While music listening has fallen “by about 550 million streams a week (3.4%) for the last 10 weeks” as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, BLOOMBERG reports that two genres, Country and Children’s music, have not been impacted as hard as other genres have been, especially Dance, Latin, and Hip-Hop/R&B.
“Two genres have been spared the COVID crunch: Children’s music and Country,” BLOOMBERG reports, citing BILLBOARD/MRC data. “Country in particular has thrived. U.S. residents have listened to an average of 11.1% more Country since mid-MARCH — an increase of 127 million streams a week. And while growth in kids’ music has subsided as more people return to work, Country has only accelerated. Country music streaming climbed 22.4% in the final full week of MAY.” The article cites new releases from KENNY CHESNEY, SAM HUNT and KELSEA BALLERINI as helping the format’s numbers.
“Music executives and fans have cooked up all sorts of hypotheses for Country’s durability during the CORONAVIRUS,” the article continues. “Some have argued it is comfort food at a time when people are craving any form of succor. An executive at PANDORA, the online radio service, noted Country music is a perfect complement to drinking. (Alcohol sales have also soared during the pandemic.) The simplest explanation may be the most boring: Country fans are learning to stream.” Read more here.
