Livestream concerts aren’t going anywhere
While there are a number of positive indicators that in-person concerts will be returning – albeit slowly – in 2021, it appears that the livestream show is here to stay.
Guest post by James Shotwell of Haulix
Concerts are returning in 2021, but livestream events are forever.
A lot of bad things happened over the last year. You can apply that to the pandemic in general, but it’s also true for the music community. More people have been laid off or lost their jobs in music during the last year than in any other single calendar year to date. Those who held onto their jobs and careers did so by adapting to the challenges of a global pandemic. While some of the lessons learned may fade as things begin to return to normal, it’s evident that livestream performances are here to stay.
The popularity of livestream events should come as no surprise to anyone that follows consumer behavior trends. The music industry has been considering a large-scale embrace of streaming performances for over a decade. Still, there was no sense of urgency behind the movement until touring came to a screeching halt in March 2020. With nowhere to host gigs and countless artists itching to engage with fans, the industry quickly set to making streaming accessible, affordable, and easy for everyone. After all, people love watching their favorite shows and movies from any device wherever they go, so why wouldn’t the same be true for music?
The response from consumers has been overwhelming. Fans miss their favorite artists as much as those musicians miss their audience. The internet allows for engagement regardless of location, and many are willing to support artists financially. Whether or not artists charge for admission to their performances, there is money to be made through exclusive merch sales, Q&A events, and on-demand viewing, and more. Millions have already been made through livestreaming, and artists will make millions more in the years to come.
In the latest Music Biz update, James Shotwell reflects on the lessons learned during the pandemic before zeroing in on the continuing value of streaming performances. He discusses the evolution of the medium over the past year and makes a strong argument for greater popularity in the future. Check it out:
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James Shotwell is the Director of Customer Engagement at Haulix and host of the company’s podcast, Inside Music. He is also a public speaker known for promoting careers in the entertainment industry, as well as an entertainment journalist with over a decade of experience. His bylines include Rolling Stone, Alternative Press, Substream Magazine, Nu Sound, and Under The Gun Review, among other popular outlets.
