The coronavirus pandemic has devastated the music industry and left artists and fans without hope of going back to the good old days. Hosting music concerts at overcrowded concert halls is certainly impossible given that it violates every rule of social distancing and puts a large number of people at risk of infecting the coronavirus.
Thanks to technology, musicians are now exploring online options to host their shows and live streaming is the most popular choice. Several artists have live-streamed small-scale performances on social media in an attempt to connect with their audiences.
How do they do this, you may wonder.
A lot of musicians have set up a home studio of sorts. In simpler words, they have cleared up their living rooms, arranged their instruments, adjusted the lighting, and selected the perfect spot for live streaming.
Social media platforms are the most convenient and common live streaming platforms for musicians. Instagram Live, Facebook Live, and YouTube Live are favorites since the reach is wide and smooth. Another reason is that artists are not tech-savvy so they do look for easy live streaming options. Social media is a no-brainer, no-expense platform for live streaming.
Considering that live streaming is going to be the only option for the music industry for a long time now (the COVID-19 pandemic is nowhere near its end), some artists have invested in professional live streaming services and solutions. With the support of professionals, musicians can set up seamless live streaming platforms directly on their website. This is especially advantageous if you have a considerable fan following. Your fans know that you take your live streaming and your fans seriously.
While we miss going to the live music concerts and experiencing the passionate vibes, live streaming has its own personality and perks. Live streaming increases the accessibility and reach of major events to a wider online audience. For instance, Coachella’s live stream during the first weekend last year collected 82 million views.
Live streaming connects musicians and their fans on a casual and intimate level. The musicians are no longer stars on stage beyond reach. Light-hearted interactions, Q&As, and personal requests fascinate fans since they can directly engage with their favorite stars.
As against the massive spend of advertising the brick-and-mortar music concerts, live streaming doesn’t demand a heavy sum for advertising.
The painful fact, however, remains that live streaming is by no means a substitution of real concerts. Today, it is the only alternative to get out there. Artists have to commit themselves to the live streaming technology for long if they aim at profiting from it. Music fans are not used to live streaming ‘concerts’ because they have always envisioned concerts to be jazzy and vivacious. Music artists will have to redesign the way concerts are conducted – there is no stage, creative directors, fashionable lighting, supporting teams, or state-of-the-art surround systems.
The good news is that everyone knows what the pandemic has brought upon the world. A lot of people are happy with the fact that their favorite musicians are doing live streams. So if you thought that you can’t host your music concert because of the social distancing crisis, think again. You are in the age of the Internet. Reaching out is not a challenge anymore. Even if its from home.
