WHAT HAPPENS NOW? It’s the big question on everyone’s lips.
As the music industry begins to try to move on and into an uncertain future POST-COVID-19, we look at what could come next
AFTER MONTHS OF uncertainty, the music world is finally moving forwards again. Bands playing livestreams instead of shows now feels like the norm, albums are being released at a faster rate, and there are even actual real life gigs happening – Doro recently played the world’s first drive-in metal concert in Germany, with Skindred set to do the same here in the UK.
It’s a promising sign that music is adapting to a world that still feels alien to many of us, but what about the long-term? Back in May, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino revealed that the company were looking as far ahead as the third and fourth quarters of 2021 to resume full-scale live shows. His Live Nation colleague and Download Festival head honcho, Andy Copping, confirms that next year is still very much the main target.
“All promoters are moving as many tours as possible to 2021 to be on the safe side”, he explains. “There is a chance we will see some shows at a certain level operating before the end of 2020. We are monitoring the situation on a daily basis and working with the government so that we will be ready should that be able to happen.”
For many in the industry, getting the live sector moving again is problematic because it has been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in so many different ways.
“I am worried for many of our smaller venues and promoters who are a vital part of our industry and where pretty much every band you can name started their journey”, says Deviate Digital CEO, Sammy Andrews. “And for festivals, especially independent ones. If everyone asked for a refund at the same time, some of the best independent festivals in the UK would go bust, instantly.”
On top of that, gigs are by no means the only part of music that have been badly affected. We know that album release plans have been scuppered all over the joint, but there are other aspects of many artists’ livelihoods that have been impacted.
“The halting of content creation means no one has been able to get ‘syncs’ placed - music that appears in ads, films and TV programmes”, Sammy adds. She also notes that the pandemic situation has allowed the industry to reflect on ways artists can be better looked after: “All of this has brought into question the amount people get paid when their music is streamed.”
STILL, THOUGH, IT is undeniably the return of live shows that will help to get the music economy firmly moving again – and Andy Copping says things are now well underway in that regard, even though it may produce gigs as we’ve never seen them before.
“There will be some changes for sure”, he confirms. “We are setting up drive-in shows and the response to it has been very encouraging in other markets. Things will definitely be different in the future – there are conversations happening now about social distancing at shows, wearing masks, having lots of sanitising stations at venues, temperature testing, track and trace, vaccines… but things are moving and changing all the time. The safety of the fans, staff, crew and, of course, the artists is paramount.”
And as for the wider prospects of the music industry? The common thread is simple: working together and making sure that those who need the most support get it.
“Smaller companies will suffer because they have fewer resources to help weather the storm”, says Music
“THERE’S A CHANCE WE’LL SEE SOME SHOWS IN 2020”
Week Editor, Mark Sutherland. “It’s important that the independent and DIY sectors get help to survive, otherwise the industry could become a much blander place.”
“The communication between different promoters, managers, agents, venues, local authorities and emergency services has been at a level that I have never known before,” says Andy. “We are all in this together and we will all come out of this together. Everyone is super-keen to get back to normality again.”
Mark Sutherland points out that the industry is already finding ways to see out this most unexpected of shitstorms.
“After the initial shock, the industry has actually adapted well,” he says. “The rise of live-streaming gigs has happened incredibly fast, but that’s likely to be something that will stay after things get back to normal. And independent record shops have made a huge effort to keep their businesses alive and help bands to keep selling records by switching to online and mail order. Artists have also coped well, keeping making music and using social media to build a better connection with their fans. That won’t stop after all this, either.”
Sammy is in agreement: “The future is a very exciting place as long as we protect it over this period. Now is the time to look at all the ways we need to adapt to make the music industry fit for the modern age. Amidst the chaos, that’s very exciting to me – and long overdue.”