It’s been a tumultuous year of chaos and changes. For a long time, it hasn’t been nearly this difficult to feel connected and united with others. However, what is the glue, the constant, that always holds us all together? Music. Pop music. And this year, it’s been possibly better than ever.
With Grammy nominations just recently announced, it is made clear how the events of this unique year have impacted the pop music industry. In the case of Taylor Swift’s album Folklore- which has garnered her a sweep of nominations- the creativity and the concept of writing were sprouted entirely from the pandemic. One of the most successful records of the year would never be blossoming before us if all had gone according to plan for the artist, and she is certainly not the only one to whom this applies to.
Tours cancelled, concerts postponed, made for artists to perform songs from their sitting rooms and to interact with their fans through live streams, building much needed bonds during difficult times. Not only that, but many pop consumers had suddenly gained more time on their hands to explore new music, as the artists gained more time and motivation for releasing it.
Australian pop star Troye Sivan (who had been midway through filming for a movie in March) found himself stuck under a harsh lockdown in Melbourne with a seven-track EP on his computer that he wasn’t planning on sharing until possibly next year. By the end of August, he had spontaneously released the entire record, all set with art cards and merchandise, ready to return to starring in a film.
There’s many more to list, including new albums from Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Little Mix and Sam Smith, so what’s for sure is that the wild year of 2020 will remain a memorable one for the pop music industry.
