The music business is an ever-changing beast. The economics of the modern industry are often simplistically divided into two periods, pre- and post-Napster. Conventional wisdom remembers the file-sharing software — which older millennials once used to illegally download Limp Bizkit songs — as a huge reckoning that caused record sales to collapse at the turn of the century, ushering in a new era. But is it really so simple?

Since Napster’s short but transformative existence, no art form has been as sensitive to technological shifts and changes in consumer habits as music. For the last two decades, record labels and artists have regularly altered their tactics to reach audiences and, ultimately, tap into new revenue streams.

Now, COVID-19 has caused the best-laid plans to fall apart. In a flash, musicians had to cancel entire touring schedules; record stores were suddenly shuttered. Amidst the turmoil, artists are finding new and inventive ways to be creative, reach fans, and raise cash. Lessons are being learned that might just outlast the pandemic.