Sally Anne Gross, Reader in Music Business at the University of Westminster, was honoured as a new member of the Roll of Honour at Music Week’s Women in Music Awards on 10 November 2023 for her game-changing contribution to empowering women in the music industry.
Music Week's Women in Music Roll of Honour was established nine years ago and now has over 100 members. It aims to highlight the breadth, depth and variety of individuals who are game changers in the music industry, with one common theme. They are either women or female-identifying, or their activities consistently benefit women, or focus on female empowerment and addressing gender disparity.
Sally Anne Gross was recognised in this year’s Roll of Honour for her time working in the music industry for over three decades, and her international recognition for her contribution towards raising awareness of the issues of mental health and gender equality in the music industry.
In 1994, Gross was the first woman in the UK to work in the artists and repertoire (A&R) division at Mercury Records, then the biggest record label in the world. Throughout her career, Gross’ research into social justice and how music can play a leading role in improving people’s lives has permeated her work. In 1993, at the In the City music conference in Manchester, she chaired the first ever panel on Women in Music and in the same year was appointed to the board of directors at Out on Vinyl, the UK’s first ever gay record label.
In 2016, she set up Let’s Change the Record at the University of Westminster – where she has been teaching Music Business Management since 2004 – an initiative which was developed to support women and non-binary people wanting to work in audio technology and production.
In 2017, as part of the Friends of Richard Antwi she launched the Richard Antwi Scholarship in partnership with the University and major music industry stakeholders, which aims to support the career development of aspiring music managers from the UK’s Black, Asian and minority ethnic community.
This year, Gross and Dr George Musgrave, started working with the Partnership for Sustainable Development of the Danish Music Industry to develop new mental health and wellbeing initiatives for musicians and music professionals.
Throughout her music management career, Gross has been involved with several acts who have collectively sold over 10 million records including Adamski, Rollo & Rob D, Urban Cookie Collective, William Orbit, Gotan Project and One Direction.
In 2000, Sally Anne Gross won the Helena Kennedy Award for Outstanding Legal Criticism whilst studying Law part-time at Birkbeck University, and in 2022 was promoted to Reader in Music Business at University of Westminster.
Speaking about how it feels to have been inducted into the Roll of Honour, Sally Anne Gross said: “It is an honour to be nominated by one’s peers and to be able to join such an illustrious list of incredible women many of whom I have known personally and professionally for years and several of whom I have taught - it really feels very special."
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