Musicians Navigating Change: How the 2020 Pandemic Continues to Influence the Music Industry in 2024
Since the 2020 global pandemic, distribution channels in the music industry have had to adapt to reach more audiences since the Covid-19 breakthrough. The closing and reopening of channels reshaped how artists, industry professionals, and audiences had to quickly adjust to a new reality that transformed our world overnight.
Last week, we discussed how San Luis’ Six Mental Stages of Buying’s “Who can help with the solution?” stage is particularly relevant to musicians seeking to grow their fanbase online now that distribution options have changed.
It was time we all came together to find a solution to a situation we had never experienced. How would we adapt? What new tactics and channels could we come up with? What would life look like now?
The moment the world stopped
When the world shut down, people were confused. They did not know how to navigate this new world. Slowly, they started to find solace in pursuing a new hobby, baking, or listening to music. For me, music was always the answer. It will always be the one thing to heal and unite the world. After all, music makes us stronger.
To many of us, music became our closest friend during the pandemic.
One of the most notable channels is the rise of digital platforms, with streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon. Although these services already existed, consumers who didn’t use them frequently started adapting to using them daily, such as listening to a podcast while cleaning the house or listening to a new audiobook while baking sourdough bread.
Consumers had to find new ways to psychologically navigate these new waters and learn how to cope with a new reality. To many, music became a companion, a consolation, a friend through obscure times.
Working From Home
Working from home during COVID-19 pandemic
Marketers found different ways to prioritize marketing strategies, such as playlist placements, increased use of social media, and live streams to reach audiences effectively.
As a music consumer and an industry professional, I discovered that the most significant impact was the adoption of digital challenges, as live events venues and stores were forced to close.
The pandemic drove artists and labels to create direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels to sell music merchandise and virtual concert tickets online, providing new ways to generate revenue streams while deepening the artist-fan relationship during this challenging time.
Wear A Mask
Rock Euphoria supporters when social distancing was mandatory. We vowed to find ways to still stay together virtually.
All Together Now
Some of my favorite artists, including the Goo Goo Dolls, Machine Gun Kelly, Soul Asylum, and others, hosted live-streaming shows where fans could connect online in real time.
This world was new to us. None of us had experienced this in our lifetime, and we needed to unite and help each other navigate these difficult times. At times like this, music bonded us together; specifically when it came to struggles and mental health people were facing while on lockdown.
The pandemic taught music marketers to navigate in the digital age.
When it comes to bringing value to audiences, personalized experiences made all the difference as the world switched to an online environment. We needed to experiment with new channels and technologies and embrace change. Artists came together to raise money to prevent the closure of local businesses and MusicCares to assist stagehands and local crew in suffering financial burdens during shutdowns.
Takeaways
The 2020 pandemic taught us the importance of coming together and learning how to adapt as a community. Together, artists, industry professionals, and fans found new ways to navigate this difficult journey.
We learned to implement omnichannel strategies as physical stores closed and live events were canceled, forcing us to rely on digital platforms. It allowed us to implement new techniques in the industry for years to come.