SABC’s local music quota a boon for SA musicians
90% content could mean more royalties, record sales, bigger gigs
THIS could be the break South African musicians have been waiting for. The SABC’s decision to play 90 percent local music across its 18 stations has been met by a giant cheer from local musicians, who hope the increased airtime will translate into more royalties and record sales, and bigger gigs.
The South African Music Rights Organisation (Samro) is in charge of collecting royalties from the SABC and paying it out to musicians who are registered with them.
According to Samro’s general manager of marketing Tiyani Maluleka, the new quota could have a big impact on musician’s earnings.
“Royalties do make up a big chunk of a musician’s earnings. If the SABC, being the biggest broadcaster, play what they say they will play, it will have a proportional impact on royalties for local musicians,” she said.
Maluleka said for a song on high rotation, the royalties could pile up to a substantial amount.
“The more local music is played, the more local composers and producers will earn.”
Composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Gavin Minter said the 90 percent local quota would only be a big win if it was used to give airtime to a range of genres.
“I think it is a positive thing for local artists, but I have mixed feelings about what content is going to be played. I hope we don’t end up with 90percent of the 90 percent being kwaito.”
He said indie folk, deeper jazz and lesser known rock bands would likely be among those neglected in favour of house and kwaito: “I mean, how many times can we hear a Black Coffee track?”
But local star Jimmy Nevis disagreed: “There are very different markets around this country, everyone has a different taste to cater to. I would not say that it is going to favour one style of music over others; that happens naturally. When I was in the US I felt like I heard the same 10 songs over and over.
“In South Africa where the internet and social media are only just beginning, we still rely very much on radio for music. There are many people out there who don’t have access to the internet but they can turn on the radio and hear their favourite song.”
Acoustic Element’s Jody Abel warned that while the extra radio plays would help encourage celebrity status, it would not be a magic fix for artists battling to establish themselves in a music career.
“For artists that are struggling, 80percent comes from word-of-mouth and performing. And that’s where the next gig comes from,” Abel said.
But as Nevis said, there had never been a better time to break onto the music scene.
“For new artists, this is an incredible opportunity to step forward.”
NINETY percent is the new buzzword for artists in South Africa today.
It’s a wonderful start to bring SA music (I detest the word local) to the fore, but I feel more needs to be done.
Don’t get me wrong, as I speak in my personal capacity, having founded the NPC Music Exchange (it’s in its sixth year), which teaches artists about the business of music and having had the privilege of being Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse’s manager for many years.
Airplay is vital, but is only one part to the business.You first need a good song and a song relevant to the market you are appealing to, and then that particular radio will consider it.
Good Hope FM is not going to play a jazz piece of music. They cater for a specific audience and age demographic, and artists need to consider this when submitting songs.
Radio is in the business to make money from advertisers by selling space on the airwaves, bottom line.
So we have 90 percent South African music being played, but what next? How do listeners engage with the artist? How do fans take their hard-earned cash and purchase a song or album? iTunes is for a small percentage of the market.
Physical stores are becoming less and less, so artists need to develop a live show and tour venues.
The collecting agencies like the Samro’s and Capassos of the word also need to become more vigilante to make sure radio fills in the cue sheets and the collections and disbursements are made . Could record companies not drop the price point on South African albums as an incentive to move stock and could iTunes not drop their prices to help the airplay and 90 percent euphoria?
A great viable touring market does not exist in South Africa. Overseas, some countries have a campus circuit that hosts bands on a nightly basis. This has dried up in South Africa. We also need the print and electronic media to support this incentive by giving space to celebrate the good and the great.
Advertising agencies need to stop looking to overseas artists for their new campaign. We have enough writers and songs to be able to choose from. One thinks of Trevor Jones from Cape Town, who is one of the biggest film composers in the world, and is yet to be used for a major commercial in South Africa.
Tony Cedras of Cape Town, who toured with Paul Simon for many years, is another who comes to mind .The talent is not lacking, that is for sure. It’s the mindset of people who still go around thinking South African music is inferior.
South African musicians and bands also have a responsibility to lose their sense of entitlement – and lose it immediately.
If New Zealand, a country that has more sheep than people, can have international global artists, why can’t South Africa?
There is no doubt in my mind that we have the talent, but we lack the emotional intelligence, common sense, business savvy and maturity. If that’s how you want to play, it’ll be over before you even start. Ninety percent is a start, and let us massage the points and work as a cohesive industry to make it better.