Gender on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart, 1996–2016.

In May 2015 radio consultant Keith Hill revealed that country radio programmers have strict rules on how many female artists can be included in airplay rotation. Referring to females as the "tomatoes" of the country salad, Hill has sparked debate about gender-representation in country music. This paper examines gender-related trends on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart between 1996 and 2016, aiming to investigate how female artists have performed on the charts over this two-decade period. Analyzing long-term trends in frequency distribution, this study uses statistical results to unpack assertions made about women's marginal status in country music. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]