Seeing as there's no live music going on, we're going to be talking about the virtual music events that have been going on lately, as well as the stand-out charitable efforts supporting those who have been effected by the coronavirus lockdown and even those who have been fighting this crippling disease.

Virtual Gigs

You'll be unsurprised to learn that Glastonbury is the latest major music event to be cancelled due to the coronavirus. It seems we can forget pretty much all of our live music plans for the foreseeable future - but that doesn't mean we can't make new ones...

Global Citizen and the World Health Organisation have organised a virtual concert series entitled Together at Home, featuring performances from the likes of Rufus Wainwright, John Legend, Shawn Mendes, Hozier, Bastille, Coldplay and many more. If nothing else, it helps people realise that we are all in the same boat no matter who we are.

Meanwhile, MTV have launched their Unplugged at Home series featuring acoustic sets by musicians, also from the safety of their own homes. We've already seen Wyclef Jean performing Gone Till November and Hips Don't Lie, and we are living for it.

Eurovision 2020 may still be going ahead though, in less positive news (just kidding), as organisers look at virtual alternatives following the cancelling of the live competition. The only thing certain at this stage though is that the UK will, once again, not win.

House fans who were suffering from club withdrawal symptoms experienced the next best thing with Defected Records virtual music festival on Friday, as they streamed 12 hours of music from the likes of Simon Dunmore, Monki, Sam Divine, Low Steppa, The Shapeshifters, Melvo Baptiste and more.

Charity Efforts

Many have been raising funds this week to support the critical financial situation that the coronavirus has caused. Rihanna has allegedly donated 700,000 USD towards the purchase of ventilators for her home nation of Barbados as the number of cases rises to six; which is a lot for a country that's only 167 square miles.

Rihanna 2019 / Photo Credit: PA ImagesRihanna 2019 / Photo Credit: PA Images

On a broader scale, Grammy organisers have launched a coronavirus relief fund as part of their MusiCares charity to help artists who are struggling financially due to live events being cancelled or being forced to cancel studio time. After all, the only way we can save music is by saving those who create it.

Corona Casualties

Unfortunately, we have noted three Americans within the music industry testing positive for coronavirus. Songwriter and producer to the stars Andrew Watt (who recently produced Ozzy Osbourne's Ordinary Man album) is currently recovering from the illness, and as of last week was confined to an oxygen machine to help him breathe through severe pneumonia.

Plus, 19-year-old pop singer Charlotte Lawrence also announced last week that she had tested positive for COVID-19, though she insists that she will be absolutely fine. Tragically, DJ Black N Mild was not so lucky and passed away from the illness at the age of 44 on Thursday; the same day he received his diagnosis.

Viral Video of the Week

All hope is not lost, however, and the best thing we can do to get things back to normal is stay at home as much as possible and make the best out of this dire situation. Gal Gadot gave us a lift with her home-bound rendition of John Lennon's Imagine, where she was joined by the likes of Kristen Wiig, Jamie Dornan, Labrinth, James Marsden, Sarah Silverman, Jimmy Fallon, Natalie Portman, Zoe Kravitz, Sia, Amy Adams, Chris O'Dowd. Will Ferrell, Mark Ruffalo, Norah Jones, Ashley Benson, Cara Delevingne and more.

In Other News

The Taylor-Kanye scandal makes a return as it turns out that Taylor Swift really was screwed over by Kanye West after all. The rapper and his wife Kim Kardashian had made out that Tay was a snake for hitting back at the questionable lyrics about her in Kanye's song Famous despite a recorded phone conversation seemingly showing her giving her consent. The full recording has now been leaked though, and it's obvious that she didn't get nearly the full picture from Kanye before he released the song.

Speaking of making a return, Deep Purple have a new single entitled Throw My Bones ahead of the release of their 21st album Whoosh! which is due out on June 12th. The song is their first new material since 2017's Infinite.

Another new release comes from Childish Gambino in the form of his new album 3.15.20, aka Donald Glover Presents. The majority of songs are listed as time-stamps, but Feels Like Summer is on there under the title 42.26.

And finally, the music world is paying its respects to a legendary country singer as its revealed that Kenny Rogers has died of natural causes at the age of 81. The singer, who was famous for hits like The Gambler and Islands In The Stream featuring Dolly Parton, passed on Friday night while in hospice care with his family around him. RIP Kenny!

Kenny Rogers / Photo Credit: Tammie Arroyo/AFF/PA ImagesKenny Rogers / Photo Credit: Tammie Arroyo/AFF/PA Images