How COVID-19 Has Changed the Music Industry

By Samantha Krevolin

Included in the Spring 2021 Magazine

I have a vivid memory of the first time my mom introduced me to her love for music and it changed my life forever. We drove to our local park and as we parked in the lot, Kelly Clarkson’s iconic song “Since You’ve Been Gone” came on the radio. My mom instructed me to sit in the car until the song was over, and as she blasted the music I watched her sing at the top of her lungs. I aspired to be passionate about a song like this in the future. 

Ever since that day, I have mastered a secret talent of memorizing every, and I mean every, lyric to my favorite songs. I have also made the ultimate playlists for every mood, and have spent countless hours watching musicals. However, after spending the past 20 years of my life listening to different types of music, I noticed that something changed this past year. The pandemic has changed the music industry for good, in ways many people have not realized. I believe it’s important that these changes are acknowledged, as this industry impacts all of our lives. 

Along with the rest of the workforce around the world, those who are part of the music industry were sent to work from home this past year. Recordings started to be done Billie Eilish style: right from the comfort of one’s bedroom. Business trips were a thing of the past and music videos were creatively filmed over zoom. The Jonas Brothers, for example, filmed a music video for the song “X” while being across the country from each other, spanning all the way from California to New Jersey. Impressively, viewers would never know the truth unless they watched an interview about the process afterwards. 

In retrospect, people both within and outside of the music industry expected these changes to only last until the pandemic came to a close. However, it seems that the success of this past year has allowed producers, songwriters, and musicians alike to realize this industry can be run from homes around the world. Zoom has become the ultimate tool for online meetings, and other online music applications like GarageBand can provide an at home studio from a tiny laptop. New artists have gained recognition from YouTube over the past few years, and TikTok has established itself as a new platform in which people can display their musical talents. These technology platforms are allowing the industry to make strides in discovering new artists, along with permitting people to work together across the globe from the comfort of their homes. 

Now more than ever, artists are producing music like it’s going out of style. In the past, an artist would drop an album every two years or so. Now, some of the top award winning artists are coming out with more than one album a year. For example, Justin Bieber has released Changes, Justice, and Freedom-EP (an extended play) within the past year. He has definitely succeeded in releasing catchy songs like “Yummy,” “Holy,” and “Anyone” throughout the year to keep his fans wanting more, and faster than ever before. 

Similarly, many Swifties have been thrilled to see Taylor Swift release so many award winning albums this year. Evermore and Folklore were released within seven months from one another. Swift has been known for only releasing new albums after two years had gone by, so this was unheard of. Fans were especially thrilled to have the surprise of Folklore during peak quarantine. Swift took this exciting new music process further after the great feedback she got from the albums and announced she would be releasing re-recorded albums within the upcoming year. The classic, Fearless, was recently released, and fans are anticipating Speak Now to follow soon. This instance proves that the music industry is not only changing in regard to the speed at which albums are released, but phenomenal singers like Taylor Swift can run away to a cabin in the woods and create an entire album without actually being in a recording studio. 

As someone who loves to listen to “Today’s Top Hits” on Spotify and discover new music as much as possible, I am thrilled to now have new albums come out at a more frequent rate than ever. However, it is disappointing that the music industry will not have the same glitz and glamour of going to a recording studio and experiencing recordings from a professional setting. The Grammy’s was even virtual this year for the first time ever. I am curious to see how the music industry will continue to change as this pandemic continues. With the new world we live in and no need for travel, the music industry will continue to develop for better or worse in the near future. Likewise, the future of concerts is also unclear at this time, but with the announcement of Rolling Loud being held this summer, it may return to normal sooner than we anticipate. Given these fast paced changes and expectations of more to come, who knows where I will be when I introduce my favorite song to my future child one day. Let’s see where the music takes us!