10 ways to support musicians during the coronavirus crisis
How you can help struggling rock acts
Last updated 26th Mar 2020
With the coronavirus pandemic shutting down live music indefinitely, many musicians are facing a bleak financial future without one of their main sources of income.
As Planet Rock’s very own Alice Cooper astutely noted last week, big name artists are “lucky enough to have the resources to survive” the COVID-19 pandemic, however it’s those artists without those crucial reserves that will struggle the most.
According to a Musicians’ Union survey published on Monday 23rd March, UK musicians have already lost an estimated £13.9m in earnings because of the coronavirus, and that figure will continue to grow and grow. The organisation received 4,100 responses from its members, a massive 90% of whom said they had already lost money due to coronavirus.
Many of us are also going through hard times, so we appreciate that it's not just musicians struggling right now.
However, if you want to (and can) there a number of ways you can continue to support your favourite rock acts and ensure they keep their head above water in the difficult weeks and months ahead. And not all of them involve spending money too.
Here are 10 ways to support musicians and bands during coronavirus crisis:
1) Keep hold of your postponed gig tickets
Countless tours have been postponed due to coronavirus and a number of artists have already successfully managed to reschedule their tours for a later date. Other artists are currently working away behind-the-scenes to rearrange the shows. As Barney Vernon from Fish’s promoters The Gig Cartel noted last week, fans are being asked to “continue to support live music by deferring any requests for ticket refunds” until rescheduled dates have been set.
Similarly, Saxon said of their rescheduled concerts in August and September: “PLEASE keep your tickets for the new show dates and lets all fight this problem we are faced with together.”
By keeping hold of your postponed gig ticket wherever possible, you’re providing artists with a degree of certainty for their future, knowing that their future shows will be well attended. And not just that, you’re actively supporting everyone involved in putting on live concerts – from the venues to the sound technicians to the roadies and bar staff.
2) Watch live streaming performances
Unable to play live concerts, many musicians are streaming live performances on Facebook and other platforms direct from their living room. A fantastic way to provide unique content and maintain the connection between artists and fans, some musicians are also calling on viewers to make small donations to help keep their music alive.
3) Buy physical music and downloads
While it’s true that the touring is the lifeblood for the vast majority of bands, they can still make at least some money from physical album sales and downloads. The Planet Rock Official Online Store offers an array of merch and music from up-and-coming and established artists, and you could also head to sites like Bandcamp.
Last Friday (20th March), Bandcamp waived fees on sales across their site, in order to help artists affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Bandcamp has since announced that the platform raised over £3.47 million on Friday, 100% of which went directly to the artists themselves.
4) Grab some merchandise
While most musicians don’t offer caskets, condoms, comics and Crocs like undisputed merchandise overlords KISS, the vast majority do at least sell T-shirts, caps, hoodies and various other items of paraphernalia including branded mugs, posters and plectrums. If you can afford it, snap up some official merchandise as it’s a great way to flaunt your support for bands and artists, and also help them earn some much-needed money in these highly turbulent times.
5) Buy directly from artists’ online shops
Not only does buying from artists’ official shops guarantee direct revenue but often there’s a veritable smorgasbord of merchandise and music packages to choose from – many of which you can’t buy elsewhere.
6) Listen to the radio
Not only does the radio provide much-needed escapism from the seemingly endless stream of dire news, but bands do actually earn money when they get played. All legitimate radio stations in the UK pay money to royalty-collection organisation the Performing Rights Society (PRS for music) that then distributes the royalties to songwriters, composers and publishers. The amount of money radio stations pay is fluid and depends upon the size of their listenership. If you want your favourite artist/band to be played, many radio stations (including Planet Rock) have request shows too, so get submitting!
7) Pre-order new releases
Many artists are still releasing new music during highly uncertain times, so support them if you can by pre-ordering their albums now. Explaining why they put their fifth album ‘House of Noise’ on sale this week, Lancaster rockers Massive Wagons said: “We are in unprecedented times due to the coronavirus which has decimated touring/festival income for musicians. The band & label discussed postponing the pre-orders for this album but after much deliberation we decided to go ahead with it. Times are hard and scary right now. We want to do all we know how to do... that’s bring music to people... everyone needs to look after each other because we are ALL In It Together...” Wise words.
8) Donate to music industry charities
The Musicians’ Union have set up a new £1million hardship fund for struggling musicians that will pay out grants of £200 to those out of work. They said: “We hope this fund goes some way to providing a small amount of relief to our members, but we urgently need the government to provide clarity on what wider support will be available, and we call on the record industry to play its part, too.”
For rock fans who can afford to, there are a number of music industry charities you can pledge money to. In the UK, ‘Help Musicians’ (formerly ‘The Musicians’ Benevolent Fund’, founded in 1921) helps musicians facing hardship and you can make your pledge right here.
9) Love Record Stores
A new initiative launched on Wednesday 25th March called Love Record Stores, which has been set up to support struggling record stores throughout the coronavirus crisis. Backed my musicians and celebrities, who are sharing their love of record shops on social media using the hashtag #LoveRecordStores, the campaign aims to keep independent record shops open in the coming weeks and months ahead by raising awareness of their plight. Music fans are also being encouraged to share their stories using the hashtag too.
Beggars Group chairman Martin Mills said of the Love Record Stores initiative: “I started life in a record store. Record stores are incubators for great music, and for musicians. In these incredible times they can still serve up what you need so please “visit” them online, patronise them, support them and help them survive. We’ll need them on the other side.”
10) Have music lessons from the artists themselves
With many musicians currently at a loose end due to coronavirus, this could potentially be a great way to earn some much-needed money. For aspiring musicians and casual fans with a bit of time on their hands due to being in lockdown, what better way to learn an instrument - or improve your musical prowess - than to learn from artists themselves online?!
Although we haven’t seen any examples of this happening yet, Planet Rock’s Darren Redick came up with the idea and believes it would be a perfect way to boost symbiotic relationship between artists and fans.