Music, especially live music, has the unique ability to quickly build connections amongst a roomful of strangers, who by the end of the night have created an entire community formed around knowing every single lyric to the closing number. 

As the demand for live events experiences a resurgence, music business owners have faced the incredible challenge of reimagining their industry and the future of music. 

Eventbrite recently convened some of its most engaged, resilient and creative music partners – Eventbrite’s Music Council – to kick start discussions about pressing industry issues, share learnings for the future and create new professional connections. 

Eventbrite’s Music Strategy Lead, John Riccardi, reflects on a few key learnings from the inaugural Eventbrite Music Council.

  • Connection is key. The music industry is relatively small, and it was incredible watching Eventbrite’s music partners’ faces light up on screen as they saw familiar industry peers and recognized business owners who have been grappling with similar challenges over the last eighteen months. 
  • Skyrocketing growth. While the Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed how the music industry operates, many of Eventbrite’s music partners have actually found success during the pandemic by pivoting to virtual or hybrid events, expanding their content, and permanently evolving their business models. 
  • Uncertainty remains. Even with encouraging growth and opportunity, the live music industry will continue to face challenges stabilizing their businesses in a “new normal”. While promoters by definition assume risk, that risk is mitigated with creativity and vision — which in turn is what gives us the life-changing events that make music so exciting to begin with. While we are in trying times for live music events, a dialogue between industry peers such as Eventbrite’s Music Council will inspire the crossing of new frontiers in live music and music-based event programming. And that is a certainty.

I’m thrilled to continue engaging with our music partners and sharing our collective insights to help the music community thrive in 2022 and beyond.

More about John Riccardi, Senior Manager, Music Strategy: John Riccardi has spent over a decade in the live music industry, promoting or producing several thousand concerts, festivals and private parties – from humble clubs to A-list acts on the biggest stages – in nearly 20 countries globally.