In the current issue of Music Week we take a very special look at how the music business is going to cope without the summer festival season. It’s the latest installment in our ongoing and wide-ranging overview of how the coronavirus is impacting different sectors of the industry.
Part of our extensive coverage has already involved asked a host of top names in the biz to give us their best tips about working from home, staying healthy and how to keep business moving during the pandemic, with insight from Stuart Camp and Kanya King to Merck Mercuriadis, Zena White and Fraser T Smith and Kamille.
But that’s not all. Music Week also asked them to name the song getting them through the current coronavirus lockdown, you can revisit Part 1 and part 2, or read on for more…
Janée Bennett (AJA Jin Jin) (songwriter/A&R/publisher)
Get Up – Blaise?
“This is signed to my label Jinsing and it’s super-catchy and uplifting and good to work out to at home.”
Merck Mercuriadis (founder/CEO Hipgnosis Songs Fund)
We Are Family – Sister Sledge?
“I’m obviously biased as it’s Nile Rodgers, but I can’t think?of a more uplifting sentiment at this crazy time. We’ve been asked to come together many times to support worthy causes. This is the first time in modern history we have been asked to distance ourselves to save lives. Our discipline right now will be a massive part of the legacy of our planet. Great songs have never been more important in helping give us the strength to get through adversity!”
Annabella Coldrick (CEO, MMF)
Negative Vibes – Gruff Rhys
“For the positive sentiment! This track is from his album Babelsberg, which is quite apocalyptic and references face masks, but despite the title the song is actually about conquering negative vibes by working together, something we all need to do for the coming weeks.”
Peter Leathem (CEO, PPL)
Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town – Kenny Rogers?
“Since his passing, I have been listening to this a lot. I love both Kenny’s original and The Killers’ version – and Ruby happens to be the name of one of
Sammy Andrews (CEO/founder, Deviate Digital)
Be More Kind – Frank Turner
“There’s a line in this song that has been swirling around my head since this crisis started: ‘In a world that has decided that’s it’s going to lose its mind/ Be more kind my friend, try to be more kind’. Not only an incredible song, but words we should all be living by right now.”
Iain Watt (MD, UK Music Division, YM&U)
Smokebelch II (Beatless Remix) – Sabres Of Paradise
“The sad news of Andrew Weatherall’s departure has meant diving into his catalogue to enjoy and reminisce about his work and productions. This one has been getting a lot of air time, as it treads the fine line between melancholy and euphoria at the same time.”
Subscribers can read the full feature here. Listen to the full playlist on Spotify below.
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