The music industry will pause production in support of racial protests in the US.
The music industry will join "Black Out Tuesday" this week, suspending business and working with communities to combat racial inequality.
Reuters - Major record labels will participate in "Black Out Tuesday" this week, suspending business and working with communities to combat racial inequality, after protests erupted in the United States following the death of a Black man, George Floyd, while in police custody.
Several prominent artists also spoke out about the death and the subsequent demonstrations, some of which turned violent.
“We stand with the Black community,” Universal Music said on Twitter, with the hashtag #TheShowMustBePaused.
"The music business at WMG will not continue as usual," Warner Records wrote on its account, referring to Warner Music Group, adding that it will contribute to the 'Black Lives Matter' movement and other groups fighting racial injustice.
Sony Music made a similar announcement, while Interscope Geffen A&M, part of Universal, said it would not release any new music this week.
In a memo to staff over the weekend, Universal President Lucian Grainge stated that the company is assembling a task force to work on improving its performance in inclusion and social justice.
“This week, once again, we saw the most painful realities of our society regarding race, justice, and inequality brought – cruelly and brutally – into the harsh light of day,” he wrote in the note, seen by Reuters.
Several major artists joined the protests over the weekend, including Ariana Grande.