Radiohead, The Cure, Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Johnny Marr, Dizzee Rascal, Primal Scream, Paul McCartney, Dua Lipa, The Rolling Stones and Coldplay are among the huge list of artists who have signed an open letter to the government for the #LetTheMusicPlay campaign – demanding immediate action to prevent “catastrophic damage” to the music industry in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown.
Last month, the Music Venue Trust have penned a letter signed by over 560 of their venues calling for a £50million cash injection to save the “world-beating £5.2billion per year music industry”, allowing these spaces to “hibernate” until October and prevent their permanent closure. Around 92% of festival businesses are also at risk of collapse and called for government support to “make it to next year without being wiped out”. With singing, dancing, standing close to others and being in confined spaces are deemed to be “high risk activities” under current guidelines, the venue community then hit back at the government’s suggested “five point plan” to “raise the curtain” on live performances”.
Now, over 1,500 artists including Liam Gallagher, Rita Ora, Sam Smith and Lewis Capaldi have signed an open letter to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden – in a bid to “show the vital importance of the UK’s live music industry, ensure the Government cannot ignore live music and make noise to get the public and financial support the industry needs to survive”.
“Amazing gigs don’t happen without an amazing team behind the stage, but they’ll all be out of jobs unless we can get back out there doing what we love,” said Gallagher.
Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis added: “If the Government doesn’t step up and support the British arts, we could lose vital aspects of our culture forever.”
Organisers say that “50% of the entire workforce is facing redundancy, 90% of grassroots venues face closure, many operators are facing insolvency and having cancelled this summer and many festivals will struggle to return next year.”
Read the full letter below:
“Dear Secretary of State,
“UK live music has been one of the UK’s biggest social, cultural, and economic successes of the past decade. From world-famous festivals to ground-breaking concerts, the live music industry showcases, supports, and develops some of the best talent in the world – on and off-stage.
“As important as it is, our national and regional contribution isn’t purely cultural. Our economic impact is also significant, with live music adding £4.5billion to the British economy and supporting 210,000 jobs across the country in 2019.
“Like every part of the entertainment industry, live music has been proud to play our part in the national effort to reduce the spread of Coronavirus and keep people safe. But, with no end to social distancing in sight or financial support from government yet agreed, the future for concerts and festivals and the hundreds of thousands of people who work in them looks bleak.
“This sector doesn’t want to ask for government help. The promoters, festival organisers, and other employers want to be self-sufficient, as they were before lockdown. But, until these businesses can operate again, which is likely to be 2021 at the earliest, government support will be crucial to prevent mass insolvencies, and the end of this great world-leading industry.
“Government has addressed two important British pastimes – football and pubs – and it’s now crucial that it focuses on a third, live music. For the good of the economy, the careers of emerging British artists, and the UK’s global music standing, we must ensure that a live music industry remains when the pandemic has finally passed.”
As laid out by UK Music, the three key asks of the government are:
1. A clear conditional timeline for reopening venues without social distancing
2. An immediate comprehensive business and employment support package and access to finance.
3. Full VAT exemption on ticket sales.
Following today’s publication of the letter, artists, venues and festivals and will be posting films and photos of their last live gigs or events using the hashtag ‘Let The Music Play’ on social media – and encouraging other fans to do the same.
The Featured Artists’ Coalition, whose members include Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien, have also leant their support to the campaign.
“In 1992 Radiohead played about 100 shows throughout the UK in small venues the length and breadth of this country,” said O’Brien. “This was where we started to learn our craft.”
“We continued to tour this country and by 1997 we were headlining the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival. The live industry in this country is the lifeblood to for the music industry in this country.”
FAC general manager David Martin added: “Since the start of the pandemic it has been clear that the music industry, and particularly live music, would be heavily hit. That has become even more stark with the easing of lockdown. As many businesses reopen and return to something resembling normality, there is no end in sight for the UK’s venues, clubs and festivals or the artists and their teams that earn their living from them.”
“The UK’s live music industry contributed £4.5billion and almost a quarter of a million jobs to the UK economy in 2019. Live music is the fuel for the wider music industry, supporting creators to make the music that makes a success of our envied recorded sector. Beyond the economic impact however, our music industry makes an enormous contribution to our wellbeing, our society and our culture. Without the urgent support that we have outlined to Government, that enormous financial contribution will vanish along with huge part of our national identity.”
See Tweets and social media posts from artists lending their support below:
Show your support for live music and share a photo from the last gig you went to with #LetTheMusicPlay
Here’s the setlist from the Rolling Stones last live show in Miami in 2019 pic.twitter.com/bNQ0LkK4wH
— The Rolling Stones (@RollingStones) July 2, 2020
For Muse, playing live & having the opportunity to connect with you is so important. We're so grateful for the experience that live music gives us all. The government must step up & show the industry the support it deserves in these difficult & challenging times #LetTheMusicPlay pic.twitter.com/uHTh8istrd
— muse (@muse) July 2, 2020
Today Paul joins artists, promotors, agents, venues and more in asking the UK government to protect the live music industry. Share photos and videos of the last show you went to using the hashtag #LetTheMusicPlay to show your support! pic.twitter.com/w7yfeAB0nJ
— Paul McCartney (@PaulMcCartney) July 2, 2020
Blur stands with artists, road crew, agents, promoters, venues and more, in appealing for the UK Government to support and protect the UK live music industry #LetTheMusicPlay. More info on the campaign here https://t.co/s04XKd0nKE https://t.co/jCPBLoSLJ9
— blur (@blurofficial) July 2, 2020
Live music must be protected! Share memories of your last gig using #letthemusicplay and lets make sure the message is heard by the UK Government.
