As the new post-pandemic normal settles in and people adapt to a context of uncertainty, constant adversities, and pessimism, we are moving away from a moment in which consumers expected brands to rise up to society's challenges and into one when they’re demanding genuine allyship from businesses.

Bopdrop is an app that enables social music sharing through integration with Spotify and Apple Music, where users post one song per day. The platform appeals to Gen Zers who are seeking more human ways to find music, share music, and build their identities as music fans.

Hipgnosis, a company that buys royalty rights from musicians, has announced a large revenue rise thanks to higher rates of streaming during the pandemic. However, given that musicians have been unable to work for over a year, buying up the rights to their tunes could be seen as exploitative.

With the COVID-19 pandemic causing people to stay at home out of a sense of public responsibility, artists are having to cancel shows worldwide. How are live-streaming platforms filling the void, and could digital behaviours during the crisis create long-term changes in how people consume music?

Throughout the pandemic, many Britons turned to radio for a sense of comfort and security. Yet while the likes of BBC Radio 2 and Capital FM may play popular music, they’re not popular among all listeners. How are independent stations gaining ground with audiences outside of the mainstream?