The Music Industry

Having been involved in the music industry in South Africa for over two decades there are a number of issues that I feel strongly about. One is the way that record companies dictate to the radio / tv stations what they should play. I understand that this is part and parcel of their marketing / sales generation ploys, but the result is that really good unknown artists remain unknown. The companies go with proven winners only, very seldom does a new act / artist come to the fore.

Take a look at Seether. These boys were really good, and they knew it. SA companies would not even give them a look in so they went direct to Sony international. One audition and they were signed up, never to darken the door of a local record company again. Typical. The local managers / producers [or whatever they call themselves] could not spot talent if it fell on them - and if they did, would NOT know how to handle it. We have massive potential here, artists and bands who could really do well internationally if given a gap. But no, we are subject to the same-old same-old SA artists every day on the radio, limiting our horisons as the buying SA public.