Music Week is monitoring the impact of the Covid-19 spread around the globe on the biz.

The outbreak has already led to the cancellation of Glastonbury along with a series of tour postponements, including the likes of Ozzy Osbourne Stormzy, Khalid, New Order, BTS, Green Day, Slipknot and Avril Lavigne, meanwhile organisers of the 2020 SXSW conference followed guidance from the City Of Austin and cancelled this year's event.

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Cambridge Folk Festival off
The Cambridge Folk Festival, due to take place 30 July to 2 August, has been cancelled. "Although this is a great disappointment, the safety and welfare of festival-goers, artists, staff, contractors and crew who collectively make this very special event possible is the top priority," organisers explained. Ticket holders can chose between a refund or tickets for the 2021 festival.

Parklife cancelled, Liam Gallagher at Heaton Park off
Manchester's music scene has been dealt a double blow with the cancellation of both Parklife festival and Liam Gallagher's standalone show at Heaton Park. Both events were scheduled for the weekend of June 12.

C2C keeps 2020 for 2021 event
London's Country To Country Festival will keep its 2020 headliners for the 2021 event. Luke Combs, Darius Rucker and Eric Church will play the shows early next year, while all C2C 2020 tickets will remain valid for the 2021 event.

Henley Festival rows back a year
The line-up for this year's Henley Festival will play the event next year as the July event has announced its postponement.

"We’re delighted all our headline artists: Madness, James Blunt, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Sara Cox, Kathy Sledge and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra have all agreed to move to the same day in 2021," organisers explained in a statement. "We are working hard with the remaining contributors, artists and talent to stage the Festival already planned, and much anticipated, in this now turbulent year.

The event has also asked those with tickets for 2020 to donate £20 "ensure that Henley Festival can remain resilient in the face of the current crisis and return confidently to be able to support our charities through music and the arts which is at the heart of all we do."

Royal Society Of Musicians donates to hardship fund
The Royal Society Of Musicians (RSM)is contributing £500,000 to Help Musicians' Coronavirus Financial Hardship Fund.

“We are delighted to be working with Help Musicians to support those whose lives have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Being Britain’s oldest music charity it is of utmost importance that we do all we can to help the profession at what is such a challenging and uncertain time,” said chief executive Charlotte Penton-Smith.

Help Musicians' CEO James Ainscough welcomed the donation, adding: “It is only through collaboration that we can begin to make progress in meeting the needs of our music community right now. We are incredibly grateful to our longstanding friends at The Royal Society of Musicians for recognising the value of the Help Musicians Coronavirus Financial Hardship Fund and further bolstering its ability to reach more musicians."

Biz bodies react to UK government support for freelancers
Music business trade bodies have given the Chancellor’s plans to support self-employed workers affected by the coronvirus pandemic the thumbs up – but have warned that music industry workers need help more quickly than the scheme allows. Read the full reaction here.

All Points East called off
The 2020 All Points East festival has become the latest high-profile casualty of the coronavirus crisis.

Bombay Bicycle Club, Tame Impala, Massive Attack, Kraftwerk and The Kooks had been confirmed to play the event, which was due to take place in East London's Victoria Park over the last two weekends in May.

Promoter AEG Presents said in a statement: "The decision was made following a constant review of recent Government actions and statements, and after further consultation with key partners and agencies it is clear that we are unable to guarantee the safety and wellbeing of those working at and attending the event.

"Alongside the now enforced period of social isolation, the Government has stated that emergency services will not be able to support major events. Furthermore, the projected strain that is being placed on the NHS will push this institution and its staff to levels never seen before. It is therefore inconceivable for us to add any distraction to these organisations. We are fortunate to work alongside the emergency services at our events and want to take this opportunity to express our company’s heartfelt gratitude and admiration for all their professionalism and dedication in tackling this crisis."

In a message to ticket holders, it added: "You will be contacted directly by the ticket agent you purchased from very soon with full information on the ticket refund process. If you have not been contacted about a refund by your ticket agent by April 9 please get in touch with them directly, bearing in mind they will be extremely busy at this time."

Isle Of Wight Festival cancellation
The Isle of Wight Festival will no longer be taking place this year. Lewis Capaldi, Lionel Richie, Snow Patrol, The Chemical Brothers and Duran Duran were due to headline the June 11-14 event.

"This decision hasn't been taken lightly and we have tried our hardest to make it work, but it was unavoidable given the current status," said a statement by organisers. 

"We’ll be back stronger than ever in 2021 and we hope to see you all again next year. We are working closely with our ticketing partners at the moment and they will be in touch very soon to process your refund, or, if you prefer, you can retain your ticket and carry it over to next year."

