NEWS OF THE (GUITAR) WORLD 2021
YOU REMEMBER 2020? Yeah, that sucked. But the world (guitar and otherwise) pulled itself up by its bootstraps (and, ahem, guitar straps) and made it to the finish line. Of course, 2021 wasn’t without its challenges. The coronavirus pandemic is still disrupting many facets of life, and political divisiveness is as prevalent as ever. For many of us, the past couple of years have hammered home the fact that change and uncertainty are, well, certain. But, readers of this magazine, there is one message we can all steadfastly rally around: thank god (or the devil, depending on who you hail) for the guitar. Our instrument of choice has been a crucial creative outlet and reliable source of balance, inspiration, connection and respite throughout 2021. But don’t take our word for it… take your word for it!
Over the past year-plus more people than ever have picked up a guitar for the first time (16 million, by Fender’s recent estimates), and engagement on our own website, GuitarWorld.com, and social media accounts has gone through the roof. We’ve witnessed tons more six-string fanatics clicking, congregating and commenting to keep up with the whole universe of guitar-related news, gear, lessons, artist profiles, song premieres, live show announcements and much more. As we close the books on 2021, we’re taking a moment to revisit the news stories that most captivated your attention online. So, kick back, crack a cold one (or a hot one, if that’s your thing) and read on to see what stories united us this year. Cheers to 2022!
LIVE MUSIC RETURNS!
WE’RE JUST GONNA say it: screw Covid. Since the coronavirus engulfed the globe in early 2020, the pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of our lives, from health to finances and so much more. For musicians and fans, Covid-19, and the ensuing social-distancing mandates, also effectively killed live music — halting one of our main avenues for expression, community, catharsis and, for some, income.
