By: Meghan Mahaffey
When the world was forced to shut down on March 12, 2020, due to COVID-19 restrictions, industries that relied on in-person venues had to scramble to continue business as usual quickly. Music artists and their teams had to rework how they would connect with fan bases in a time of immense uncertainty. Live performances didn’t return to the stage in full force for the remainder of 2020, but that didn’t mean a pause on music entirely.
Travis Scott was the first artist to revolutionize how he would serve his fans during the lockdown. From April 23-25, 2020, 12.3 million Fortnite users tapped into Scott’s free virtual performance entitled “Astronomical,” setting an all-time record for the game, according to Variety. In this immersive experience, players anxiously waited for the rapper’s promise of a new song preview ahead of its drop at midnight. The four-day “tour” had features of a traditional concert, like virtual doors opening 30 minutes in advance that kept live music, in a different capacity, alive and well. The event set a precedent for future virtual concerts from artists such as Lil Nas X, T-Pain, and Megan Thee Stallion that continued past the lockdown.
By 2025, the music industry is expected to have fully returned to live concerts, with new tours being announced almost daily. Virtual concerts served as a creative substitute for live performances during the shutdown. However, the industry and its fans will continue to thrive in a packed venue with bass that attendees can feel vibrate in the walls. Hip-hop concerts, in particular, create an atmosphere that virtual supplemental shows cannot replicate. Examining hip-hop artists who are currently enjoying the limelight, such as Tyler, the Creator, Doechii, and Kendrick Lamar, it is clear that a strong live performance can distinguish the good from the greats in the industry. Interaction with fan bases will continue to evolve with the advancement of technology, and an artist’s ability to integrate these new methods with traditional ways of reaching audiences will be a key indicator of their success as a musician.
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