Download festival cancelled
Download has announced today (March 26) that this year's festival will not be going ahead following coronavirus. The festival tweeted a statement which read: "This decision hasn't been taken lightly and we're beyond disappointed, we extend our heartfelt apolgies to all of you – we really did try to make this work." 

Iron Maiden were set to headline, alongside Kiss and System of a Down and would have taken place June 12-14 at Donington Park. Download have assured the festival will be back next year, and are in contact with ticketing companies to organise refunds, but have offered customers with tickets to keep hold of them as they will be valid for next year.

BBC Radio 6 Music and Radio 1 change schedule
The BBC has announced today it is changing its schedule for BBC Radio 6 Music and Radio 1 due to coronavirus. Radio 6 Music will function on an altered weekend schedule, as longer shows will lead and some current shows will be extended.

In a statement on the BBC website, Samantha Hoy, head of content commissioning at 6 Music said: "I know BBC Radio 6 Music plays an important part in our listener’s daily lives and these changes will allow 6 Music to continue to provide entertainment and a familiar voice to our audience at this challenging time, whilst prioritising the health and safety of presenters and production staff. We look forward to welcoming Liz Kershaw and Amy Lamé back to BBC Radio 6 Music very soon. In the mean time you can listen to their recent brilliant shows on BBC Sounds.”

BBC Radio 1 have also altered their schedule to ensure there are less staff in the studio. Its daytime shows will be reduced to four between 4am and 7pm and will be extended into longer shows, as presenters will rotate each week, coming into place on March 30.

Love Record Stores initative
The music community will launch an initiative called Love Record Stores in order to offer help to record stores during the crisis. Read all about it here

British Music Embassy Sessions
The British Music Embassy together with BBC Music Introducing and music industry partners have joined forces to create The BME Sessions. The live sessions include Arlo Parks, Bess Atwell, Jordan Mackampa, Knucks, Kokoroko, Liz Lawrence, Marsicans, Porridge Radio and Steam Down who were booked to perform at SXSW but lost the opportunity due to its cancellation. These sessions are now available to watch on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Music YouTube channel.

Montreux Jazz Festival 
The Montreux Jazz festival has dug into its archive to release over 50 performances from its history, featuring the likes of James Brown, Carlos Santana, Alanis Morisette and Nina Simone which will be free to stream. Its team were set to reveal the 54th edition of the festival today, however this has been postponed in light of the current crisis. The festival is still set on its July 3-18 date however, and will be releasing more information soon.

Annie Mac
BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac has confirmed that she will be off the air following close contact with someone who has a confirmed case of coronavirus via her Twitter. Mac's tweet stated: "Guys I'm sorry to say I'll be off radio for a short time. I found out today that someone I've been in recent close contact with has coronavirus symptoms, thus I’m going to be safe social distancing at home rather than traveling in to the BBC every day. Back as SOON as possible x"

#ComposerCoffeeBreak Mentorship
The music industry is working to protect and offer help to freelance composers during this challenging time, and have launched #ComposerCoffeeBreak Mentorship for the community. Backed by Manners McDade, composers should sign up for the programme before midnight on Friday here.

RIAA on the Stimulus Bill
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has released a statement following the Senate passage of the Phase III stimulus bill which will acknowledge the economic impact of coronavirus. 

The statement follows: 

“We applaud Leaders McConnell and Schumer, Secretary Mnuchin, and all Members of the Senate and the Administration who worked to include direct financial aid to Americans in need in the stimulus package the Senate passed today. The music community always steps up to help Americans get through trying times and circumstances, and this legislation steps up to help our community face unique circumstances during this national emergency.

“We are grateful that the stimulus package contains emergency access to unemployment insurance for those who cannot work due to a canceled performance or a production shut down. Access to this expanded unemployment insurance will ensure that hundreds of thousands of musicians’ families across the country can continue to pay rent, put food on the table, and care for their children during this public health crisis.

“In addition, the legislation includes access to small business loans, as well as payment deferrals, which will make it easier for musicians, who often act as independent contractors and sole proprietors, to obtain and pay a loan.

“We also applaud the provision that provides more funding for the National Endowment of the Arts to give grants to arts organisations that provide relief to musicians.

“We know the power of music will help us get through this crisis, but we also know that economic pain will continue to cut even deeper in the weeks and months ahead. We look forward to working with the House to get this relief across the finish line as quickly as possible.”

Bandsintown Live Music Marathon
Event platform Bandsintown will be holding a live Music Marathon today (March 26) and tomorrow on its Twitch channel which can be found here, and funds raised will be donated to MusiCares Covid-19 Relief Fund. The live music event will have performances from Taking Back Sunday, Amander Palmer, 99 Neighbours, Mxmtoon, Tayla Parx and more.

Fabrice Sergent, Bandsintown managing partner said: “We are experiencing a new form of connectivity between music acts and their fans, artists have suddenly become more approachable. A new form of entertainment is emerging from this chaos.”

