When listening to music to help calm our nerves while quarantined inside our homes, let us also take time to think of the many in the music industry who need help.

Recent news feeds tell of how several UK music organisations have banded together to fortify calls for the government to also look into the welfare of people working in the broader sector of the music industry. Let it not be overlooked that the music community is also made up of struggling musicians, composers, engineers, technicians, live show performers, vocal coaches and other gig workers.

 

Those people suddenly lost their sources of income, without certainty as to when and where they can find means of livelihood during and after the ongoing health crisis. .

Through a letter co-signed by representatives of non-profit and trade organisations such as Help Musicians, UK, Music, ISM, MU, MMF, The Music Producers Guild and The Ivors Academy, an appeal has been put forward to the Rt. Hon. Rishi Sunak, Chancellor Of The Exchequer, to provide help to the music industry’s freelancers and self-employed. They belong to a no-work-no-pay sector that has not been considered by the country’s welfare protection system.

Although Help Musicians had immediately set up a £5 million Coronavirus Hardship Fund, the financial relief being provided to members of the music community is short-term. In the meantime, Help Musicians is still raising funds in order to help those awaiting economic support coming from the government.

The letter also conveys hope that the UK government will set up an emergency fund, similar to the support for the self-employed that countries like Canada, Ireland, Italy and Norway have already instituted. .

Other Organizations involved in Helping UK’s Freelance and Self-Employed Musicians<.strong>

Last week, a Covid-19 Music Relief Fundraising Project was set up by Spotify to help collect donations for music-related nonprofit organizations like Help Musicians, MusicCares and PRS Foundation. The music streaming giant commits to match donations to the project, by adding up to USD10 million to the money raised by the project.

Aside from launching programs to help employees and artists-in-need, The Universal Music Group (UMG) has directed its All Together Philanthropic division to provide financial support to UK’s charitable organizations: Help Musicians and MusicCares, in their bid to raise funds for UK’s freelance and self-employed artists and worklers.

How We, as Fans and Caring Citizens can Help Support Unemployed Musicians

While we ordinarily support the music industry by buying music albums and all sorts of merchandise, as well as by streaming music, let us extend support to those we have not seen or heard, but working in the UK industry’s gig economy.

Aside from continuing to buy albums and streaming music of our favorite musicians, we can also help lesser known artists by watching their YouTube videos, or by responding to some UK artists’ fundraising appeal. Increased viewership can increase monetization of their music videos.

Spotify also has plans of ramping up its fundraising efforts. Through an optional fundraising project, fans will be able to give financial donations directly to their preferred artist/s. The music streaming giant gives assurance that it will not take a cut from any amount that goes to artists.

As an aside, in case you are thinking of ways to ramp up your music listening experience, especially if you are using only a mini speaker system, adding a subwoofer can make a big difference, There is a wide selection of the best home subwoofer under 500 that can create a profound effect; producing a listening experience similar to what you get from well-integrated subwoofers.