Music industries have seen various ups and downs since the introduction of modern technologies. COVID-19 has recently contributed to the huge loss in the music and live entertainment industry globally. Shutdown of transport and maintenance of social distancing have forced several concerts and festivals to be cancelled or postponed. The artists are uploading several videos to entertain their fans on social media platforms. They have to use their family members to shoot the video at home. They are participating in several fun challenges and giving real talk advice to cut off the boredom and to stay connected with the fans. Live music concerts and gigs remain cancelled in the foreseeable future. But the industry is adapting to the ‘new normal’.  Greater number of people are tuning in radio channels.  Sensing this the musicians are focusing more on radio connectivity and creative performance suited to radio audience to bring a change.

The gig artists, bartenders, technicians, roadside artists and many more who earn their livelihood through live music concerts are facing a really hard time in the pandemic times. They are out of work for around three months and running out of savings. Popular celebrities can reach out to fans through innovative programmes. But those who are struggling to be in the industry do not have any clear idea of the road ahead. According to the members of the Indian Music Industry, several of them have started suffering because of lack of cash flows caused by absence of film releases and continuing ban on public performances. Many daily wage musicians are the worst sufferers due to the postponement of recordings. Smaller music labels need lot of public performances to earn  revenue and sustain themselves. They are now forced to seek financial help from different government sources.

Various artists are performing individual home concerts to entertain fans and also to raise funds for charity. Lady Gaga’s ‘One World: Together at Home’ has raised over $127million for the World Health Organization. John Legend, Justin Bieber and many more are playing their songs on Instagram Live. The Indian music community and Instagram conducted a live virtual music festival— ‘Live In Your Living Room’ with several artists like Armaan Malik, Naezy and Lisa Mishra performing. One of the popular music streaming apps, Spotify, has started working with a number of organizations as Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief. It is offering financial relief to creators around the world. YouTube Music and Amazon Music are also coming to the aid of music industry workers through the MusiCares’ COVID-19 Relief Fund.

In such crisis times the music industry all over the world is experiencing lesser productivity, slower work rate and uncertainty— not to speak of the declining curve in creativity. The dreaded virus has huge impact on the production, distribution, marketing and sales chain. It has taken a drastic hit of ten to fifteen per cent of the production and marketing of music in three months.

Come what may, everybody knows that we all need music to live life with jest. Not only that, we need it to have a healthy mental condition. Music is entertainment surely, but it is also a ‘medicine’ to save us from boredom, stress and alienation, the symptoms particularly evident in these trying times. It is a good sign that the music industry is fighting the bad times and trying to strategise its recovery. Didn’t Shakespeare write, ‘If music is the food of love, play on’?