Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the music industry


The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the music industry, mirroring its impacts across all arts sectors. Numerous music events, including music festivals, concert tours, award shows, and the like were cancelled or postponed. While some musicians and composers were able to use the time to create new works, there were flow on effects on the many supporting people who relied on performers for their income. Several album releases were delayed as well.

Music events

Many concert tours, music festivals, and other events have been canceled or postponed.

Impacted music festivals

Impacted music conferences

Impacted concert performances

Impacted concert tours

Impacted concert residencies

Impacted benefit concerts

Impacted award ceremonies and song contests

Album releases

Several musical artists delayed the releases of albums due to the pandemic. The Record Store Day, which would have seen the release of several re-issues and exclusive material, was rescheduled from April 18 to June 20. In contrast, some musical acts, such as Dua Lipa, Sufjan Stevens, and Laura Marling, moved up the release dates of their upcoming albums. Others, such as Nine Inch Nails, Phish, X, and Fiona Apple, released new albums with little or no advanced notice.
Many albums have had release dates pushed back as a result of the pandemic, including:
ArtistAlbum titleOriginal dateRescheduled dateSource
The 1975Notes on a Conditional FormApril 24May 22
Biffy ClyroA Celebration of EndingsMay 15August 14
Luke BryanBorn Here Live Here Die HereApril 24August 7
Carach AngrenFranckensteina StrataemontanusMay 29June 26
Deep PurpleWhoosh!June 12August 7
The ChicksGaslighterMay 1July 17
DMA'sThe GlowApril 24July 10
Jarv IsBeyond the PaleMay 1September 4
Liam GallagherMTV UnpluggedApril 24TBA
HaimWomen in Music Pt. IIIApril 24June 26
HindsThe Prettiest CurseApril 3June 5
AdeleUntitled fourth studio albumSeptember 2020TBA
Alicia KeysAliciaMarch 20TBA
The KillersImploding the MirageMay 29August 21
Lady GagaChromaticaApril 10May 29
Bettye LaVetteBlackbirdsMay 8August 28
The Lemon TwigsSongs for the General PublicMay 1August 21
Declan McKennaZerosMay 15August 21
Alanis MorissetteSuch Pretty Forks in the RoadMay 1July 31
Willie NelsonFirst Rose of SpringApril 24July 3
Nick Mason's Saucerful of SecretsLive at the RoundhouseApril 17September 18
The PretendersHate for SaleMay 1July 17
Margo PriceThat's How Rumors Get StartedMay 8July 10
ProtomartyrUltimate Success TodayMay 29July 17
The Psychedelic FursMade of RainMay 1July 31
Sam SmithCurrently untitled May 1TBA
Steven WilsonThe Future BitesJune 12January 29, 2021
Throwing MusesSun RacketMay 22September 4
Rufus WainwrightUnfollow the RulesApril 24July 10
Phantom PlanetDevastatorMay 8June 18
WeezerVan WeezerMay 15TBA
Bon JoviMay 15October 2
OneRepublicHumanMay 1TBA
Billy OceanOne WorldApril 17September 4

Virtual performances

Many artists elected to stream performances online. Virtual concerts, such as the iHeart Living Room Concert for America and Together at Home, were organised to provide entertainment to the public, and to raise awareness methods to combat the virus, notably social distancing. Artists such as Christine and the Queens, Ben Gibbard, and Katharine McPhee broadcast daily livestream performances from their homes. Several major bands including Pink Floyd, Radiohead, and Metallica offered free livestreams of archival concerts, as did several in the jam band scene, including Phish, Dead & Company, Widespread Panic, and The String Cheese Incident.
On May 27, 2020, One Love Asia brings all artists and Youtubers together to perform in one big virtual concert to heal the world against coronavirus and to protect and advance the welfare of all people.

Songs and recordings inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects