Why women in groups face a ‘collaboration penalty’ that solo female stars like Taylor Swift and Coco Gauff escape

All-women groups, whether in sports, music or business, are consistently underpaid compared to men. They’re seen as more threatening to the status quo.

By: David Hekman, University of Colorado Boulder and Mallory Decker, University of Colorado Boulder, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: April 15, 2026

Words: 1,251

Last Updated: 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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By David Hekman, University of Colorado Boulder and Mallory Decker, University of Colorado Boulder

When Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour became the highest-grossing concert tour of all time in 2024, hauling in more than US$2 billion, it was hailed as a breakthrough for women in music.

But Swift’s success, it turns out, didn’t translate into broader gains for female artists. A closer look at the list of top-earning tours shows a clear pattern: Among the …

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