Radyo Akdeniz FM Music

So then the question is asked, why pay for music when you can get it free? Our Asian music industry is sadly on its last legs, why? Because we can all get our music fix for ‘free’. If its free why pay?

Lost Generation

Paying for music is something that a generation of Asian kids and adults alike have failed to grasp, and the realities of this are only now really hitting home. To what was once a vibrant scene with album sales regularly hitting 50,000 and over for a good album, sales have now declined to just below ONE THOUSAND. That’s right; most albums released in the UK Bhangra scene will not sell over ONE THOUSAND cd’s. How can this be when the asian community in the UK is so large and widespread.

Now I know your all asking yourselves, well if a album is rubbish then why buy it? I agree with you, a lot of rubbish does get brought out, hit singles get put on ‘compilation albums’ that consist of average tracks and the one hit track misleads the public into buying. A perfect example of this is the “Jaan Punabi” album released by Limitless Records last year, it featured the hit track Jaan Punjab and then tracks by other ‘various producers’ which amounted to very little. Albums like these deserve low sales as to put it bluntly, they are rip offs. But what about the good albums released in the UK Bhangra scene? What about the talented musicians like Mukhtar Sahota, Tru Skool who constantly bring out albums worth the price tag. They too suffer the same fate. Is this fair? Jaan Punjabi was one of the biggest ‘sellers’ of 2007 whereas the fantastic “Unpredictable” by Mukhtar Sahota and Lakhwinder Wadali comparatively sold very little, is that fair?

Of course it isn’t, but life isn’t fair and if you got it for “free” then your not going to complain are you?

A Very Vicious Cycle

The state of our industry now is that, talented artists are bringing out music which is not a true reflection of their talent. Their attitude is; even if the album is good its still going to sell the same as the average release I put out.

The sad thing is, they are 100% correct.

And then we have us consumers, who say; If the album is rubbish, were not paying for it.

So who’s right? Who is to blame?

Ah yes, the record labels. That’s another story for another day.

Artists aren’t putting 100% into their music and consumers are unwilling to pay for albums in the fear of getting ripped off, looks as though we are turning into a very long cul-de-sac here…a very vicious cycle.

How do we stop it? The only way is for us consumers to go out and support the good quality albums that are released, the albums that are genuinely worth the price tag. Ignore those who say every album is rubbish, the Bhangra industry still churns out albums that are worth the £10 price tag. If you like the album, buy it, continue to support the genuine quality artists…

And what if an album is rubbish? Don’t download it. Don’t pay no attention to it, leave it sitting on the shelves and the artists and labels will soon get the messege that bringing out 2 and half track albums is not good enough.

Will It Die?

Will Bhangra die if this carries on? No. Bhangra music will always be here, whether it’s being played in a front room during a family get together alongside bottles of whiskey or whether its being played in a club, its always going to be popular. Bhangra wont die…but the opportunities for young hopefuls to enter Bhangra will die.

Whats the incentive for us to pay for it then? Its simple really. What incentive is there for the youngsters of today to pick up a instrument and to go into the music industry? Very little. We are not only killing off the artists of today, but killing any chance for young musicians to come into the Bhangra industry, the very future of our music, our culture.

Most ‘artists’ do it now not for the love of music but to have their faces plastered over TV and probably the chance to chat up naïve teenage girls.

Some do still do it purely for the love of music. But is it now economically viable?, can you earn a full-time living from the Bhangra scene currently as you could 10 years ago? Unless your name is Sukshinder Shinda or Jazzy B then its proving more difficult every day.

Just remember the next time you sit there and get Bhangra music for “free” your ruining the chances for the next Sukshinder Shinda and Jazzy B … the next generation of Asian kids will not have the chance to get anything for “free”, as there wont be anything to get.

 

Written By Sukh (UK).