Ivors Academy
The Ivors Academy is calling on digital platforms and collecting societies to divert £100m+ of black box streaming royalties into a new hardship fund.

Academy CEO Graham Davies said: “There is an estimated 20-30% of streaming royalties which are currently paid on a market share basis, because there is insufficient data on who was played. This means millions of pounds will presently go to those who are reporting massive profits and huge margins from streaming. This is wrong. We call for these black box royalties to be paid into hardship funds for musicians so that targeted help can get to those most in need.”

Studies of unattributable funds have demonstrated they mostly arise because many fail to understand how to register their works.  

Crispin Hunt, chair of the Academy said: “We are enormously appreciative of the work being done by the Musicians Union, Help Musicians UK, PRS for Music and PPL to boost their hardship funds and get money flowing to musicians. But these amounts are nowhere near enough. It is time the platforms and major labels provided help to the people that create the content on which their businesses depend.”

PRS Emergency Relief Fund
PRS For Music has announced an immediate PRS Emergency Relief Fund to support its members during the coronavirus pandemic. In partnership with the PRS Members’ Fund and PRS Foundation, the money will be available to PRS members around the world who are facing significant financial pressure. 

The new fund is open to all PRS members around the world who have been a member for at least two years and earned over £500 in the last two years. Grants will be awarded based on assessment of individual need and applicants will receive support up to a value of £1,000. Members wishing to apply can find more details at www.prsformusic.com/ERF

Andrea C Martin, CEO, PRS For Music, said: “Our members are under threat as many parts of the music scene grind to a halt. They look to PRS for leadership, for support and to be the best and most trusted collecting society in the world. Members need to eat, support their families and pay rents – without industry support the future is challenging during this terrible time. Together we can get through this.”

IMPALA
IMPALA’s Covid-19 Task Force has published a package of 10 recommendations seeking urgent action at EU, national and sector level in a bid to secure a co-ordinated approach across Europe to minimise the impact of coronavirus on the independent music sector.  

The organsation's crisis plan asks the EU to monitor national responses to ensure a minimum level of support across Europe and deliver fiscal incentives to promote growth post crisis. Digital players, collecting societies and media are also asked to implement specific measures to help the music sector withstand the crisis. The roll-out will be accompanied by an ongoing survey of members to help measure responses and promote best practices, while also collecting information about sector losses.  

Helen Smith, executive chair of IMPALA, said: "This is a call for urgent action. Small businesses, artists and freelance workers all need support. A joined-up approach across Europe is vital. Incentives for future growth are also part of the plan. No one should get left behind."
 
Francesca Trainini, chair of IMPALA and the Task Force, added: "To help achieve an effective safety net, the EU should monitor what is happening at national level. We also need to map the results. Italy is just one example where the music sector is crumbling." 

Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott
Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott have announced a free concert for all NHS frontline and auxiliary staff to take place at Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena on Tuesday, October 13.

Those eligible for tickets will be all NHS frontline staff that work within NHS hospitals across the United Kingdom including, but not limited to, doctors, nurses, support workers, porters and cleaners. Any staff that work within the hospital will be eligible to apply for tickets.

“The coronavirus pandemic should remind everyone, and let no-one forget, that our National Health Service is the most brilliant and significant institution in our lives," said Heaton. "The men and women who serve us and care for us, give us hope and sacrifice their own wellbeing, can never be thanked enough. We are just musicians, so there is little we can do but sing for you. By way of appreciation, we announce the following gig for all frontline NHS staff. From the porters, the cleaners and the drivers, to the doctors and the nurses; thank you.”

Tickets will be limited to two per person and will be available from Tuesday, March 31 at 7pm. Applications must only be made by the NHS member of staff who must bring their valid NHS or Primary Care Trust ID card to the show, as ticket checks will be in operation. All tickets will carry the name of the person who made the booking and this must match the name that is on the NHS or Primary Care Trust ID card.

Lasgo Worldwide Media
London-based home entertainment wholesale and distribution specialist Lasgo Worldwide Media has assured retailers it is continuing to trade through the current crisis. MD Garry Elwood said: "Some of the team are working remotely but there is still a presence in our North London office. 

Heavy Music Awards
The Heavy Music Awards 2020 have been postponed September 3, 2020. The event was originally due to take place on Thursday May 21.

An official statement said: “Following current official government advice requesting people to avoid non-essential travel and non-essential social contact - Heavy Group have taken the decision to temporarily postpone The Heavy Music Awards 2020 until Thursday 03 September 2020 at London O2 Forum Kentish Town. The safety of the fans, artists, partners and dedicated crew who make it all possible will always be our primary concern. The voting window has been extended until Friday 5 June, all votes and ticket lottery entries already cast will remain valid. We look forward to celebrating the power of music and the entire landscape of talent across the rock community, in the inclusive environment that The Heavy Music Awards is proud to be a part of.”

