The New Modern - Evolving the Music Industry with Alan Cross

In conversation with Canadian radio broadcaster, music writer and creator/host of the wildly popular The Ongoing History Of New Music, Alan Cross, on evolving the music industry.

1. Which one aspect of the music industry will see the longest-lasting repercussions of the global health pandemic?
There’s a difference between being able to do something and being comfortable doing it. Even though concerts may soon make a comeback, I’m not sure how many people will want to go. There will definitely be a post-COVID hangover when it comes to going to gigs. That may open the doors to more use of virtual technologies.

2. Is there a future for live music on a small, medium and large scale venues once we're past this?Eventually, but people will need to be assured that they’ll be safe. We’ll need  proper therapeutic treatments and/or a vaccine before things get back to normal for small clubs—the ones that survive, of course.

“Artists have had to quickly learn to use different technologies to live stream their events.”

3. How do you envision in-person concerts reemerging post-COVID (if at all?) 
Lots of spacing and segregation in the concert area, washrooms, smoking areas, food service areas, and the bar. And we’ll see lots of masks.

4.  What's the most creative thing you've seen/read about musically during the pandemic?
Artists have had to quickly learn to use different technologies to live stream their events. And just wait until things open up again. We’re going to be drowning in new music that was written during the lock-down.

5. Will this pandemic see the rise or fall of up and coming artists/bands?
(As in "can a new band/artist launch with the high possibility of zero performances for at least their first year)
We don’t know. One study on COVID-19 music consumption behaviours says that a significant portion of music fans have discovered new artists while in lock-down. But can these artists hang in there long enough to get to the other side of this? We don’t know.

6.  What new experiences or business models could emerge from COVID?
More and better VR than we’ve seen up to this point. More sophisticated live streaming platforms.

7. How have you specifically been impacted by this?
Actually, not much at all. I work out of my house, anyway, so my workload really hasn’t changed all that much. I do, however, miss face-to-face meetings and opportunities to brainstorm with smart people. When you work alone at home, you’re the smartest person in the room. That’s never good.

“A crisis like this offers companies and corporations an opportunity or excuse to accelerate change. ”

8. Online sales of instruments and music creation software are thriving - will COVID-19 create a new generation of musicians/artists?
Yes! If you’re in lock-down and you’ve ever been musically inclined, this is the best time to learn how to be a musician.

9. What positives can come out of this for the music industry?
A crisis like this offers companies and corporations an opportunity or excuse to accelerate change. CDs, for example, will become a niche format years faster. And you’ll have more people working remotely than ever before.

“We could see a rise of more singer-songwriters (a result of being locked at home)”

10. With many of us having been at home for the past several weeks, many of us have learned/enhanced our digital skills.
Will there be an influx of tech-savvy musicians/photographers/videographers/podcasters in the new world?
Absolutely. They’ve got all kinds of time to learn new skills or explore interests that were just a hobby up until now.

11. What impact can/will COVID have on creating genres/sub-genres of new music?
No clue. But we could see a rise of more singer-songwriters (a result of being locked at home). And I imagine we’ll hear lots of songs about sadness, helplessness, alienation, and anger. 

“People are spending more time online. That means more streaming audio and video by people of all ages. That could have an effect on broadcast TV and accelerate cord-cutting.”

12. What are your takeaways on the recent Nielsen Entertainment ongoing music monitor surveys on how we consume music and do you think it will change the longer this pandemic lasts?
People are spending more time online. That means more streaming audio and video by people of all ages. That could have an effect on broadcast TV and accelerate cord-cutting.

13. As someone who often travels and does several speaking engagements to a live audience, how does tomorrow's world affect your career?
Well, I’ll have a harder time achieving airline status….

14. What can fans do to better support independent musicians?
Help them out with their live-streams. Stream their music.

15. What theme song would you assign for 2020?
Nine Inch Nails, Hurt.

Alan Cross is a Canadian radio broadcaster and a writer on music. Based in Toronto, Ontario, he is best known nationally and internationally as host of the syndicated radio series The Ongoing History of New Music, The Secret History of Rock, and ExploreMusic.
Connect with him here.