The music industry is really dynamic. Every decade and year, there is always a remarkable change in the music industry. This change affects the way music is produced, disseminated, stored, and consumed. It also affects how we discover new music and artists. Over the years, we have witnessed changes that not only altered history but also affected the quality of the music being produced by musicians. We have witnessed the transition from cassettes to CDs. Also, the birth of digital streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, etc) and algorithm playlists. We have also witnessed how music has moved from MTV and radio to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Tik Tok.
Chronicling and properly documenting the dynamism of the global music industry will be beyond the context of this article. However, I will bring to you some changes and trends that became quite visible in 2021 in the music industry. These changes came greatly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has been a major factor in many changes across different industries around the world – not only the music industry. Below I am going to talk about some of the trends in 2021. Trends that came to existence partly and greatly because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rise in Remote Collaboration Between Musicians
During the pandemic, one phrase became quite popular not just in the medical industry but in all industries, including music. I can also say that this phrase was one of the most used phrases [or even the most used phrase] and the phrase is “social distancing.” “Social distancing” wasn’t quite fun because it took the life and vibe away from a lot of things, including music. However, it also fuels and fans a new trend in the music industry, which is “remote collaboration.” We are increasingly witnessing musicians collaborating on projects without having to meet each other. With a lot of remote collaboration tools being available, 2021 has seen a surge in remote collaboration and a total change of musician’s perspective towards collaboration.
Regardless of the nature of collaboration, be it rehearsals, songwriting, beat making or mixing and mastering, remote collaboration among musicians is now trending in 2021. Personally, I have collaborated remotely with singers, songwriters, and a couple of producers this year. The pandemic did not invent remote collaboration among musicians, as it has been in practice for quite some time. The pandemic reminded the music industry through “social distancing” that collaborating remotely can be just as effective or even more effective than the conventional form of meeting physically.
Virtual Concerts/Social Media Livestreams
There has been a rise in virtual concerts and social media live streams among both upcoming and established musicians. As a matter of fact, most tours and live shows that should have taken place during the pandemic were canceled. With the closing of venues and social distancing regulations being put in place, musicians and show promoters just had to get creative. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and video streaming websites like YouTube have provided the opportunity for musicians and their fans to connect in real-time through live streams and virtual shows. With videos like these, getting millions of views and shares, it was just a matter of time before it became a trend.
It doesn’t even matter if these videos are short, long, or promotional videos hinting at a future release. Platforms like Tik Tok, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram have revolutionized how audiences can consume these contents. They don’t have to gather in large arenas anymore to watch their favorite musicians. All they have to do is simply click “play” on their phones, tablets, or computers to enjoy real-time performances. Advancement in social media has greatly lent to how technology has changed the music industry. There are numerous platforms and avenues through which fans can connect with their best musicians on a personal level.
More and More Independent Artists
If there is anything the whole global lockdown and the Covid-19 pandemic has taught musicians, it is the fact that they are a lot more capable of doing a lot of things, a lot more than they believed they could. 2020 and 2021 have seen a change in the mindset of indie musicians towards record labels. It is now a trend that most indie artists no longer see record companies and juicy record deals as the ultimate career goal. Musicians now have a “less-record-label-dependent” mindset.
With platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Tik Tok, and others, indie artists are now finding innovative ways to get their music in front of larger audiences. In this age where you can just “go viral” in a few days, all it takes is one hit track, standing out unique, and delving into some trending topics to catch people’s attention. Once they get the attention of the public, indie artists maintain relevance by continuing to share their music via YouTube, TikTok, and other creative ways that grow their fanbase. It’s now relatively easier to make it big as an indie artist in the industry. Indie artists are now seeing less and less need to sign to a record company.
It can still be quite difficult for indie artists to break through without using the help of a record label. This difficulty is because the music business is getting increasingly competitive. However, indie artists still have the advantage of giving music fans exactly what they want from their listening experiences. More and more music artists are going the “indie way” this year. With tools like curated playlists and other modern dissemination tools, being an indie artist has become much more attractive than it was five years ago.
Musicians are Becoming Less-Rigid With Genres And Embracing More Experimentation
It is more like a trend for musicians to try out new genres or even fuse unfamiliar genres and styles together to create something unique. This is becoming rampant among underground artists and the more established ones. Beyonce’s “Lion King” album which is still relevant in 2021 saw some surprising collaborations. It also saw Beyonce experimenting with sounds we wouldn’t quite say is typical of her. Apart from Beyonce, musicians are becoming more free-spirited and less-rigid with genres, styles, and forms. It’s more like a wave, and musicians are suddenly refusing the constriction that comes with genres and styles.
Lil Nas X demonstrated how beautiful and easy crossing over to unfamiliar genres can be for musicians with his 2019 hit “Old Town Road.” Although a hip-hop artist, he managed to hit Billboard’s Hot Country chart. That was quite a remarkable feat. Musicians now want to experiment, synergies and blur the boundaries that separate styles from styles. It is more like most musicians are adopting a universal approach to music creation.
Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Music Industry
The pandemic had and is still having tremendous effects on the music industry. Some effects are positive, while some are not just very positive. The biggest casualty of the pandemic in the music industry happens to be live performance revenue. Also, distribution, sales/streaming, and advertising are also having it tough.
At the early stage of the pandemic, physical sales went down by about one-third. This was primarily because of the closure of retail stores. Physical sales make up about a quarter of recorded music revenues. On the other hand, digital sales went down around 11%. Also, the way people listen to music changed as a result of the pandemic. Studies on the changing listening routines also reflected the rise in consumption of more relaxing genres. Whatever the case is, the pandemic has greatly affected the music industry, and properly documenting such effects will be beyond the scope of this article.
However, it is not all bad. On the positive side, we have also been able to witness dynamism in its most positive form. We have seen the entire industry not backing down to the gruesome effects of the pandemic, but rather standing up and looking for a way to make lemonade out of lemons. Also, there is a rise in virtual concerts, more collaboration among musicians, thus making music more universal. We have also witnessed a lot more experimentations and a much more relaxed and free model amidst the chaos. It is a fact that the industry has been greatly impacted, but the impacts are not just negative – there are also things to smile about.