Lockdown
Last night (March 23) Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that all non-essential shops will have to close for at least the next three weeks, effectively closing all physical record shops apart from supermarkets. In his address, Johnson stated:

"From this evening I must give the British people a very simple instruction - you must stay at home. Because the critical thing we must do is stop the disease spreading between households. That is why people will only be allowed to leave their home for the following very limited purposes:

Shopping for basic necessities, as infrequently as possible

One form of exercise a day - for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household;

Any medical need, to provide care or to help a vulnerable person; and

Travelling to and from work, but only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home.

That's all - these are the only reasons you should leave your home."

Seven Worlds, One Planet Live In Concert at The O2 Arena   
Concert promoter FKP Scorpio UK has announced that the Seven Worlds One Planet Live in Concert premiere London UK show has been postponed, due to the growing concern posed by the coronavirus (Covid-19). An official statement said:

“We have been monitoring the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak very closely and, having taken into account government advice and guidance, the Seven Worlds One Planet Live In Concert premiere London show at The O2 Arena, May 24 will regrettably be postponed until further notice. We will update with more information on rescheduled dates as soon as possible and all tickets will remain valid.” 

CISAC
The president and vice-presidents of CISAC (the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers) has issued an open letter to governments internationally.

The letter stated: “We write today as the president and vice presidents of CISAC, and as artists from different regions of the world, to call for action by governments on a global scale to help creators survive the current crisis and eventually help lead it to recovery."

CISAC is the largest creative network in the world, with over 230 member authors societies representing four million working creators of all repertoires.

You can read the full letter here.

Tanya Tucker And CMT 
Tanya Tucker and CMT have announced rescheduled tour dates for the Spring leg of the 2020 CMT Next Women Of Country: Bring My Flowers Now Tour to later in the year. Purchased tour tickets will be honoured at all rescheduled dates.

Father John Misty 
Father John Misty has released a new live album Off-Key In Hamburg. All proceeds will go to benefit MusiCares Covid-19 Relief Fund. It is available now via Bandcamp.

TGE off
The Great Escape's 2020 edition, scheduled for May, has been axed. The event will return in 2021. Read the full story here.

Slam Dunk Festival
Slam Dunk Festival has confirmed it will be postponing its planned dates at Hatfield House and Leeds Temple Newsam. The festival will now take place in September. An official statement read:

"For the first time in our 15 years, we have found ourselves being forced into postponing Slam Dunk Festival. This is not a decision we wanted to make but are left with no choice. In light of the global situation it is within the best interest of public health and wellbeing to postpone the festival until later in the year. Furthermore, Leeds City Council have applied a ban to all public events within their grounds, including Temple Newsam, until the end of June. So even if a national quarantine or ban had finished by then, #SDF20 still would not be able to happen in May.

Beats 1
Apple Music's Beats 1 presenters have begun working virtually, recording their shows with field equipment from their homes, to prioritise the health and safety of staff and guests. On today's broadcast (Monday, March 23), lead anchor Zane Lowe chats via FaceTime to Elton John, who discusses how his family has been passing time at home and the music they’re turning to. Lowe will also speak to Miley Cyrus and Lil Nas X, with the likes of Charli XCX, Harry Styles and Hayley Williams to follow later in the week.

IMS Ibiza
Organisers of the IMS Ibiza electronic music conference are to produce a virtual edition after cancelling the event's 2020 edition, which was scheduled for May. A statement said: "We have been monitoring the COVID-19 situation closely, hoping for it to stabilise and allow us to hold the summit, but unfortunately this is no longer a viable option. We will be offering badge and hotel refunds to all delegates who request, but we ask our community where possible to transfer their tickets to the 2021 event to ensure the long term survival of the summit. Delegates will be contacted soon to confirm their preference, we thank you in advance for your patience whilst we navigate this unprecedented situation."

Katherine Jenkins
On Saturday March 21, Katherine Jenkins performed a 40-minute at home concert – the live stream audience reached over the capacity of The Royal Albert Hall and the concert has since reached over 44 times the capacity as the viewing figures currently stand at 233,000. 

Dear SoundCloud Creators, 
Our team is humbled every day by the creativity and trust you share with SoundCloud, and we hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy. We are all facing an unprecedented situation. For those of you earning your living through music, and facing canceled shows or other lost income, the impact of Covid-19 is especially hard-hitting. To support our global creator community, SoundCloud is immediately launching a series of new initiatives: 

1. A constantly updated resource guide to help you keep creating and building your career.
   Our Keep The Music Going Guide is now live. It will be your source for daily updates on the best resources to support your career and maintain your well-being from across the web.

