Now that 2020 is in the rearview mirror, we’re looking back at the posts that were most popular with our readers. Featured topics included music streaming, entertainment trends, and management tools for the arts sector. On the podcast side, our most popular episodes reflected national trends: the need for racial equity and the effects of Covid-19 on the arts sector.

Here are our top 10 most-read posts of 2020:

1. A Competitive Analysis of the Music Streaming Industry: With so many players in the music streaming industry, what differentiates them? This introductory post takes a look at streaming platforms from Spotify to Tencent. (Published September 24, 2019)

2. Exploring an Equity & Inclusivity Problem: Gender & Ethnic Diversity in Video Games: A lack of gender and ethnic diversity is a problem in many areas of life in the United States. What does this look like in the video game industry? (Published October 24, 2019)

3. Future Trends of Music Streaming Services: Part two of a series exploring the music streaming industry looks at survey data to predict what the future of music streaming might look like. (Published October 8, 2019)

4. Drawing in the 21st Century: A Side-by-Side Comparison of Adobe Illustrator Draw and Autodesk Sketchbook: Potentially helpful for new quarantine hobbies, this review compares two different apps for digital drawing. (Published March 22, 2016)

5. Deepfake Technology in the Entertainment Industry: Potential Limitations and Protections: With the rise of deepfake technology, our contributor looked into ways it can be used safely to benefit the entertainment industry. (Published March 10, 2020)

6. The Role of Technology in Museums: There is no doubt that technology is becoming central to the museum experience. What are some pros and cons to how it’s being used? (Published July 14, 2016)

7. Libby vs. Hoopla: Reader App Comparison: As the world fell into quarantine and users went online, libraries began to push their available e-resources as a way to pass the time, in some cases using reader apps. This review compares two of those apps: Libby and Hoopla. (Published August 6, 2020)

8. All-in-One Project Management with Monday.com: Forced into remote work, many organizations looked to tools such as project management software to help them adjust. This review evaluates the features Monday.com offers. (Published March 18, 2019)

9. Playing with Reality in the Performing Arts: AR, VR, and MR: In recent years, there has been more experimentation with AR, VR, and MR within the performing arts. What are some goals organizations can accomplish through these technologies? (Published April 1, 2019)

10. ManyChat: The Affordable Chatbot: Messenger marketing is predicted to become the world’s largest marketing channel in the next five to seven years. This review looks at ManyChat, a chatbot authoring tool that can connect with Facebook. (Published February 14, 2018)

Top podcasts of 2020:

1. Building DEIA In The Arts: Part 1: How is the American Alliance of Museums addressing equity in museums? Grace Stewart shares some insight. (Published June 16, 2020)

2. Let’s Talk COVID-19 Special: Ideas and Inspiration for Arts Organizations: The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic definitely disrupted the arts sector. This special “Let’s Talk” episode includes ideas for social engagement, fundraising, and communication during the coronavirus pandemic. (Published March 24, 2020)

3. Remote Work Tools: Using Airtable and Asana for Project Management: Two arts sector professionals discuss the pros and cons of Airtable and Asana, two popular and widely used management platforms. (Published April 7, 2020)

4. Let's Talk: Zoom Fatigue, VR Festivals, and Streaming: What is Zoom fatigue and how can you combat it? What does a VR festival entail? Our podcast staff discusses these topics and more. (Published October 14, 2020)

5. Changing the Narrative: Interview with Aubrey Bergauer: In this interview episode, Bergauer shared some of her strategies for organizational growth, turnaround, data collection, and audience retention within orchestra management. (Published February 20, 2020)

We’re excited to continue to publish articles, reviews, and podcasts that resonate with our readers and address important trends in 2021. Comment below if there’s something you’d like to see this year!