Jimmy Iovine, one of the most powerful men in the music industry, has been forced to apologise after saying women don’t know how to find music.
Iovine, who co-founded Interscope Records and Beats by Dre (and who now holds an unspecified position with Apple, following the company’s $3bn purchase of Beats in May 2014) appeared on CBS’s This Morning on Thursday to talk about Apple Music.
He told host Gayle King the impetus for Apple’s music service had been his realisation that women needed to be helped to find music. “I just thought of a problem: Girls are sitting around talking about boys. Or complaining about boys, when they have their heart broken or whatever. And they need music for that, right? It’s hard to find the right music. Not everybody knows a DJ.”
He said: “I always knew that women find it very difficult at times – some women – to find music. And this helps makes it easier with playlists, curated by real people.”
His remarks provoked contempt and anger.
Dear Men, and I am completely serious.. I don't think you think things as stupid as Jimmy Iovine says.
— Neko Case (@NekoCase) November 20, 2015
I am a woman and I make my living finding music - jimmy lovine is the one who needs help https://t.co/2LJ5oiuzju
— Jane Abernethy (@janeabernethy) November 19, 2015
I just lost half of my music library to an iTunes upgrade but please, Jimmy Iovine, tell me how to find music and talk about boys.
— Hilary Hughes (@hilmonstah) November 19, 2015
Although King protested that her guest’s remarks had been “taken out of context”, the legendary engineer-turned-producer-turned-entrepreneur was forced to backtrack, issuing a statement of apology.
“We created Apple Music to make finding the right music easier for everyone – men and women, young and old,” he said. “Our new ad focuses on women, which is why I answered the way I did, but of course the same applies equally for men. I could have chosen my words better, and I apologise.”
Iovine first came to prominence as a sound engineer, working with Bruce Springsteen on Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town. He became a successful producer, then in 1990 co-founded Interscope, the label that dominated hip-hop through the 1990s, with artists such as Dr Dre and Eminem. He and Dre set up Beats by Dre in 2008, initially to make headphones. He has also been a judge on the TV show American Idol.
