Music
Record Breaking Sales: Vinyl Tops Five Million
Vinyl's back in fashion! For the first time since 1991, sales of the format passed the five-million-unit mark, indicating the fourteenth year of consecutive growth. While sales of this audio format went up 8% from last year, the CD (that’s “compact disc” for you youngins) has yet to make a similar rebound, seeing its lowest sales since 1988. Some people are attributing this massive increase in vinyl sales to the albums released this year by ABBA and Adele, since both artists tend to draw older audiences who prefer the physical format. The numbers are quite impressive, with a quarter of total albums sold attributed to vinyl purchases. The demand for records has run into a significant stumbling block, as massive supply chain issues, shortages, and manufacturing delays arise due to the pandemic and a scarcity of PVC and paper materials. Initially, the shortage was noted with the release of Adele’s recent album, but that was quickly overshadowed by ABBA’s Voyage, which became the fastest vinyl seller of this century. The trend to older formats seems to be happening in more than one sector, as this year also saw the rise of cassette tape sales, though the format makes up only a small portion of total music sales. According to exports, the appetite for physical media comes from marketing, since many artists are releasing merchandise bundles that contain both vinyl records and cassette tapes. At the end of the day, streaming is still king when it comes to music consumption. But apparently, it’s never smart to count the old formats out. You hear that, Betamax? Your time will come...
Broadway
Entertainment Uncertainty: Industry Closures in the City That Never Sleeps
At least 12 Broadway performances have shut down due to the recent Omicron surge. Three have closed their doors for good, leaving New York-based production workers once again worried about their industry. Mary McColl, Executive Director of the Actors' Equity Association, thinks of these shutdowns as a positive sign, saying, “That's what the safety protocols are there to be in place for, and this shows that they're working.” The workers on these productions have been heavily impacted by the shutdowns over the past few years, and these continued cancellations leave them in a precarious position over the holidays, as pandemic-era unemployment benefits are no longer available. The holiday season tends to be a busy time for musicians and performers, but several have had to cancel shows themselves due to positive Covid tests (despite most being fully vaccinated and boosted). Industry workers have had to take on side gigs to help cover living expenses. Everyone is hoping that as the industry bounced back last year, it will once again rebound and show signs of life early in 2022.
Sports
Getting Back on the Court: NBA Updates COVID Protocols for Players
According to a protocol update made by the NBA, players who have tested positive for coronavirus can now return to play after six days of quarantine. Previously, the isolation period was set through the recommended 10-day mark. The accelerated return is also contingent on the players' symptoms and other testing regulations. This information was shared on the same day the CDC cut isolation recommendations down to five days. The NBA has had their own Covid surge recently, even though 97% of players have been vaccinated. Several coaches have tested positive for the virus, forcing many of these important team leaders to miss critical games. Frank Vogel, head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, had to miss four consecutive games. Lakers assistant coach David Fizdale, who ran the team in Vogel’s absence, said, “he’s doing well health-wise. His spirit’s right. Obviously, he’s chomping at the bit to get back and start competing.”
Industry
From Hollywood to Ontario: 2022 Production Boom Is Northward Bound
2021 is going to end with record high production numbers, and experts are forecasting another boom in 2022. There was some uncertainty surrounding the contract negotiations between IASTE and producers, but a successful deal that avoided an industry-wide strike is paving the way for an explosive 2022. Several U.S. shows with production moved to the first quarter of 2022 have their eyes on Ontario’s soundstages. According to Justin Cutler, the Ontario Film Commissioner at Ontario Creates, “We are expecting a strong start to 2022. Our scouting numbers are up, and studio capacity is increasing.” At the end of November, Ontario was hosting 27 productions, most of which came from Hollywood. That marks a notable increase from pre-pandemic levels. While several producers agree that Toronto will remain a film hub in Canada, outside suburbs hold a lot of promise when it comes to the availability of both space and crew members.
Festivals
Jab and a Movie: Sundance Festival To Offer Booster Shots to In-Person Attendees
With the surge of the Omicron variant, the Sundance Film Festival updated their mandate requiring all attendees to show proof of three vaccination shots. To offer more resources to filmgoers, booster shots will be available on the festival’s Park City grounds. This initiative is available to those who are eligible for the booster, per CDC guidelines. In addition, Sundance has joined forces with PandemSafe to offer testing to attendees, placing testing hubs across festival grounds. All employees and volunteers are required to be tested upon entry and are encouraged to get routinely tested throughout the festival. Industry press must also get tested prior to (or upon) arrival. The Utah-based festival is still scheduled, starting on January 20 and ending on January 30, while several other similar festivals and events have been cancelled or postponed. Sundance is confident in their ability to continue as planned since the event has banned all food and drink. As such, attendees are constantly required to wear masks for all film presentations, without exception.
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