Pat Benatar experienced a dramatic confrontation with her record label shortly after welcoming her first child into the world, highlighting the challenges faced by women in the music industry. During a recent episode of The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan podcast, she recounted her struggles with the label’s expectations. Her contract mandated the release of “an album every nine months,” a deadline that did not accommodate the realities of new motherhood. Just weeks after giving birth, she was summoned to meet with Chrysalis Records representatives, emphasizing the relentless demands placed on artists regardless of personal circumstances.

“Now, I’m breastfeeding, and I’m feeling overwhelmed, with everything padded in my shirt because I was about to leave my child for the first time, and she was not even two months old,” explained the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer. “The label representatives informed me, ‘That’s wonderful that you had a baby, but we need you to get back to work, and fast.’”

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Despite the intense pressure from her label, Benatar felt little empathy for her situation. Chrysalis was determined to move forward with the studio schedule, disregarding her new role as a mother. “It was the only time I lost my temper in the studio. I actually threw a stool through the glass window at Capitol Records,” she recounted, reflecting on the frustration and anger she felt during that tumultuous period.

Pat Benatar Critiques the ‘Sexism’ and ‘Misogyny’ in the Music Industry

The fallout from this intense confrontation did not alleviate the pressure Benatar faced. She was placed “on extension,” a status that meant the record company would freeze her royalties until she met the deadline for her new album. “I had our baby outside in a Winnebago, with my parents looking after her while I went in to record that album,” Benatar shared, recalling the sessions for what would become her 1985 release, Seven the Hard Way. “This experience exemplified the sexism and misogyny rampant in the industry. There was absolutely no room for consideration.”

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This negative experience had a lasting effect on Benatar’s career trajectory. She became determined to take control of both her personal and professional lives, but this also led to a noticeable decline in her music output. Following the release of Seven the Hard Way, she waited three years to produce her next album, Wide Awake in Dreamland (1988). Ultimately, she parted ways with Chrysalis after the release of Gravity’s Rainbow in 1993.

“That’s why my output slowed down; I had to learn to navigate this industry, confront these challenges head-on, and figure out how to assert myself in a way that demanded respect and control over my career,” she noted, illustrating her journey toward balancing her roles as a mother and a musician.