Did COVID-19 have a negative impact on the music industry?

With many industries in the world negatively hurt by the COVID-19 outbreak, one industry that has been adversely impacted is the music industry. Just like any other industry that involves crowds and a performance in person to thrive, most have gotten used to enjoying music at home. Whether it’s streaming or listening to your old album collection(s), though, it’s just not the same. But don’t worry; the artists are just as eager to get back out there and start performing as you are!

From Bruce Springsteen playing the empty Fenway concert to various music stars taking part in playing their gigs electronically through Fortnite the video game, we’ve seen an industry have to get creative to survive. Indeed, there is no concept of having live music gigs on the horizon anytime soon; if you want to go to a gig, you might get used to having to do it from the comfort of your home.

The music industry, though, has overcome every obstacle thrown in its way. As an industry all about creative and intelligent people, that should come as no surprise. What might surprise, though, is how many of these industry giants are making a successful go of life during COVID-19.

For one, the music industry is seeing a rather classic revival of people sitting listening to the radio. Once seen as a dying art in favour of music streams and podcasts, the radio is beginning to enjoy a relative boom once again. Many artists are doing livestreams from home, and others are uploading music they never would have released in the past.

Just like any other challenge that has risen up to bother the music industry, there is a simple solution in mind here – this is an industry that always finds a solution.

Innovation through desperation could save the music industry

Many musical talents are beginning to look for ways to actually come out of this in a better place. For years, the music industry has had problems with its image, with its income, and with how it sets up stars for the future. Many names in the industry hope and believe that, when the time for normality comes, the industry will be far more friendly to the very people that make it so large.

The hope is that while the industry is suffering today, it could put in place long-term changes that will improve opportunity for all in the near future. Innovation is something that can be hard to find and to build, but it is by no means impossible. With names like Koffee and French Montana arguing for a more fair and robust musical industry when this is all over, we could see wholesale changes.

For now, though, get used to consuming audio on a disk or on a live stream because gigs are going to be managed in front of empty audiences for the foreseeable future. With the innovations in mind about redistribution of wealth and opportunity available, though, it’s by no means impossible that positive changes could be coming.