One in three UK music jobs wiped out by Covid, report says

Festivalgoers queue at a coronavirus check-point at the entrance of the Reading Festival rock music and arts festival in Reading, England, Wednesday Aug 25, 2021. For decades the Reading Festival has attracted top music acts and old favourites for an open air concert weekend. Photo: AP

The Covid-19 pandemic has wiped out one in three jobs in the UK music industry, a trade body said on Tuesday (Oct 19), as it called for government support to help the sector recover.

The number of jobs fell 35% to 128,000 in 2020 from 197,000 in 2019 as the pandemic shut down live events and forced studios to close their doors, UK Music said in its annual report.