Imlisanen Jamir
While many people around the world are struggling to make ends meet due to the current pandemic, musicians and creatives, especially independent and smaller artists, are having a tough time.
With social distancing measures in place, many artists are trying to embrace the change by livestreaming concerts, teaching lessons online and other revenue-generating endeavors, but it’s time that fans consider the reality and implications of the future for the arts community.
Before the COVID-19 outbreak, most independent artists were already struggling to make ends meet by just creating alone. Streaming doesn’t pay the bills, which is why many artists rely on funds from live shows and merchandise sales.
The last 20 years have been rough for the music industry, with the consumer shift from ownership to accessibility. While this has been great for tech companies, the artist community has been dealt a great blow, with streaming revenue generating only a miniscule percentage of earnings.
The harsh reality is that most creatives—especially smaller and independent artists—do not generate enough income from their art. Many require secondary jobs with flexible hours. In this reality, artists have resorted to online platforms; however in an age where the social network algorithms seem to work against those who do not pay to reach their audience, residual market efforts from peer-to-peer interactions are more important than ever.
For instance, making an artist-tagged post to one’s personal network increases visibility and likelihood of audiences engaging with the artist––this literally improves the algorithm in favor of the artist. This “organic” marketing is more powerful and cost-effective than digital advertising, which is not an option for many musicians already living on a reduced income.
Media consumption has substantially grown during the pandemic. Despite this, the independent and smaller artists community might not be seeing a direct benefit, especially given the weight of the market share from major entertainment companies.
Your favorite small local musicians need your help right now. The best way to help smaller artists is to let people know about them; buy their art, songs or merchandise, watch or listen to their streams. Even if you don’t tend to listen to local music, this is the time to branch out of your comfort zone and support your community.
Many are already struggling to support their art. Without a financial safety net, creatives may not be able to continue producing art at their current capacity. Fans can step up to provide assistance, both socially and financially, to ensure that creativity can continue during and after the pandemic.
Comments can be sent to imlisanenjamir@gmail.com
