Abstract
How has the Australian music industry’s mental health crisis played out in the media during the coronavirus pandemic? This commentary article considers a snapshot of media reports about this issue. We survey print and online media, press releases, official websites, online seminars and social media from March to June 2020. During this time, the industry has faced financial loss, job insecurity and anxiety for the future of Australian music, thus placing unprecedented strain on an industry already characterised by poor mental health. We identify four key narratives communicated by the media, which we call (1) acknowledging grief and loss, (2) supporting creativity and well-being, (3) adapting to the new normal and (4) envisaging a post-pandemic future. These narratives illustrate overarching concern for music industry workers’ mental health and also the provision of helpful strategies for managing these issues.
Highlights
The Australian music industry was the first sector to be severely impacted by the coronavirus
The pandemic has resulted in financial loss, job insecurity and anxiety for the future of Australian music, placing unprecedented strain on an industry already characterised by poor mental health, long working hours and ‘burn out’ (Strong et al, 2020: 46)
Given the multitude of competing reports concerning health, economics and culture that exist in the endless coronavirus news cycle, it is no wonder that the media has failed to prioritise the devastating effects of the pandemic on the mental health of music industry workers
Summary
The Australian music industry was the first sector to be severely impacted by the coronavirus. Keywords Australia, Australian music industry, coronavirus, live music, media, media narrative, mental health, music, music industry, popular music
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