2. SoundCloud + Twitch livestreaming partnership.
   We’ve partnered with Twitch to fast-track SoundCloud Pro, SoundCloud Premier and Repost by SoundCloud creators directly to Twitch Affiliate status so you can start earning money from your Twitch streams, instantly. Now, wherever you’re social distancing, you can connect instantly via livestream to millions of fans and get paid for your work. 

3. 50% off SoundCloud Pro Unlimited subscriptions.
   Today through Monday, March 30th we are offering our biggest-ever discount on our premium creator subscription plan, Pro Unlimited. SoundCloud Pro Unlimited helps you take your career to the next level no matter where you create and we want to make it as accessible as possible.

4. Live creator office hours with SoundCloud’s artist relations and marketing teams.
   Beginning next week, the SoundCloud team will go live to host real-time discussions, AMAs and workshops to keep you moving forward no matter where you are in your career. Details will be announced here and via our social channels (@SoundCloud).

We will continue to look for additional ways to support the global SoundCloud community in the weeks ahead. This will include financial and promotional support to organisations that provide creator services beyond what we can deliver on SoundCloud. 

As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas. Please stay safe and healthy. 

Kerry Trainor
CEO, SoundCloud

Diplo DJs
Diplo has announced plans to livestream his DJ sets five nights a week while social distancing policies are in force. The Major Lazer star says that, "In an unprecedented coordinated effort, major publishers and record labels will allow the archived streams to live on YouTube and to be monetised by respective rights-holders, with royalties being paid to all those whose music is played in the shows".

Freelance action demanded
The UK music biz is demanding the government does more for the industry's self-employed and freelance workers. Read the full story here.

Gerry Cinnamon reschedules tour but not album
Singer-songwriter Gerry Cinnamon has announced he will reschedule his UK and Ireland tour, but he is not pushing his album back. His dates will now kick off on June 19 at Cork's Irish Independent Park, but his new record The Bonny is locked in for April 17. “Anyone that knows me knows all I care about is folk having a class night and getting home safe, so it’s a no brainer to move some of the earlier dates. Not ideal, but pales in comparison to the shit other folk are going through," he said. “It’s probably not smart to release during a lockdown when the shops are closed and everyone’s isolating but no chance I’m letting folk down. Never gave a fuck about numbers anyway not gny start now. Album’s out April 17.” Cinnamon added he spend some of his time on lockdown signing copies of the LP that will be posted out randomly to those who have pre-order the record.

Pubs and nightclubs among venues told to shut by UK government
Nightclubs, pubs, bars, cinemas, gyms cafes and restaurants have been told to close for the foreseeable future from the end of March 20. "We are telling cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants to close tonight as soon as they reasonably can and not reopen tomorrow," Prime Minister Boris Johnson explained.

BMI postpones awards
BMI's award awards for pop, and for Film, TV & Visual Media Awards have been postponed. They were due to take place in Los Angeles in May. "We will continue to monitor the developing impact of COVID-19 and reschedule both events when we can safely celebrate the achievements of BMI’s songwriters, composers and publishers and their incredible music," organisers explained.

Dance music unites to #SaveOurScene
Resident Advisor has launched #SaveOurScene, a campaign to help to support artists, venues and events through the economic impacts of the global lockdown. Beginning with an open letter signed by 150 music industry stakeholders, the campaign has already been endorsed by the likes of Nike and Rockstar Games, artists including Dixon and Richie Hawtin, and festivals like Melt and Unsound. "Dance music is in trouble. Clubs are closed, record stores are shut, parties are cancelled," the letter reads. "To make it through the months ahead, we'll need to reconnect with those ideals—not just artists and people in the so-called industry, but the ravers, music lovers, amateur DJs and bedroom producers who support them. We need to hold each other up, to communicate clearly and compassionately, explore new ideas and work together more closely than we ever have before. Crucially, we'll need to resist the forces of division brought on by desperate times. No one knows how best to deal with this situation, so disagreement is inevitable. But if we can channel the community spirit originally at the heart of dance music, we have a chance at making it through this crisis."

IMPALA takes action
IMPALA has launched a Covid-19 Task Force for the independent sector and is planning a “call to action” to help those affected. Read the full story.

Bandcamp's fee free Friday
Digital platform Bandcamp is not taking a cut of sales on its site throughout Friday, March 20, to support artists impacted by the shutdown. "To raise even more awareness around the pandemic’s impact on musicians everywhere, we’re waiving our revenue share on sales today (Friday, March 20th, from midnight to midnight Pacific Time), and rallying the Bandcamp community to put much needed money directly into artists’ pockets," they explained. "artists have been hit especially hard as tours and shows are being canceled for the foreseeable future. With such a major revenue stream drying up almost entirely, finding ways to continue supporting artists in the coming months is now an urgent priority for anyone who cares about music and the artists who create it. The good news is that we’re already seeing many fans going above and beyond to support artists across Bandcamp."

