Music is more than just art. Music has the power to heal, transform and empower. The music industry in Georgia needs empowerment now as our voices carry around the world. Our bands have toured the globe hundreds of times over. Music has long been a big economic driver for Georgia. This weekend is a perfect example as our rich musical past is honored during the 37th year of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards, and just 20 miles away the future of music is bringing nearly 200,000 music lover to Chattahoochee Hills, Ga at the TomorrowWorld Festival.
The Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards celebrate the achievements of music industry talent that call our state home. The names of the inductees both past and present are impressive, from Otis Redding to Usher to the Zac Brown Band to Ludacris. Living in Georgia, these artists invest their time, energy and resources in their communities. There are many of examples of this philanthropy such as The Otis Redding Foundation, Ushers New Look Foundation and Zac Brown’s Camp Southern Ground. But for every recognized artist from Georgia, there are at least 30 other names you haven’t heard of – producers, songwriters, engineers, musicians… These talented individuals live in Georgia and help contribute to the $3.7 billion yearly revenue that is generated by music.
TomorrowWorld, in its 3rd year, is one of the top electronic music festivals in America. Last year, the Georgia-based music festival contributed over $93 million in economic impact in just a few days. What does that mean – it means the State of Georgia wins. Approximately $71 million of this revenue is categorized as ‘new” activity, meaning without the festival this income would NOT have been generated. Attendees spent money on hotels, transportation, food and drinks and the festival alone generates nearly $5 million in state and local taxes.
Georgia’s music industry remains an underdeveloped and underutilized asset. According to a recent report by IFPI, “a vibrant music economy drives value in several important ways: job creation, economic growth, tourism development, city brand building and artistic growth. It has been proven that a strong music community has also been proven to attract other industrial investment, along with talented young professionals who put a high value on quality of life.“ Georgia’s music industry is definitely on the right track, and yet there is work to do to maximize the opportunity.
Georgia Music Partners will continue to push for growth and marketing to improve opportunities for the 20,000 + music industry professionals in Georgia. But in order to affect significant change we need your voice to accompany ours. Please help us make a difference-join, donate, sponsor and get involved today.
(Mala Sharma, Co-President)