📷: DC Arena, Bangkok, Nov 30th (Sharon Latham) pic.twitter.com/H6GG63sgNl— Noel Gallagher (@NoelGallagher) July 2, 2020
Please show support for live music & the countless diverse workers who rely on the income gigs provide.This shot taken at Tollwood Festival – my last solo gig. Please post a picture of the last live gig you went to, on here & your Facebook page, with the hashtag #LetTheMusicPlay pic.twitter.com/c7b7NptqqW
— Alison Moyet (@AlisonMoyet) July 2, 2020
Every band has to start somewhere (in time), & Iron Maiden were no exception. 90% of the UK's grassroots music venues are under threat of closure due to Covid-19
Please show your support for live music & share a photo/video from the last gig you went to, tagging #LetTheMusicPlay pic.twitter.com/NjtxtWTVVx
— Iron Maiden (@IronMaiden) July 2, 2020
#LetTheMusicPlay, asking the UK government to support the live music industry, which is in crisis at the moment with 50% of its workforce facing unemployment.
Please join in by sharing your own pics or vids of the last gig you went to before lockdown, tagging #LetTheMusicPlay. pic.twitter.com/pNkNUa7ued
— Fatboy Slim (@FatboySlim) July 2, 2020
Today, we join with artists & music fans to call on the UK government to offer support to the live music industry, which faces decimation.
Join us by sharing pics/vids of your last pre-lockdown gig, using #LetTheMusicPlay.
(📷 25 November 2019, Natural History Museum, London ) pic.twitter.com/iWkydk7Rif
— Coldplay (@coldplay) July 2, 2020
The effects of COVID 19 have hit the music industry hard, especially everyone’s favourite venues. It's a long road out of this but we need to help jumpstart the conversation and secure the government’s support. #LetTheMusicPlay pic.twitter.com/TtXiJLEMs7
— Franz Ferdinand (@Franz_Ferdinand) July 2, 2020
The govt has done next to nothing to support artists, crews, venues & promoters. Lets bring pressure on them to protect music as we know it, it faces decimation. #LetTheMusicPlay pic.twitter.com/SkCoXoeYuJ
— FOALS (@foals) July 2, 2020
We aren’t asking for venues to reopen or for festivals to go ahead while it isn’t safe, but we are asking for immediate support from the government and a clear, conditional timeline for reopening venues. pic.twitter.com/uPe8quA3hY
— I D L E S (@idlesband) July 2, 2020
Spotify has 124 million premium subscribers. Imagine if they stepped in to assist the live music industry (their plan last year was to spend £385 million buying apps). They live off the music artists supply. @Spotify maybe it’s time to offer a helping hand to the live music world pic.twitter.com/85PdZyTgOL
— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) July 2, 2020
Imagine the music industry in the UK being wiped out. No shows, no festivals, no venues. Call on the government for urgent action #LetTheMusicPlay pic.twitter.com/HxTc04fllD
— Yannis Philippakis (@YnnsPhilippakis) July 2, 2020
– 90% of grassroots music venues are under threat of closure without urgent finanical support
– 50% of the industry’s workforce is facing unemployment
– The music industry in 2019 contributed £4.5bn to the economy, supported 210,000 jobs across the UK#letthemusicplay pic.twitter.com/gNT7QVWl9D— EDITORS (@editorsofficial) July 2, 2020
We're proud to be supporting the #LetTheMusicPlay campaign, highlighting the importance of the live music sector to the UK Government. We need to protect our venues, our workforce, and the infrastructure and companies that make up this business. pic.twitter.com/TPHCakvS0l
— New Order (@neworder) July 2, 2020
Today, we are joining with promoters, artists, festival goers and music lovers to call on the UK government to offer support to the live industry, which is frankly on its knees and faces being wiped out. #LetTheMusicPlay
(📷 Kevin Parry) pic.twitter.com/SHAwmefq3b
— Emily Eavis (@emilyeavis) July 2, 2020
Today we’re🎸bringing attention To UK’s LIVE MUSIC 🎶Industry.Take a Min & remember The 1st. 🎹Concert You🥁Ever saw,..what it meant 2 you & How it changed 🎶Your Life♥️.Share your PICTURE’S & STORIES,would🎵 love to see & Hear them. 🎼Don’t forget to add #LETTHEMUSICPLAY
— Cher (@cher) July 2, 2020
#LetTheMusicPlay pic.twitter.com/xvHWskjkUh
— Royal Blood (@royalblooduk) July 2, 2020
Earlier this year saw the Music Venue Trust launch the Save Our Venues campaign, with a crowdfunding bid to prevent 556 independent UK venues from closure. It has temporarily saved over 140 of these venues, but this funding will not last far into the summer.
Visit here to donate to the Save Our Venues campaign, where artists are also encouraged to sign up to play online fundraising gigs.