Sound City postpones festival to September 2020
Originally set to take place May 1-3, the festival has made the decision to move back to September 25-27 while remaining in its location of Liverpool's Baltic Triangle. Friendly Fires and Pale Waves are the current headliners with more acts set to be announced in the coming months. Releasing a statement, the festival said: "In light of the crisis, we have developed a brand new online resource “Guest House” that will allow struggling artists and performers to continue to showcase their talent and generate money from the comfort of their own homes. It is an opportunity for artists to showcase their festival sets as well as entertain their fans in innovative ways from the privacy of their own bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, back garden or bedroom! More information and announcements to come, stay tuned on our socials for more updates."

Bands in virtual town
Bandsintown is launching a livestream tab to allow artists on the platform to promote their virtual shows, it is also setting up its own channel on Twitch.

Rina Sawayama re-schedules UK tour
Moving the dates for her Dynasty tour, Rina Sawayama will now tour the UK from September 20-24 and current tickets will still be valid for the new dates. Speaking on the announcement, Sawayama said: "Hey Pixels, sadly I’ve had to postpone the US/Canada/UK tour in April/May. However, here are the new dates for the UK (US/Canada will be announcing soon!). I hope you can still make it."

Janet Devlin to perform StageIt live gig
Janet Devlin is gearing up to perform her 115th streamed live perfomance on the digital platform StageIt which will be a ticketed event. Devlin is set to perform twice on the platform on March 26, and tickets are available to purchase here. The two shows are designed to help her audience catch her in either Europe or American timezones, and Devlin typically sells between 200-300 tickets for each gig since 2014.

Music Industry bodies ask UK chancellor to help biz tackle “an existential battle for survival”
The biz has sent a join letter to chancellor Rishi Sunak warning him that it faces a “an existential battle for survival”. “It is vital that the Government does everything it can to support the music industry with an urgent package of measures so we can do our best to weather this pandemic," they write. “The Government must now act swiftly to do whatever it takes to safeguard the future of our world-leading industry.” 

The signatories are: UK Music, the Incorporated Society of Musicians, Help Musicians, the Musicians' Union, the Music Managers Forum, The Ivors Academy and Music Producers Guild.

Parkway Drive announce re-scheduled tour dates
Following government guidelines Parkway Drive are the latest to announce a re-schedule of tour dates, moving their Viva the Underdogs – European Revolution 2020 arena tour from its start on April 1 to November 13-December 5. Tickets already purchased will transfer to the new dates, with special guests Hatebreed and Crystal Lake taking the stage.

Music Week Awards re-scheduled
The 2020 Music Week Awards are moving to a new date and will now take place Monday, September 21 following guidelines set out by the government concerning the coronavirus pandemic. Our guests, partners and staff well-being is paramount and so we have taken the difficult decision to push back the awards for everyone's safety. The location of the awards at Battersea Evolution will not change and we are looking forward to celebrating the best of the music biz later this year. We want to thank the industry for its understanding at this time, and any tables/tickets booked will transfer to the new date. Check out this year's shortlist here and for more information regarding the awards, click here.

Capital's Summertime Ball cancelled
Global has announced that following the government’s guidelines encouraging against mass gatherings, Capital’s Summertime Ball 2020 has been cancelled. While tickets for the event had not yet been on sale, the event was due to take place on Saturday, June 6 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. “Capital is extremely sorry for any disappointment caused by the cancellation of our flagship live event,” explained a spokesperson for Capital. “However, given the coronavirus outbreak and the constantly evolving situation, we have placed the wellbeing of Capital listeners at the forefront of our decision making, before tickets have gone on sale.” The ball is set to return for 2021.

Roachford’s Spring UK tour postponed
British singer-songwriter Andrew Roachford has announced today that his Spring UK tour – which was set to kick off Thursday, March 26 – will be postponed until later this year. BMG have also announced that the release of his new album Twice In A Lifetime will move dates from April 3 to September 11 2020. Speaking on the news, Roachford said “I was so looking forward to playing these shows, however circumstances beyond anyone’s control has made this impossible, but the most important thing right now is that we look after each other in these difficult times. Ride the storm because this show will go on.” Any tickets purchased should be kept for the announcement of the re-scheduled dates.

Barry Manilow UK May tour
The upcoming tour of Barry Manilow with special guest Curtis Stigers set to take place this May has been re-scheduled to August following the coronavirus outbreak. All tickets purchased will still be valid for the new dates, starting from August 26 in Birmingham and ending September 4 in Glasgow.

