True Music

Resetting The Dancefloor Report

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Music matters. In so many ways. It liberates us. Connects us. It creates powerful memories that last. In 2020 the pandemic hit and music mattered even more. Overnight, a global industry stopped dead. The sounds, culture and community that had been so vital were put on hold.

Now, as dancefloors are starting to reopen. Fans beginning to reconnect. We’re all set to go again; to dance, sweat and feel those moments that bond us. But last year taught us something else. The need for a cultural reset. A generation of young people started speaking out against discrimination like never before.

Since 2014 Ballantine’s Scotch whisky has supported 500+ artists, across 50+ True Music events, in over 30 countries around the world. Championing diverse talent and underrepresented music communities around the world through its True Music platform.

We have commissioned this report to listen and learn. To mark our own commitment to making music culture safer and fairer for all. We explore the actions we can take. We start to see what more inclusive dancefloors can look like.

Music matters. So does this.

Key Findings

3/4

People would now speak out if they saw an act of discrimination at a music event

will only attend events that are safe and inclusive when nightlife reopens

1/3

people have experienced discrimination at a music event

are more likely to consider whether a line up is diverse compared to a year ago

believe brands have an important role to play in fighting discrimination

Following the results of this report, we have committed to driving real change in three key areas over the next five years:

Diverse programming: ensuring all True Music line-ups and content represent diverse communities

Fair payment: ensuring that no fee gap exists by taking an active role in making sure talent are paid and treated fairly

Inclusive dancefloors: making safe dancefloors a priority and committing to bringing one billion music fans inclusive True Music experiences through a safe dancefloor policy.

DJ and Producer

Honey Dijon

“All of these things we’re fighting for – diverse lineups, diverse dancefloors. This is simply us wanting our humanity and our creativity to be considered as worthy as other people’s. That’s an expectation no one should be able to stand in the way of.”

Rapper, Producer and Drag Artist

Dope St Jude

“Black artists often have to carry on their shoulders the struggle of their whole community. You can’t just be a carefree artist. The responsibility is often placed on the oppressed group but I think it’s the privileged people who have to do the work and the reflecting. It’s not our job to be educating people all the time.”

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True Music

True Music is here to represent and celebrate music communities, and the people that make them thrive. Giving a stage to the most exciting emerging talent.