In response to the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the worldwide protests that have ensued, including the biggest protests in America since the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr in 1968, the music industry is set to 'blackout' on Tuesday 2nd June (U.S. time). The day-long silence will see major music labels including Universal, Sony, Warner as ell as streaming platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify and artists themselves halt business and presumably replace icons on social media with black. In the leadup, the hashtag #TheShowMustBePaused has been used by various people in the industry to promote change and speak up. Apple Music has deleted all their previous Instagram posts, sharing: "In steadfast support of the Black voices that define music, creativity, and culture, we use ours. This moment call upon us all to speak and act against racism and injustice of all kinds. We stand in solidarity with Black communities everywhere." Sony Music has also released a statement: “The time for talking is over. We will stand together to act, because change must come and give way to progress... we stand in solidarity with the Black community, our artists, employees, colleagues, and community leaders in fighting racial injustice and inequality. This will be a day of action committed to meaningful change in our communities both now and in the future.”

by Roxy Lola

For some ways to take action online now, here.