How The COVID-19 Outbreak Is Impacting The Music And Entertainment Industry (Updating)

Record labels and companies, including Australian offices, have put international travel bans in place due to the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus,

The Music understands that Sony Music’s background position is that there is no travel to Asia and Northern Italy, and if employees don’t want to travel, they shouldn’t feel compelled to. This includes the Australian office. It is understood that the music giant is continuing to monitor the situation.

Meanwhile, as Billboard reports, Universal Music Group has issued an internal memo to employees, stating, "for the health and well-being of our staff, and in order to be a responsible member of the global community seeking to stop the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), we have put in place new policies and procedures, including: Suspended international business travel until further notice; postponed internal employee conferences requiring travel; and continued to comply with the guidance of local governments, the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control".

Other record labels who have implemented travel bans include BMG, Kobalt and Concord, which is currently the only music company to withdraw its involvement in next week's SXSW conference.

Speaking to The Music this week, Sounds Australia confirmed it is still committed to attending SXSW, as have a number of Australian artists, despite growing calls for the 2020 event to be axed.

COVID-19 has played a part in the postponement or cancellation of a number of tours and shows globally, with Italian band Lacuna Coil being forced to pull out this month's Download Festival events in Melbourne and Sydney due to a "coronavirus outbreak".

It was also announced today that Brisbane composer Brett Dean has been quarantined in isolation in Adelaide after testing positive to coronavirus after travelling from Taiwan to Australia earlier this week.

Meanwhile, though festivals in Abu Dhabi and Miami have been called off this week, ULTRA Australia told The Music that events across the country this weekend are going ahead as scheduled.

It is also believed that the release of new James Bond film, No Time To Die, has been pushed back to November due to the Asian box office taking massive hits because of coronavirus.

Keep an eye on theMusic.com.au for updates on the status of tours, shows and festivals over the coming weeks.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS: 

16 March


15 March


14 March


13 March


12 March

  • MUSEXPO Creative Summit postponed
  • Pixies postpone remaining Australian shows
  • Tame Impala's San Francisco show this Friday is being "postponed to a later date"
  • US artist Frankie Cosmos postpones upcoming Australian shows due to "current global events"
  • Cable Ties postpone US tour
  • NSW's largest celebration of cultural diversity, Parramasala cancelled
  • The Music For The Mob event and Seeker Lover Keeper's performance at the Brunswick Music Festival is cancelled 


11 March

10 March


9 March


7 March


6 March


5 March

  • James Bond film, No Time To Die, gets cinema release pushed back to November (12 November in Australia)
  • Ultra Miami, featuring Aussie acts including Flume and Fisher, reportedly cancelled due to coronavirus fears
  • Queen + Adam Lambert arena show in Paris this May postponed "following a government decree in France to cancel all indoor events"
  • France's Tomorrowland Winter festival, featuring Aussie acts including Timmy Trumpet and Nervo, cancelled
  • Melbourne's Sweetstock is cancelled


4 March


3 March

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