5 Key Takeaways From Our 2020 Top Stories
Credit: Kenneth Cappello
Oh 2020, while it was a tumultuous 12 months to say the least, there's certainly many lessons we took from the year that was, and the stories it produced.
Live Streaming Stepped Up
With in-person performances almost completely off the table in 2020, the year saw the rise of the live stream.
One of the highlights from the year was BTS’ ‘MAP OF THE SOUL ON:E’, which picked up 993,000 viewers in 191 regions and offered some impressive features like 4K displays, AR and XR capabilities.
Another was Billie Eilish’s ‘Where Do We Go?’ live stream, which offered access to exclusive merch, and an on-demand copy of the concert video, available for 24 hours post-stream.
Live streams have proved they’re here to stay. They generated impressive revenues, reaching audiences far and wide while avoiding any social distancing mishaps. Not to mention, they did a pretty good job at filling the concert-shaped hole in our hearts.
It’s All Fun And Games
Gaming and music have never been too far disconnected, but their relationship truly blossomed over the last year.
Whether you look at the 33 million views on Lil Nas X’s performance on Roblox or the 12.3 million users who viewed Travis Scott’s 'Astronomical' concert on Fortnite, it’s not hard to see that popular gaming platforms proved to be an excellent form of delivery for artists.
Just like the more traditional live stream, they’re keeping fans engaged from afar and taking advantage of already-established audiences.
TikTok Made Its Mark
Whether it was viral dance moves, partnerships or signings, TikTok found itself at the centre of many conversations last year. Proving its power by pumping up Fleetwood Mac’s Spotify numbers, helping Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion earn their first Billboard No. 1s and penning deals with Sony, Universal and Warner.
So, you don’t have to learn how to do the WAP dance, but it’s a good idea to keep yourself up to date with the latest TikTok trends – they are paving the way for a new generation of artists after all.
Artificial = Intelligent
Artificial intelligence has been another hot topic. Not only does AI boast some impressive capabilities, it’s changing the way we think about writing, recording, releasing and even consuming music, and we think 2020 was just the beginning for that trend.
Spotify’s developed technology to bust plagiarism in songs, utilising AI, Musiio is using it to judge songs’ hit potential and Grimes collaborated with Endel to produce an ‘AI Lullaby’, where the artists created music and vocals, which were later processed by the company to generate music.
Brands And Bands
While we had a little giggle at the Travis Scott (AKA Big Mac) meal at McDonald’s, the collaboration was among one of the most talked about branding partnerships of the year. One of many that proved to be a win-win for artists' publicity and brand success.
A little closer to home, Bonds' Bloody Comfy Period Undies campaign brought us the Unplugged sessions, starring Australian favourites G Flip, Alice Skye, Montaigne, Ali Barter, Georgia Maq and Kira Puru.
Snoop Dogg’s Menulog jingle is still stuck in our heads, and it did the trick, boosting the company’s Gen Z users significantly in 2020.
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