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Musikrückblick 2018© Colourbox

The year in music: 2018

Ich baue Wände voll erzeugter Ängste     

(I build walls of manufactured fears)

(Schorsch Kamerun)

2018 was -again- a difficult year, seen from a political and social point of view. In addition, there were drastic changes in traditional markets such as the physical media formats: Virtually all relevant German music magazines were buried, and And increasingly even new album releases appeared exclusively as streams (though, in a kind of counter motion, often in parallel with the nostalgic vinyl format).

However, the willingness to engage in uncomfortable discussions remains unbroken in the German music scene. Examples are the fruits of the gender discussion in German jazz, raves against the right, or the broad front against anti-Semitism in German hip-hop, which ultimately led to the cancellation of Germany's biggest music prize, the Echo, are just a few examples of a defiant musical culture whose tendency to  taking clear positions was more necessary than ever last year.

Gudrun Gut Photo (detail): © Mara von Kummer

Pop 2018
 The new helplessness

It has been a year of upheavals – the digitization of the music industry continued to take its course, while “Intro” and “Spex” magazines phased out their print edition and the Echo Award was cancelled. Political conflicts continue to escalate. The only thing to do – stay cool!

Salome 2018: Asmik Grigorian (Salome) Photo (detail): © Salzburger Festspiele/Ruth Walz

Classical Scene 2018
 The Future of Classical Music is Female

In 2018 the debate on sexual harassment in the film industry and cultural sector started to infiltrate the classical music scene, at the same time women started to gain ground in the realm of conducting and directing. The festivals in Bayreuth and Salzburg scored hits with interesting productions, and in Wuppertal there was a boom in digitally supported opera.
 

Eva Klesse, jazz professor at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien in Hanover Photo (detail): © Gerhard Richter

Jazz 2018
 Calm before or after the storm?

Although jazz is constantly renewing itself and expanding its horizons, it seems to have taken a breather in Germany last year. To consolidate for a while after all the high-octane developments in recent years? So as to really pull out all the stops soon?

The room on the Love Parade at the Nineties exhibition in Berlin Photo (detail): © nineties berlin, Berlin 2018

Electronic Music 2018
 Nostalgia and Visions of the Future

Almost 30 years of Techno – and even this year the historical processing of club culture seems to have swamped the scene totally. In 2018, however, the Techno community also inspired people to take to the streets for political protest and took a clear committed stance on tolerance and more awareness of the spirit of the times. Nevertheless, having to say goodbye to some old acquaintances was painful.

The rehearsals for <i>Principal boy</i> – an installation for music theatre, Eclat Festival Neue Musik Stuttgart Photo (detail): © Frank Kleinbach

New Music 2018
 Showtime

Whether it took the form of a riotously funny TV show, or a dystopian macho performance or an over-religious prayer ceremony – in 2018, New Music showed that it was no stranger to the art of entertainment.

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