Will COVID forever change the music industry?

[StrawberryBlond 13,760]

If there's one thing this pandemic has made me realise, it's that we make too many advance plans. Some things have to be planned long in advance but many don't. We don't seem to think for a moment that something big could happen weeks, months or years down the line that could throw these plans up in the air. Yet, we're surprised when it does happen. COVID naturally caused a lot of album delays, some of which have been super delayed. Other artists have taken the plunge and just released anyway, to surprisingly good results. After all, it makes sense that vast swathes of the public now being at home the majority of the time now have more time on their hands to watch videos and stream music, so there's no shortage of sales and albums necessarily. So, it made me wonder, will the pandemic ultimately change the rigid plans the industry always had around music scheduling? Some labels would book an album's release date for a time months away, so they'd be more guaranteed a #1 debut. Some artists have a completed album but are keeping it in reserve for "the right time." I hope this makes artists and labels realise that if they have new work to release, just put it out as you never know what could be around the corner that could cause a much longer delay.

Do any of you agree? Do you think there are other ways that the industry could change?

[DeanSummer 914]

Music industry is always changing (missing the days before spotify, apple music etc. since I am a record person and it feels way more personal to "own" a piece of art ) 

Concert will get back to the way they were before : the real question in this is how long it will take 

[GregJA 4,541]

I don’t think so honestly