Ash push back UK tour
Releasing a statement via Twitter, Ash has announced that their UK tour has been postponed in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The band tweeted “Our agent and and promoters are now working hard to secure new dates later this year. Please hold on to your tickets, stay safe and be good to each other.” 

Grace Carter's UK tour postponed
Grace Carter has announced on her social media that the remaining dates of her UK tour will be re-scheduled due to the pandemic. Speaking on Twitter, Carter said “I couldn’t wait to see you all every night and I’m so sorry it won’t be happening as soon as we’d all hoped.” Information on refunds and ticket changes are to follow.

BBC address culture in quarantine
With the closure of many public buildings and events cancelled, the BBC has been looking at how it can help artists during this time. The BBC has announced today a plan to help provide arts and culture across its platforms to bring it straight into our homes. Focusing across its radio stations, TV channels and digital platforms – and in collaboration with Arts Council and other funding organisations – the BBC will harness the culture available to it and produce content to inform the public. This will include, performances from musicians and comedians, new plays created for broadcast, quarantine diaries from creative visionaries, and unearthed performances from its archive. BBC Radio 3 will look to focus on orchestras, and will rebroadcast ensembles that have had to cancel concerts. BBC Radio 4’s Front Row and BBC Two’s Front Row Late will report on the latest developments, and the Arts Digital service will share content from the BBC, and also its partners and the wider sector. To aid in supporting mental health with arts and culture, the campaign Get Creative will aim to provide arts and craft activities to do at home whether this be alone or with family. The BBC hope to open its platforms up to as many people as possible to help the arts community during this challenging time.

The Ivors push back ceremony date
The Ivors has announced it will be pushing back the date of its prestigious award ceremony from its traditional May date to Wednesday, September 2. The awards, which are set to take place with Apple Music, will still take place at the JW Marriot Grosvenor House location and will announce the nominations later this year. 

No Eurovision for 2020
The Eurovision song contest has been cancelled. "Over the past few weeks we have explored many alternative options to allow the Eurovision Song Contest to go ahead. However the uncertainty created by the spread of COVID-19 throughout Europe – and the restrictions put in place by the governments of the participating broadcasters and the Dutch authorities - means the EBU has taken the difficult decision that it is impossible to continue with the live event as planned," organisers explained. Discussing are already underway for the 2021 contest to take place on Rotterdam where the competition was due to be staged in May.

Glastonbury off
The 2020 Glastonbury Festival has been cancelled. Organisers Emily (pictured) and Michael Eavis posted a statement this morning (March 18) explaining that despite announcing the line-up for what would have been the 50 anniversary event last week, the festival will now not go ahead. Read the story in full now.

The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones have announced the postponement of the their upcoming No Filter tour of North America due to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic. The 15 date summer tour was due to kick off in San Diego on May 8 and end in Atlanta on July 9. An official statement read: “We’re hugely disappointed to have to postpone the tour. We are sorry to all the fans who were looking forward to it as much as we were, but the health and safety of everyone has to take priority. We will all get through this together — and we’ll see you very soon” - Mick, Keith, Charlie and Ronnie. AEG Presents/Concerts West advise ticket holders to hold onto their original tickets and await further information.

MMF
The MMF have launched a new questionnaire aimed at artists, musicians, music producers, songwriters, engineers and DJs, as well as their managers, to ask them to quantify their losses to date. The project hopes to build an evidence base on the impact of coronavirus so far. In a joint statement, MMF CEO Annabella Coldrick and chair Paul Craig said: “On Monday evening, the Prime Minister recommended people should avoid mass gatherings and no longer visit venues or pubs and clubs. This evening, we heard details of countermeasures to alleviate the impact of this strategy, in the shape of a £330bn guaranteed loan package for businesses - with a promise from the Chancellor that he will do "whatever it takes" to save jobs and livelihoods, and will go further if required."

The statement continued: "On initial glance this looks a welcome step for more traditional music businesses which will help maintain employment and capacity for the future. However we maintain significant concerns that the benefits will not reach the music makers, their representatives and their teams, who are predominantly small-scale, self-employed or freelance. To help policy-makers better understand the impacts of coronavirus, the MMF has launched a new questionnaire that aims to quantify the profound and potentially long lasting losses that will result from this crisis for those who make the music we all live from. It is vital we can gather this evidence as quickly as possible, and we urge all artists, musicians, music producers, songwriters, engineers, DJs, as well as their managers, to get involved.” You can fill in the questionnaire here.

Recording Academy and MusiCares
The Recording Academy and MusiCares have confirmed they have launched a coronavirus relief fund to assist those in the music industry affected by the virus. Both the Recording Academy and MusiCares have contributed an initial donation of $1 million each, totaling $2 million. “In recent weeks, COVID-19 has devastated our music community, leaving thousands of music creators and professionals without work and an uncertain future," they explained. "But we have the power to help. The Recording Academy and its affiliated charitable foundation MusiCares have established the COVID-19 Relief Fund to help our peers in the music community affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. You can donate here. Artists affected can apply for relief here.

