4 Issues Driving The D.I.Y. Music Industry In 2020
With each passing year, the music industry continues to develop and broadens its awareness of issues, and further its efforts towards inclusivity and innovation. Here we look at four major topics which will be a major focus of the music business into 2020 and beyond.
Guest post by Randi Zimmerman of the Symphonic Blog
2020 is the year of innovation, evolution, and inclusivity. Every year, our industry becomes more and more aware of the issues we face as a community and prioritizes taking action to secure a better future for generations to come.
As we move forward, we think these conversations will continue to be major topics for 2020 and beyond.
Here are 4 Major Topics to Expect in 2020:
Mental Health
Being a professional musician can be thrilling and wildly satisfying. However, it can also be stressful, exhausting, and overwhelming. The pressure artists face creating great music while making enough money to survive can be so immense that it ends up taking a large toll on an artist’s mental health.
Thankfully, the industry is more open than ever to talk about mental illness and provides many support systems to those who need help. More than ever, artists are speaking up about their own personal battles and normalizing the conversation surrounding mental health. 2020 is the year of artists supporting artists.
Remember, nobody does this thing alone. It’s okay to ask for help.
These amazing organizations exist solely to support musicians and their mental wellness:
Independence Over Everything
Not only are artists successfully making their way independently, but they’re also soaring past the rest of the pack. Artists without record labels generated $643.1 million in 2018, up 35% since 2017 and still rapidly increasing. Thus, independent artists are the fastest-growing segment of the global recorded music business. With the ever-expanding tech and tools that allow artists to share their work with the world on their own terms, being independent is more appealing than ever.
“83% of independent artists said it’s important for them to retain creative control over their music, compared to 74% of label artists. Artists in both categories say they think artists have more control of their careers than ever before — and that kind of empowerment means that artists no longer see signing to a label as the road to success.” — Forbes.
Take control of your music. Stay independent.
Better Representation of Women in Music
It’s no secret that women have been underrepresented in the music business for far too long. If you haven’t seen the gender stats for the industry recently, check them out here. They speak for themselves. This is obviously a huge problem, but 2020 is the year of change for the better, powerful women, and equality for all.
There’s a plethora of festivals, organizations, conferences and events all over the US currently working to close this immense gender gap and empower women in the industry, but here are a few to check out this year:
- Women in Music is the industry’s leading non-profit working toward gender equity. Founded in 1985, WIM is now fueled by 100+ volunteers working daily to serve thousands worldwide, with chapters from LA to India.
- Girls Behind the Rock Show is a non-profit founded by Shelby Chargin after she been fed up with the discrimination she received being a woman in the male-dominated music industry. One of their latest projects is their Roadie for a Day program, where they teamed up with SWMRS to give girls an opportunity to work as a roadie, which is primarily a male-driven area of the music world.
- YOLA DÍA is a festival based in Los Angeles that highlights talents in music, food, and visual arts who embody the spirit and ethos of today’s female leaders. In addition to an all-woman bill that includes Lykke Li, Megan Thee Stallion, Cat Power, Courtney Love, Sophie, Kelsea Lu and more, there’s a team of all-woman bartenders, restaurateurs, and artists who will display work on the festival grounds in Los Angeles’s Historic State Park.
In 2020, there WILL be more representation of women in the industry like never before. Every year, boss women in the industry get closer and closer to achieving this goal and this upcoming year is no different. #GirlPower
The Video Era
With YouTube as the second largest search engine and the #1 music streaming service worldwide, it should be no surprise that video streaming now reigns supreme in the industry.
In 2020, consumers are craving more video content than ever, so it’s a good idea to hop on the bandwagon. Sure, music is great on its own, but add in that visual component and BAM. More memorable content. Not only does it make a song more memorable, but it gives artists the chance to expand on their creative vision and enhance the experience as a whole.
Because everyone has some sort of access to video creation tools like Triller and TikTok, the need to keep up and stand out among a sea of creators is monumental going forward. For the future, strong creative visuals will give you and your music an immense competitive advantage over the rest of the pack.
