Sounds Like Change: How the music industry could fuel climate change
Everyone listens to music; it defines eras and shifts culture. Consequently, music is an incredibly influential industry, giving it the potential power to address key issues facing society today. Despite this, the industry is repeatedly left out of conversations surrounding the climate crisis. It is about time that the industry recognises its responsibility to act, both by reducing its own carbon footprint and amplifying the message of climate activists to create a meaningful shift in societal attitudes towards the environment.
More frequent extreme flood events are increasing the risk of outdoor music events being cancelled.
The climate crisis is one of the most significant issues of our time, and live music events globally are not exempt from this. In the past year, a fan died at a Taylor Swift concert in Rio due to extreme heat, and countless concerts have been cancelled due to other extreme weather events, including that of high-profile artists such as Noah Kahan and the Foo Fighters. Climate change is increasing the severity and frequency of extreme weather events which will have consequences for the live music industry, especially through the rising costs of insurance for extreme weather cancellations.
While the overall contribution of the music industry to the climate crisis is comparatively small, live music and touring is nonetheless a carbon intensive industry. Diesel generators power lighting and sound systems, and artists frequently fly between events. Taylor Swift’s private jet use has led to her having a carbon footprint 1100 times that of an average person in 2022. However, the most significant aspect is fan travel which contributes to 50-80% of music industry carbon emissions. There are additional environmental impacts through single-use plastic cups and high-footprint foods being offered at larger events as well as the recent boom in vinyl sales increasing plastic use.
Coldplay’s creative sustainability initiatives have proved it is possible to create more sustainable tours
As the climate movement has gained traction, several artists have recognised their responsibility to take action. Coldplay is at the forefront of this. In 2019, Chris Martin announced that the band would never tour again unless they could find a way to do this more sustainably. In 2021, they then announced a 12-point plan to lower emissions by at least 50% during their Music of the Spheres tour. The band have led by example by taking public transport to their concerts, as well as implementing creative solutions such as power bikes and kinetic dance floors. This has successfully reduced Coldplay’s total touring emissions by 59% in comparison to their last tour.
Billie Eilish is another prominent artist driving the sustainability in the music industry. Throughout her career, she has advocated for climate action and created initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of her tours, such as by promoting plant-based meals at her concerts. Eilish has not only improved her touring sustainability but is also leading the way for environmentally conscious album releases. The release of Hit Me Hard and Soft has used sustainable vinyl materials, reduced incentives to purchase multiple variants of the vinyl, and included a more sustainable merch release.
Billie Eilish’s partnership with REVERB has created over 330,500 fan actions
Both Billie Eilish and Coldplay are prominent artists with a large influence on the music industry and fans alike. The success of their respective initiatives has proved to industry executives that it is possible to tour and release music sustainably, hopefully leading the way for labels and artists to follow suit.
Reducing the carbon emissions of the music industry is obviously an important task, but in comparison with high carbon industries, this is small. Rather, it is the message that the industry can send through the actions taken to improve sustainability and speaking out about the climate crisis that has the potential to create larger change. As music is a culture-shaping phenomenon, it can be used as a tool of activism to create a large-scale shift in attitudes, helping to drive politics. This has been seen through the anti-war sentiment created in the 1960s and 70s by artists including Bob Dylan and John Lennon. By implementing sustainable practices, voicing concerns about the state of the climate, and educating fans, music has the potential to drive a more environmentally conscious culture and society, pressuring governments into prioritising the climate.
Using the previous examples of Billie Eilish and Coldplay, they have used their large platform to encourage fans to take action on the climate crisis. During her Happier Than Ever tour, Billie Eilish partnered with REVERB to create over 133,500 fan actions in support of social and environmental issues. REVERB is one of several organisations that aims to help artists plan more sustainable tours and educate fans on the climate crisis. Julie’s Bicycle and Music Declares Emergency are other brilliant organisations working to utilise the power of music to fight climate change, providing artists with the tools to make more sustainable decisions. By working with both underground and well-established artists, these organisations can shift the standards of music executives and labels, helping to make sustainable practices a norm within the music industry. As sustainability is embedded in music, this will influence the decisions of music listeners, spreading awareness of the need for climate action and contribute to a more sustainable culture.
It is essential that the music industry continues to progress towards a more sustainable future as ultimately, there is “No Music on a Dead Planet”. By both reducing its carbon footprint and creating a shift in cultural attitudes, music has the potential to create meaningful action in the fight towards climate justice.