Creative Industries Federation
Caroline Norbury, CEO of the Creative Industries Federation and Creative England, has issued a statement in response the announcements made by the Chancellor about COVID-19. In it, Norbury warns that the measures fall short of supporting self-employed workers. “We welcome positive measures announced today, in response to the issues raised by the creative sector. These include a £330bn loan fund, grants of up to £25,000 for the smallest leisure, hospitality and retail businesses, and the extension of 100% business rate relief to all businesses in these sectors, which includes many creative organisations and cultural spaces. It is now vital that government ensures these business support measures are available as a matter of urgency, and that they are made truly accessible to creative and cultural organisations,” Norbury said.

She added: “However, a third of the UK’s creative workforce is self-employed and they will be hit hard. The measures announced on mortgage payments and alleviating hardship are welcome but fall short of guaranteeing these workers’ income - a government measure that is now desperately needed. A Creative Industries Federation survey today received over 2,000 responses in a matter of hours from creative industries and creators being affected by COVID-19. 54% of the respondents expect income to decrease by over 50% due to the fallout from the pandemic, with many already experiencing immediate losses. Our creative industries are one of the UK’s leading success stories. They are vital, not only for our economy, but for our way of life, bringing communities together and joy to millions around the globe. It is vital that our creative businesses are able to survive."

Patreon
Patreon will be holding a free live stream today (March 18) to raise money for artists affected by cancelled gigs and lost wages during the global pandemic. The three hour stream will be repurposing the programming it had planned for SXSW this year. It will be hosted by Jack Conte and include conversations with creators and experts, plus performances. “It’s free to watch and participate from anywhere in the world, and if you want to join us in giving back to the artists & communities most impacted, we’ll be raising money for the Artist's Funds to support creators facing financial losses because of COVID-19,” they explained in a statement. The stream will start at 4pm Pacific Time and will run until 7pm PT. It can be viewed here.

Dermot Kennedy postpones UK headline tour
Dermot Kennedy has announced the rescheduling of his upcoming UK tour dates in April. The sold out dates at London’s Alexandra Palace, Victoria Warehouse in Manchester and the Glasgow Academy will now run from August 31 through to September 7, with all original tickets staying valid. All shows come with support from Lola Young and Zola Courtney.

Nick Mason’s Tour postponed
Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets UK Tour has been postponed until October. The tour was due to start in Guildford on April 23. The dates for these shows have been rescheduled for October. All tickets remain valid. An official press release stated they are "currently working on re-scheduled dates for the shows in London, Southampton and Dublin. Customers are advised to retain their tickets and ticket confirmations at this time. More information will be announced in the near future on these rescheduled shows." The European leg of the tour, which was due to begin on May 18 in Brussels, has also been postponed due to most of the governments in Europe forcing a complete lockdown of public assemblies and making it impossible to continue. Any further decision on this part of the tour will be taken as the situation becomes more settled and clearer.

Artists Rights Alliance
The Artist Rights Alliance has sent an open letter to Congressional majority and minority leaders to detail how musicians are being impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and requisite social distancing efforts. In the letter, the ARA urges Congress to ensure that any relief package takes into account the situation artists and many other workers across the creative industries and the broader economy find themselves in – unable to work from home and without a paycheck for the foreseeable future. The ARA stated that it supports “bold, sweeping relief that addresses the many different employment situations Americans find themselves in during this unprecedented crisis.”

Red Rooster
Red Rooster 2020 has been postponed and will now take place September 4-6 at Euston Hall. Headliners Richard Hawley and Asleep At The Wheel have confirmed they are available for the new dates. All tickets will of be valid for the change of dates and anyone that is unable to make the new dates is advised to contact: info@redrooster.org.uk

Proper Music Distribution
Proper Music Distribution  MD Drew Hill has given an update on how the company is responding to Covid-19. You can read it here: "I would like to update you on the steps Proper Music Group are taking in response to the latest advice on COVID-19. Our Dartford warehouse remains open for business as usual, with all precautions being taken over the health of our staff. While at present stock is moving smoothly, some disruption may be inevitable down the line as the situation continues to develop. From today, the team at our Surrey Quays office (sales, marketing, label management and international business) will work as normal from home, for an initial two week period. Meetings planned with our team in person can proceed by video conferencing – we will be in touch on how to connect in such instances. As a reminder Record Store Day has been postponed until Saturday June 20, a sensible move in view of the safety of the music buying community. That aside, it’s very much business as usual, and while events are upon us that we could never have predicted, the Proper can-do spirit will continue to prevail!"

More Covid-19 Music Industry updates here 

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