The Music Industry has called to pause all work and stand in solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter movement throughout the day. Music Companies across the globe have taken to social media under the hashtag #TheShowMustBePaused to take part in Blackout Tuesday to show their support.
The recent murder of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer has sparked outrage and protests around the world. The call for the music industry to stop business and participate in Blackout Tuesday was launched by Atlantic Records executive Jamila Thomas and Platoon’s Brianna Agyemang via Instagram. You can find their mission statement on their website, #TheShowMustBePaused, and what you can do to actively help.
Statements have been released under #TheShowMustBePaused by major labels including Atlantic Records, Capitol Records, Interscope, Universal Music Group and many others. Local Milwaukee businesses like the Fiserv Forum and The Rave Eagles Ballroom have also released statements.
There is power in art. Music has defined movements. It brings attention to our issues and gives them a megaphone for projection. We can find this in the civil rights protest songs of the 1960s and beyond. The relevance of songs written almost 60 years ago today in 2020 speaks volumes to what must still change.
As the music industry takes a stance on the hatred embedded in American society, we can listen to the music that has fueled the fight for change.
Here you can listen to protest anthems written by musical greats like Nina Simone, Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples, James Brown and many other artists.
Music is defined by our culture, and culture is defined by our music.
“Hopefully my music is medicine, some type of antidote for something or some kind of explanation or just to feel good.” –Erykah Badu
“Music makes us want to live. You don’t know how many times people have told me that they’d been down and depressed and just wanted to die. But then a special song caught their ear and that helped give them renewed strength. That’s the power music has.”- Mary J. Blige
“You can’t just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream. You’ve got to get out there and make it happen for yourself.”- Diana Ross
“If everything was perfect, you would never learn and you would never grow.”- Beyonce