2021 A Riddle Wrapped In An Enigma
The year that giveth and taketh away.
The good thing about publishing a weekly newsletter is at the end of the year, you can look back on 50-odd editions and really take in the previous 12 months. Upon reviewing what we’ve written since the first Cadence came out on December 17, 2020, all we can do is shake our heads.
Were we really concerned about The Weeknd performing at the Super Bowl? Did we really think streaming concerts could replace the real thing? Can anyone remember the name of the NFT ape group that Universal signed last month?
At the same time, there were plenty of things we still recall fondly — like the outpouring of positive memories that came with Daft Punk’s retirement. And the amazing reminder that there ain’t no party like a Detroit party.
And plenty of what we saw, good and bad, in 2021, will remain with us in 2022. Like the potential for Web3 to impact the lives of musicians. The ever-growing juggernaut of streaming music revenue. And the game of whack-a-mole that is live events in the age of COVID.
Like the rest of the industry, we plan on taking a break next week. But we’ll be back in January with more hot (and cold) takes on the always fascinating business of Music x Content x Tech.
Thanks for reading and have a happy holiday.
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TAKEAWAYS
Salient statements from this week’s music news.