As the war against the coronavirus rages on, it’s time to step back and review the music industry’s reaction to the latest COVID-19 variant.
Between the fast-rising spread of the Omicron variant and a fresh wave of artists canceling tours due to illness or fear of it, many are wondering what the future holds for live music. Are we going back into lockdown? Will live music go on hiatus? And if so, what happens to our favorite artists?
We know it’s not what you want to hear, but we don’t have the answers you seek. Nobody does, in fact, and that’s troubling. The music industry is yet again being left to police itself, and the response to the latest wave of COVID variants has left many feeling a sense of anxiety similar to how they felt in March 2020. Cases are rising, shows are being canceled, and not a government leader seems poised to take action.
But fear not! The music industry is among the most resilient businesses in existence. If we can survive the year-long drought without concerts, we can survive anything! Except, maybe, another year-long live music drought.
In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell tackles the Omicron variant and its impact on the live music business. James then zooms out to look at the state of music overall, including supply chain delays and ongoing debates over streaming royalties. We know things seem scary right now, but give us ten minutes, and we might have you feeling a bit better about the state of the world.
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