As 2020 hurtles toward its long awaited ending, a $15 billion bill designed to give live music venues and other cultural institutions the financial help they'll need to survive into 2021—"the largest public rescue of the arts in U.S. history," per the Washington Post—passed both houses of Congress Monday. By the reckoning of almost everyone in the business, the Save Our Stages act will be a crucial lifeline. Also by the reckoning of almost everyone in the business, the largest public rescue of the arts in U.S. history won't be enough. More money is going to be needed next year for an industry that estimates its 2020 losses at north of $30 billion, with further losses to come. This is live music's bittersweet Christmas, and I'm reminded of my favorite Christmas song of the 21st century, TRACEY THORN's "JOY," which seeks, in the lights of the holiday, a path through darkness. "We'll gather up our fears," Thorn sings, "And face down all the coming years / And all that they destroy / And in their face we throw our joy." Which is something the best music i this or any year can do. Live music especially... Christmas music has always been suffused with darkness. The Independent reports on "The sad indie albums saving Christmas," while the New York Times offers a selection of this year's "Largely Skeptical, Somewhat Unconventional" pop music carols from TAYLA PARX, GIRL IN RED, FINNEAS and others. Even MARIAH CAREY's "ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU" is "A Lot Sadder Than You Realize," says the Ringer. We collect the hopeful, depressing and strange tales of Yuletide's best in MusicSET: "(All I Want for Christmas Is) Behind the Song, Vol. 15"... I've kept a database of notable music deaths for the past several years, and nothing has come close to the terrible toll of 2020, a year in which we said goodbye to EDDIE VAN HALEN, LITTLE RICHARD, JOHN PRINE, POP SMOKE, KENNY ROGERS and way too many other artists, composers, producers, label executives, agents, club owners and others who devoted their lives to music. We memorialize them all—599 as of this morning—in our REDEF ORIGINAL "Make Me an Angel: Music Deaths 2020." Covid-19 was responsible for at least 70 deaths, and 21 musicians—all men—were murder victims. For comparison, my 2019 database has 433 names. May their music live on, and may next year be kinder... K.T. OSLIN had Covid-19, too, but it's not clear if that was the cause of her death Monday at age 78. She had her first major country hit at the unheard-of age of 45 and a year later became the first woman ever to win Song of the Year—a songwriting honor—at the CMA AWARDS. "She changed everything—forever," country singer CHELY WRIGHT tweeted. A good thread by my friend BRIAN MANSFIELD on why Oslin was never particularly prolific. And one sad/perfect tweet from TYLER MAHAN COE on what happens when a 40something woman tries to send a song about dating "YOUNGER MEN" to country radio. RIP... RIP also CHAD STUART... This is the last regular edition of MusicREDEF in 2020. We'll publish three special editions between now and the end of year looking back at the artists of the year, the year's most notable obituaries and remembrances, and the lost year of live music. Our first newsletter of 2021 will arrive Tuesday, Jan. 5. Wishing you a safe, healthy and happy holiday.