The True Impact Of COVID-19 On The Music Industry

Nearly half of South Africa's live music workers, artists and music production may quit the industry for good,''by RSA trap star Glock Forex 

For people working in South Africa’s live music sector, 2020 has been “devastating”. That was the term that researchers read most frequently in responses to the country’s largest-ever live music and COVID-19 survey, published in November. As one respondent put it:

With thousands of tours across the globe have been already cancelled along with the increasing number of music festival in this time of unprecedented uncertainly, the future of music lndustry look bleak due to On going Covid19. There is no security measures in place to cover the loss of income to the millions of workers who are payed for complete work from live music events. The music industry oparate in such a way that it is improbably or musician crew to receive any financial remuneration for cancelled shows.

Industry “gig workers” don’t get to enjoy the work benefits that many conventional jobs offer. Freelancers forego paid salaries, retirement plans, paid vacation time, health insurance, and job security for the sake of pursuing a career in entertainment. Unlike many jobs, musicians and touring crew members cannot work from home whilst in quarantine to make up for a loss of earnings. 

The coronavirus pandemic is proving to be the most devastating challenge ever to face the live music industry and the creative community as a whole. Even more worryingly, as 5he globe continues to deal with the on going crisis, it is clear these is a significant lack of economic support for those in desperate need.

THE FINANCIAL FALLOUT AS WE KNOW IT

We still understand very little about COVID-19. What we do know is that it affects the lungs and airways and that the virus is extremely contagious. Governments across the world have locked down populations in an attempt to slow down the spreading of the illness

As the illness continues to spread, so does it's impact on the music industry. We have seen dozens of major festivals around the world postponed or outright cancelled as a result of the pandemic. Industry expects and financial analysts are projecting the live entertainment industry will lose billions on an economical fall out nobody was ever anticipating.

In this time of enormous uncertainty, we can be sure that the number of coronavirus-related music event cancellations will continue to ramp up every passing day. Many countries have placed bans on large social gatherings, including Australia- which has just banned all non-essential gatherings of over 100 people to slow down the spread of the illness. The harsh reality is that as a result of this, Australia’s live music industry is on the “brink of collapse”, according to Billboard, without financial aid from the federal government.