Effective immediately all music video hours on CMT and CMT Music channels will have complete parity between male and female artists. That means 50/50. #CMTEqualPlay — Country Music Television (@CMT) January 21, 2020

Effective immediately, all music video hours on CMT and CMT Music channels will have complete parity between male and female artists. That means 50/50.

That was the message from CMT on Tuesday (Jan. 21) as their #CMTEqualPlay initiative was launched.

So from now on, this means that female artists are guaranteed to account for half the videos played on CMT’s platforms. That’s an increase from the 40/60 (female/male) ratio previously used. (Now if we could just get country radio — where female singers account for only 13 percent of airplay — to follow our lead.)

And the artists themselves? They are in full support. So far, so good.

Way to take the lead @CMT, can only go up from here! https://t.co/GOd8kw9bhD — Shania Twain (@ShaniaTwain) January 23, 2020

So brilliant of @FramLeslie and @CMT to have directed this back to the root of the problem. They will have to work hard on this, as they can only play what they are given! https://t.co/w8qEgGuj6P — Gretchen Wilson (@gw27) January 22, 2020

Small changes make small ripples that turn into big waves! Thank you @CMT for supporting us!!! @FramLeslie #CMTequalplay https://t.co/UKoJseiZcD — Olivia Lane (@olivialanemusic) January 21, 2020

Annnnnnnd @CMT gets to go down in country music history as leading this charge. ✊ c’mon country radio cowgirl up! https://t.co/Ifm6MjKWOe — Brandi Carlile (@brandicarlile) January 21, 2020

CMT is the blueprint for how to combat this issue. Absolutely incredible. Very excited to see the new up and coming artists who will continue to benefit from their commitment to exposure. https://t.co/TBKY8eQLNu — Kalie Shorr (@kalieshorr) January 21, 2020

Maybe we should make a country album… ⚡️ https://t.co/ttD7mtbUDC — Tegan and Sara (@teganandsara) January 21, 2020

That also means you guys are badasses. Thank you for the fairness ❤️ https://t.co/pVL284jqZo — Cassadee Pope (@CassadeePope) January 21, 2020

I will always support women, artist or not. We, as the men of country music are ALL FOR “equal play”.. I have many artists friends that are women and I have two little girls. Also, one of my fave artists is @KaceyMusgraves. I even bought a sweatshirt at her show. Gonna in it. https://t.co/cHRDIdV5m3 — Jake Owen (@jakeowen) January 22, 2020

Owen supports the #EqualPlay idea for a lot of reasons, he says, but in particular because he has two daughters, he loves Kacey Musgraves, and he even bought some merch at one of her shows.

“We, as the men of country music are ALL FOR ’equal play,'” he wrote. “I have many artists friends that are women and I have two little girls. Also, one of my fave artists is @KaceyMusgraves. I even bought a sweatshirt at her show. Gonna (sleep)in it.”