2022 saw the world start to heal from the Covid-19 pandemic with an influx of live music events such as concerts and festivals. However, tragedies continued to emerge with various musicians lost, including Foo Fighters’ beloved drummer Taylor Hawkins who passed away back in March. Many artists also came forward with their struggles with mental health as well as financial instability due to the exorbitant costs of touring. There were also positive moments throughout the year such as the revival of heavy metal band Pantera and the return of the ever-popular Stranger Things series which gave Metallica, Kate Bush and Ghost a boost in popularity as well as ushered in a new wave of life-long fans and dedicated supporters. Here are mxdwn’s top 5 newsworthy stories of 2022!

5. Stranger Things & Its Impact On The Music Industry

Stranger Things: Season Four undoubtedly made a notable impact within the T.V. industry, however, it made quite a splash within the music industry as well. Kate Bush’s 1985 single “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” broke three Guinness World Records and earned a CD reissue while Metallica’s 1986 track “Master Of Puppets” also rose in popularity, entering the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time ever due to its pivotal inclusion in the season’s finale. Ghost’s “Mary On A Cross” also saw a peak in streaming thanks to a fan-made TikTok edit of Stranger Things characters using the song. “Mary On A Cross” debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 90 and has since become certified gold in the U.S. Members of the Stranger Things cast have also made quite an impression on the music industry with Joe Keery, professionally known as DJO, and Maya Hawke releasing their sophomore albums DECIDE and Moss.

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat

4. Pantera “Reunion”

In mid-July, heavy metal fans were greeted with the news that surviving band members Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown would be reuniting for a Pantera revival of sorts. As the members have reiterated (and many fans have agreed), there will unfortunately never be a true “reunion” as founding brothers Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell have since passed away. Even so, Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante were reportedly approved by the Abbott Brothers’ estates to participate in the Pantera celebration. The band officially played their first live show in over 20 years during Hell and Heaven Fest on December 2 in Mexico City. Currently, the band is scheduled to play Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park 2023, Welcome To Rockville 2023, Rock Fest 2023 as well as support Metallica on their 2023 and 2024 North American tour dates.

3. Kanye West’s Antisemitic Remarks

In early October, rapper and record producer Kanye West, now legally known as Ye, was locked out of his Twitter account after tweeting antisemitic comments. The outburst provoked a hate group to demonstrate on an overpass of the 405 freeway in Los Angeles, displaying a sign that read “Kanye is right about the Jews.” Ye has been dropped by JP Morgan Chase, Balenciaga and Adidas, the latter of which had partnered with the rapper to sell Yeezy branded products. MRC also scrapped a completed documentary on West, explaining that they did not want to “amplify his platform.” Ye’s booking agency CAA also dropped him as a client following his antisemitic tweets. In late October, Forbes reported that West was no longer a billionaire because of the various business partnerships he had lost following the outburst. Ye has since been spotted with Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes, praised Hitler on Alex Jones’ Info Wars and was suspended from Twitter once again after posting a swastika.

Photo Credit: Boston Lynn Schulz

2. Taylor Hawkins’ Passing & Tribute Concerts

Foo Fighters’ beloved drummer Taylor Hawkins tragically passed away earlier this year on March 25 in Bogotá, Colombia. The band was scheduled to headline the first day of the Estéreo Picnic Festival but canceled their appearance as well as the remainder of their tour dates. Hawkins’ passing prompted an outpour of heartfelt tributes from Perry Farrell, Paul McCartney, Red Hot Chili Peppers and more. Foo Fighters even put together two tribute concerts in his honor with one taking place at L.A.’s Kia Forum and London’s Wembley Stadium featuring performances from Wolfgang Van Halen, Gene Simmons, Joan Jett, Alanis Morissette, Miley Cyrus and more. Comedian Dave Chappelle notably covered Radiohead’s “Creep” during the Los Angeles event and Them Crooked Vultures reunited for the first time in over a decade during the London concert. Suffice to say, Hawkins leaves behind a powerful legacy both in the music world and beyond.

Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna

1. Touring & The Financial Struggles Of Live Musicians

The rise in streaming has had quite an impact on the music industry. Musicians in particular have been effected by the shift as their main source of income is now coming from live performances and touring. However, playing live shows is quite expensive when factoring in the cost of fuel, lodging and food. Even selling merchandise is not as lucrative as intended with many music industry insiders claiming that venues tax merch sales, sometimes up to twenty percent. According to BBC, the sale of merch may require the hiring of concession companies that may take up to 25% of the merchandise sales. Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff recently brought the dilemma into the spotlight, calling for artists to be included “in more areas of revenue.” Wednesday, Squirrel Flower, Bad Omens and more have also spoken out about how touring has become unsustainable for younger and smaller artists. This phenomena, with its tour cancelations and financial struggles, will have a massive ripple effect on music as a whole.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Ekaterina Gorbacheva