Kleef has sharp criticism of the one -sided gender distribution on the festival stages of Rock am Ring and Rock im Park. Around 100 bands appear there from June 6th to June 8th – a large part of it consists exclusively of men. According to van Kleef, 96 percent of all acts are purely male in Rock am Ring, and the proportion of headliners is even 100 percent. Your analysis of gender representation at German music festivals shows: 72 percent of the program slots examined were occupied purely male.
The main acts this year include Falling in Reverse, Bring Me The Horizon, Slipknot and Korn – all purely male -occupied bands. Van Kleef complained in conversation with the SWR that a greater diversity was quite possible with such a large genre as rock. There are many excellent artists or non-binary acts that could be taken into account more in the program design.
Five women’s bands – 84 purely male formations
However, it is not just about the artists: on the inside on stage, says van Kleef. It is also decisive who works behind the scenes: Who makes the decisions, who books the bands, who designs the program? If these structures are primarily shaped by men, this inevitably also reflects in the program selection.
After researching the SWR, the line-up at Rock am Ring includes only five purely female bands this year. Women participate in eleven other formations – 84 purely male acts are involved. Both festivals are sold out, according to the organizer, around 170,000 visitors are expected: on the inside. Rock am Ring takes place as usual at the Nürburgring in the Eifel, rock in the park on the Nuremberg Zeppelinfeld.
Criticism of Ronnie Radke and Falling in Reverse
Additional criticism ignites on social media of the main act Falling in reverse. Frontmann Ronnie Radke was faced with allegations of abuse and sexual violence in 2015. In recent times, he also noticed through statements that were criticized as homophobic, hostile and crowded. The band’s invitation in social networks therefore met with sharp contradiction.
Rock am Ring will be 40 years old this year. Started in 1985, the sister event Rock im Park followed in 1995. It has been taking place in Nuremberg since 1997. Both festivals are among the largest in Europe today.
“Men’s surplus” not only with skirt
The gender inequality is not an exclusive problem of the rock scene, emphasizes Van Kleef. Other music styles such as jazz or classical music are also male. A lot has moved in recent years in terms of visibility and representation – she is currently observing a step backwards: equality is taken less seriously again, according to her assessment.
In her new book “Cheap places – gender, power and discrimination in the music industry” (2025), van Kleef investigates the question of why women and queer artists are often overlooked in the festival, despite many successful acts. In doing so, she illuminates challenges such as unequal payment and a lack of security. At the same time, it shows ways of how festivals could be designed for various, fairer and safer for flinta people-i.e. women, lesbians, inter, non-binaries, trans and agenda.