The digital protest went worldwide, and was adopted by artists like Yoko Ono and the Rolling Stones, platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, media companies from Nickelodeon, to MTV,\u00a0Paramount Pictures, and VH1, to\u00a0Columbia Records, RCA Records, Warner Music Group, Spotify, and artists like Elton John, Madonna, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Quincy Jones, and other creative communities, like theater, dance, and film. Many others decided to \u201cmute\u201d themselves online Tuesday as part of the blackout, while skeptics worried that silence was not helping.\u00a0The movement also confused people who used hashtags meant for Black Lives Matter<\/a>, which usually is related to global protests and donations, on their black squares. That caused the usual #BLM and #BlackLivesMatter pages to be flooded with simple squares rather than information and resources, leading several to call out the problem.\u00a0Activists and influencers pointed out that posting a blank black image with a bunch of tags clogs up critical channels of information and updates. The Show Must Be Paused\u00a0released an additional statement<\/a>\u00a0clarifying its intent. \u201cThe purpose was never to mute ourselves,\u201d the group said. \u201cThe purpose is to disrupt.\u201d<\/p>\n Photo: Andrew Harnik \/ AP<\/p><\/div>\n Despite that on the Billboard album chart, black artists have held the top spot for 11 out of the last 13 weeks \u2014 and occupy four of the Top 5 slots\u00a0this week<\/a>, per The New York Times, these calls for action are inevitably intersecting with longstanding issues that critics within the industry have identified as systemic problems, like the lack of diversity among employees and at executive levels, from the major labels to the Recording Academy. Can this social media moment really cause disruption in an industry that has failed to address this issue for years? After the vast reaction online, many are vouching for change, these are some examples.<\/p>\n According to The New York Times reporting by Joe Coscarelli<\/a>, many in the music business said they would be using the blackout day to plan future action. \u201cThis is not a day off,\u201d said Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music, in a social media post. \u201cInstead, this is a day to reflect and figure out ways to move forward in solidarity.\u201d Sony Music said it would expand its mental health support for employees, including grief counseling and a group meditation session this week, as well as promising to match employee donations to social justice organizations.\u00a0Republic Records said<\/a> it is \u201cusing the time to reflect on the injustices happening to the Black community in America, and discuss how we and our artists can use our voices to impact and create real initiatives for change in our communities.\u201d Universal Music Group said it was forming a task force to address issues such as \u201cinclusion.\u201d For\u00a0Def Jam,\u00a0a division of Universal Music, employees joined together and shared<\/a> their outrage, anger, desperation, and frustration, even announcing they would pause the release, marketing and promotion of their music.\u00a0Other companies said they would postpone new releases scheduled for Friday, the standard day for debuts.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ceo-na.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Screen-Shot-2020-06-03-at-11.55.06.png\")
Will #BlackOutTuesday disrupt the industry?<\/h1>\n