Lady Gaga, HAIM, and more shift new album release dates in response to pandemic

Almost every single industry has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, to the point where listing all of them has become a daunting task. And while some might think that the music industry hasn’t been hit as hard as, say, film and television, that is definitely not the case—as evidenced in part by the recent cancellations/delays of major festivals like Coachella and SXSW. We’re also starting to see the other ways in which the music industry has been impacted by the pandemic, and it goes beyond the obvious-but-necessary cancellation of large festivals. In addition to cancelling or postponing upcoming tours, several artists are shifting the release dates of their upcoming albums, including high-profile releases from Lady Gaga and HAIM.

In a statement shared with her Twitter followers today, Lady Gaga says she’s “made the incredibly tough decision to postpone the release of Chromatica,” her sixth studio album. The artist says she’ll announce a new 2020 release date soon, and in the meantime she urges everyone to “spend this time focusing on solutions.” Lady Gaga also revealed that she had planned a secret Coachella set which had to be scrapped when the fest was cancelled.