In June, Sanoma will launch a large-scale “Anna sen soida” (“Let it play”) campaign aimed at raising attention regarding the difficult situation that the Finnish music world finds itself in and supporting musicians and music professionals in the difficult financial situation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Sanoma will donate approximately EUR 350,000 of the funds assigned to charity at the AGM to get the Finnish Music Foundation’s fundraising campaign off the ground. In addition, Nelonen Media will offer musicians and music professionals employment at a radio channel created this summer and, together with its partners, provide all Finns with different ways of supporting Finnish music.

“The COVID-19 crisis has hit musicians and music professionals really hard. Music has given us so much – now it’s our turn to help. We will set the ball rolling by donating money to a fundraiser, offering jobs to music professionals and making sure through our channels that the issue receives the attention it deserves. We would like to invite all music lovers to contribute to the cause,” says Kari Laakso, President, Nelonen Media.

The Anna sen soida radio channel will be launched at the start of July. As its stars and voices, we will hear musicians and music professionals who have struggled to find work. Summer festivals and tours are usually the time when the most memorable music stories and legendary events occur. That’s why, in July and August, the channel will share the best stories and living legends from tours and festivals, told by the musicians themselves, and also play important music without genre limits or playlists. Digita acts as the first partner of the Anna sen soida channel, implementing the channel’s radio network services.

The goal of the ‘Anna sen soida’ campaign is to draw attention to the importance of Finnish music and, on the other hand, collect a vital support fund for musicians and music professionals to meet an acute need. The fundraising as well as the distribution of the acquired funds are organised by our partner, the Finnish Music Foundation, originally created by the copyright organisations Gramex and Teosto.  The Finnish Music Foundation will implement the fund application and distribution process transparently in accordance with its own regulations. All musicians and music professionals whose employment and livelihood have suffered as a result of COVID-19 are entitled to apply for funding. The application and distribution process of the donated funds will commence on Friday, 12 June. In addition to the annasensoida.fi website, applicants can find further information on the Finnish Music Foundation’s website at www.musiikinedistamissaatio.fi. 

“There is a vast number of people working in the music sector whose livelihood has been put at risk by the current crisis. At the same time, Finns are desperate for concerts, gigs and festivals. Many have already participated in virtual gigs, supporting their favourite artists that way. I believe that live music will be cherished even more in the predicament we currently find ourselves in,” says Nasima Razmyar, chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Finnish Music Foundation.

 

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This is how the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting restrictions have affected the Finnish music sector:

  • The loss of income in the music sector this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic is estimated to increase to approximately EUR 156 million, -23% of the value of the music industry. In 2018, the core value of the music industry, excluding education, was EUR 675 million.
  • Of the core sectors of the music industry, the live music sector is the largest, valued in 2018 at EUR 479.1 million. The loss of income in the live music sector alone amounts to approximately EUR 115 million.
  • The royalties paid to music professionals and artist will decrease by approximately EUR 14 million as a result of COVID-19. This year, the effect on the royalties collected by Teosto is over EUR 10 million or roughly one fifth of the royalties collected in Finland. The majority of these are generated by various music events and concerts. Gramex estimates the loss of income at roughly EUR 3.7 million, which means more than -15% for musicians and music producers.
  • In the estimate of Muusikkojen liitto, the combined loss of income of 3,000 freelancer musicians for five months amount to over EUR 40 million.
  • According to the wide-ranging survey organised by the Ministry of Education and Culture, 75% of respondents working in the music sector said that their income and activities have been severely restricted or entirely prevented.
  • The stop of exports for five months would mean a total loss of income of EUR 12 million for the Finnish music industry.

Sources: Music Finland, Musiikkialan tilannekuva, April 2020 (Report in Finnish), survey by the Ministry of Education and Culture on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the culture sector

“We would like to thank Sanoma for a brilliant campaign! In these times of adversity, Gramex has been able to make life easier for the music industry with two Covid packages, and we would like to invite everyone to join the ‘Anna sen soida’ campaign. COVID-19 has reminded us that we’re all in the same boat. Whether we’re facing COVID-19 or global competition, we Finns will do well as long as we work together,” says Ilmo Laevuo, CEO, Gramex.

“Music professionals are facing the toughest situation in their history, as the COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the structural problems inherent in artists’ social security. It is wonderful that we can do something concrete together to ease the situation. Music is an important part of people’s lives, and it has great value for individuals, society and companies alike,” says Risto Salminen, CEO, Teosto.