#Digital music in #Africa must be by #Africans!

 

Those around me have heard me go on about my love for AKA’s newly launched single : Congratulate. Apparently the single is doing well on iTunes. In a previous post [ https://enitiate.solutions/en/digital-goes-platinum/ ] I stated how SA needs a reliable digital music downloads aggregator. Before congratulating anyone on being no.1 I’m certain facts would be needed.

This morning while listening on the radio there was an interview with a marketing executive from a company called Content Connect Africa.

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“So, it is based on these findings that I made my statement about there not being a reliable local platform we can go to when we need clarity of #digitaldownloads”  http://wp.me/p4lOzK-1rs

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According to the executive, right now in SA in terms of music downloads :

• Gospel music is the leading genre. Sifiso Ncgwane & Hlengiwe Mhlaba being the leading artists.

• Liquideep is also note worthy.

• Big Nuz & Dj Kent were also mentioned but in no particular order.

So after the interview I got some sense of hope regarding the future of digital musical content aggregation in South Africa. What was also mentioned is the  methods of consumption.  Attributed to low smart phone penetration and high data costs, the youth market is using mainly airtime to buy musical downloads instead of using real data. Perhaps that would explain why another South African artist, K O [Teargas] will have his single distributed via MTN Play, this according to Slikouronlife.co.za

In light of the 25th anniversary of the internet and how it has revolutionized the state of affairs in Africa. I find it an opportune time to prophecy that the landscape of digital music downloads throughout Africa in general will change sooner than later.

 

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” NIGERIAN MUSIC ANYTIME ANYWHERE ”

 

 

 

[/blockquote]Nigeria  – with population of about 169 million people – has established its own music downloads app suite called iROKING. In a country that is so big on mobile technology, artists are utilizing music downloads effectively as a distribution channel. Not forgetting to mention how empowering it is for artists to tell their own stories and make their music more accessible despite the geography.

 

Here’s to hoping RISA / SAMRO can get with the program and downloads can be verified before we congratulate. I am hoping Content Connect Africa will be a verifiable source to be relied on.I do not for a second doubt iTunes authenticity but I would like to advocate for Africans doing it for themselves!