🦠 The ethics of concerts during a pandemic; RIAA and NMPA set sights on Twitch; exploring subscription models for live music; Virtual 'Live From Out There' festival grosses $600k
Daily update for the music business on the coronavirus (June 19)
The Ethics of Concert Presentation During a Pandemic (Matthew Whiteside)
And this is where I think we will need to be for the next year – concerts with a warning label. Even with individuals and organisations mitigating against risk in every way they can, I think the only right thing to do as a concert promoter is to remind people that they are coming into an environment which may contain Covid 19. Maybe audience members need to sign a waver at the door or promoters will need to have more explicit indicators of risk on their T&Cs.
Exploring subscription models in live music (Medium)
The bond between the artist (or brand) and the audience is at its strongest. For sure, superfans fans get the rewards they deserve. With different levels of subscriptions, a more casual audience can be interested too.
Dave Grohl, Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga & More Ask Congress to Support US Independent Music Venues (Billboard)
"With zero revenue and the overwhelming overhead of rent, mortgage, utilities, taxes and insurance, 90% of independent venues report that if the shutdown lasts six months and there’s no federal assistance, they will never reopen again."
Artists chip in for The Circle’s Covid-19 relief auction (Music Ally)
Charity The Circle, which was founded by artist and activist Annie Lennox, has launched a global music auction to raise money for its Covid-19 Emergency Appeal. The charity is raising funds for women and girls who’ve been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus crisis this year.
Twitch’s Streaming Boom Is Jolting the Music Industry (Bloomberg)
“More and more artists are finding their music used in unauthorized ways on Twitch,” said Mitch Glazier, chief executive officer of the Recording Industry Association of America. The organization has sent the website a flurry of takedown notices, requesting the removal of infringing material. “We’ve learned from history that as a platform emerges, you need to get out there right away and enforce rights,” Glazier said.
NMPA boss puts Twitch, Fortnite on livestream licensing notice (Music Ally)
“The scale compared to even large stadium concerts is massive. If live streaming is temporarily going to replace the $12 billion dollar touring industry, then a great deal of revenue will be lost to music creators if these platforms fail to license properly,” wrote David Israelite. “And we have only scratched the surface of where these virtual concert platforms can and will go.”
Livestreaming festival ‘Live From Out There’ has grossed $600k (Music Ally)
“The venture has already grossed upwards of $600,000 and moved more than 40,000 digital tickets, with revenue split between artists, the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund’s COVID-19 Fund and social justice organizations,” reported Pollstar. Some of 11E1even’s artists will now be launching spin-off virtual tours under the Live From Out There brand – also charging for tickets.
Bandcamp’s Juneteenth revenue share with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund
Today Bandcamp is doing a fundraiser for the NAACP. This means for any music you buy today, Bandcamp will be donating their revenue share towards racial justice in the US. A few weeks ago there was a community spreadsheet circulating of black creators on Bandcamp, that has now been turned into a website called BlackBandcamp.info.
Assembled while listening to innovative glitch music artist alva noto’s latest release Xerrox, Vol. 4 - a peaceful, somewhat melodic, set of ambient compositions.
MUSIC x CORONA goes out every weekday and is composed by Bas Grasmayer and Maarten Walraven.
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