People singing from balconies during coronavirus lockdown are part of a long tradition of using music to fight fear, stretching back through the Black Death to the 7th century BC.
“In our response to the coronavirus, balcony concerts have been just one of a range of musical tools we’ve deployed. Virtual gigs, “pandemic pop” and a corona-themed Bono single have so far appeared, but music’s role can be considerably more basic. So long as we use any kind of music to restore balance and reduce our suffering, we’ll be walking in the footsteps of our forebears.“