For all the opportunities for fault and fumble in live-streamed music performances, independent country artists have benefited from this medium’s rise in popularity. During lockdown, country music’s listener base widened on Spotify, despite an overall decrease in streams. In various ways, the increase in live-streamed performance opportunities — and necessary decrease in live performances, due to public health concerns — has leveled patches of the playing field between independent and big-label country musicians.

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