What does music look like in 2021? Live streaming will be a dominant force as live rooms are still closed. The pandemic will wind down in the spring and the talks between bookers, promoters, and artists will become serious again. How do we get the artists back in the venues in the fall of 2021? And what are the regulations? That’s the big unknown.

TikTok made an impact on the music business. Everybody from agents, artists and managers want in on the game hoping they have the next viral TikTok track, but the platform may have peaked. Most of the streaming platforms now have short video versions and the competition is at an all time high. Also, TikTok was built on 13 and 15 year olds, the most fickle demographic that could be move on.
As far as songwriting, there will be less writers on a song. It got to the point that a song consisted of 20 songwriters and the guy who was cleaning the windows got credit too for adding extra vibe to the room.
Will podcasting explode as predicted? I don’t think so. There are too many voices and it’s tough to come up with interesting topics that interest people. If it’s not political or biblical, then it’s not listenable.
I think artists will take more risks in 2021. People tend to take more risks in times of unpredictability. Plus, competition is fierce. The music and the story – everything needs to stand out.

The question we all need to ask it what’s next and how do we become part of it?

We are 9 months into the pandemic and vaccines are on the way. That’s good news. Even what seems to be light at the end of the tunnel, the live performances are stuck in limbo. Artists performing live is off the table and live streaming is the new normal. What’s the future of live shows? That’s the million dollar question that everyone in the industry is asking. Everybody wants to know the future of live shows. Will there be restrictions when live shows return? Ticketmaster revealed it would require concert goers to present evidence of a vaccination or a negative covid test. The ticket company was met with an immediate backlash and they pulled back the statement. The socially distant concerts held in the UK weren’t largely successful.
Live shows in New Zealand are back to normal. No masks, no distancing, just like pre-pandemic days. The live show arena won’t succeed unless it returns to normal. The live show was built on a community gathering and sharing an experience. Any restriction will kill it off. Promoters know this. If these restrictions continue in the future, then music venues and clubs will continue to shut down and live music workers will leave the industry permanently.
Right now, the industry is betting on a vaccine. All eyes are on Pfizer. Yes, the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. If millions of doses of the vaccine does the trick, then live music can resume in the second half of 2021. But with restrictions like masks, temp checks, verification cards? Who knows.
SXSW has gone virtual for 2021. Coachella is scheduled for April, but I’m betting it’s cancelling, Bonnaroo is moving dates, and Lollapalooza’s 2021 is in the air. With all that, live shows are stuck in a holding pattern.

Two hits are worth more than one hit, but regardless, one hit can generate lots of money. Toni Watson aka as Tones and I had one of most-played songs on Spotify with Dance Monkey. In fact, that monkey danced its way up to 2 billion streams and earned $12 million in royalties. Dance Monkey travelled faster than covid topping the charts in more than 30 countries. Can you believe Toni was busking on the streets before becoming one of Australia’s richest musicians?

Songwriters tend to stay behind the scenes avoiding the spotlight allowing the full spectrum to shine on the artist. That’s why writers are the most overlooked creative professionals in music. Spotify will shine the spotlight on the community of songwriters and has introduced the Songwriters Hub which allows listeners to follow their favorite songwriters. Spotify have added pages for songwriters including Sia, Ant Clemons, Bebe Rexha, Gregg Wattenberg, Noonie Bao, Ashley Gorley and Irving Berlin.
Songwriter Nija who worked with Ariana Grande on Positions says this: “Having a hub for songwriters is extremely important because people need to know who these people are who are helping create the soundtrack to our lives. Songwriters deserve to be praised for their contributions just as much as artists and producers. A lot of times we get the short end of the stick, so I’m glad that there’s a place where people can see who’s writing their favorite songs.”

The most viewed artists on Tik Tok of 2020 happen to be the most famous musicians. Not surprising. The List includes Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Pop Smoke, DaBaby, Roddy Ricch, Melanie Martinez, Don Toliver, Dua Lipa, 24kGoldn, and Lil Uzi Vert.
Although not the most famous, these new artists made their mark on the platform:

24kGoldn, Flo Milli, ppcocaine, The Kid Laroi, Avenue Beat, Curtis Waters, Tate McRae, Natalie Taylor, and Corpse.
According to the video-sharing social networking service 70 artists that have broken on the platform have received major label deals, including Claire Rosinkranz, Dixie D’Amelio, Powfu, Priscilla Block and Tai Verdes
The biggest genre on the platform by far is Hip Hop/ Rap followed by Pop, Electronic and R&B.