It’s a bitter irony that our annual Women In Music issue should coincide with Donald Trump’s shock win in the US Presidential election.
WIM has become a glorious annual celebration of female achievement and, while the ultimate glass ceiling sadly remains unshattered for now, it didn’t stop Friday’s do at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington being as triumphant as ever. More to the point, its collaborative spirit helped a dismal week end on a high, while having Hope Not Hate as our charity partner seemed more appropriate than ever.
The music business, of course, has become well-versed in making the best out of adversity. So, while Trump’s campaign may have been deplorable and his victory enough to make all right-thinking people despair of humanity, on a purely business level, is there a possibility his administration could actually work out OK for the music industry?
After all, five months on from another despairing morning, post-Brexit result, UK execs are starting to find the odd glimmer of light amidst the gloom. And while artists were largely united in their despondency, US execs suggest Trump’s Presidency could actually see Google’s power over the White House wane, hopefully in favour of rights-holders.
Such things don’t make the human cost of a Trump presidency worth paying of course, but they do suggest the music business’ knack for making the best of a bad hand could once again prevail.
Then again, the whole thing could prove to be an absolute shitshow. But even if it does, you can bank on the music business to be there fighting the good fight and proving that hope always trumps hate, and hopefully trumps Trump too.
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