If you are trying diligently to break into that unknown realm of music promotion, you may find it’s a little more difficult than you might have expected.  As with any industry, music promotion comes down to whom you know.  There are ways to get your foot in the door; however, you must be willing to work at it.  For those who want to become a part of this wonderfully exciting, calculating critical world of the musician, here are some tips to help you:

 

Connect With Your Connections:  In the music industry, it’s all about who you know.  You have to stay in touch with other musicians, promoters, advertisers, clients, and even your friends and family.  Keep the lines of communication open.  Drop them an email or give them a call every now and then.  Keep your name in the forefront of their mind. Look for Unorthodox Means of Marketing:  One of the best things you can do to market your music is to make it stand out.  This does not necessarily mean your music must be completely different from anything else that is available.  It only means that you must use music marketing ideas that are not the norm.  Use daily blogs and social networks to promote your website.  Promote a local charity.  Give away something strange with a CD order, such as a trash can for the rest of the music someone listens to.  Give away a CD of jokes with your music.  Anything you can do that is different will get you noticed. Overhaul Your Band’s Image:  Are you a rock and roll band?  Create a perpetual rolling rock for part of your stage show.  Is hip-hop more your style?  Find a huge stuffed rabbit and dress it in the latest hip-hop clothes.  These may sound completely absurd and more than a little gimmicky, but someone’s going to remember you.  Use your creative side to create a unique look that people will remember. Build Your Fan Base:  Bonuses are always good – free is outstanding.  While not every musician can afford to give away t-shirts or CD’s, create something with your bands name on it that people will use.  The key to music promotion is to stand out.  Obviously, if your fan base grows, so will the interest in your music. Talk to People:  Take a moment to talk to everyone you can.  Standing in line at the market?  Speak to someone in front of you.  While this doesn’t mean the little Grandma in front of you, it does mean to talk to someone who might listen to your genre of music. Take the Time with Your Fans:  Don’t ever get such a big head that you don’t take the time to spend a few moments with your fans.  No matter what business you are in, these people will determine your success.  Whether it’s having a beer at the bar or signing a few autographs, your fans will remember that they were important enough for your time. Pick the Positive People:  If you find you are surrounded by negative people all the time, it’s time for a change.  You need to be upbeat when you meet and deal with people.  You need confidence in yourself and your music.  You must keep the end results of your music promotion campaign in mind at all times.

 

Music promotion can be a down and dirty world.  Keep your own morals intact; don’t lose faith.  Promotions can take on just about any persona and you’ll need every bit of help you can get along the way.

While going through my emails the other day I came across an email from the owner of Taxi which touched on the topic of not giving up in frustration and actually picking things back up that didn’t work for you in the past. This intrigued me quite a bit considering I have been doing just that lately. After having frustration after frustration with trying to get things going for me on the creative side of the music industry I’ve spent quite a long time now working mostly focused on the business end. This comes a lot easier for me to tell you the truth, I have experience from my working with my label and developing artists in the past and I have spent several years now studying up on the various aspects of the industry, most particularly artist development and marketing. So as rap artist The Game would put it I ‘Let my pen fall asleep on my page’, not working on writing songs or crafting music in any way.

Eventually though, idea after idea, after idea hit me and I just recently began writing songs again! I’m just getting around to shopping them around and such, however, just a few weeks after I started back writing an artist I had left a song lyric with that I felt would really be a hit with the right artist and delivery called me up. The opening line of the conversion was “We’re gonna be rich”, (My kind of phone greeting! . I was puzzled to tell you the truth. I had figured the person didn’t see into my vision of the song and had forgotten about it as I was beginning to, however, it ended up just being put on the back burner for a while. The song I hear has gotten a great response from audiences wherever this artist has played it and may (most likely) find its way onto this artists’ next cd project and eventually even be a single release.

So there you have it. My personal story of why you should never give up too soon. The second I picked myself up from my past failures and broken efforts the universe began to work things out for me. Not only have things picked up in my songwriting/publishing pursuits, but I am also creeping my way back behind the mixing board and finding immediate successes and results in that area as well. What does this mean for you? I don’t know exactly, maybe there’s an instrument, or skill level on production that you’d like to reach, but like so many felt overly discouraged and just gave in too quick, or maybe it’s something else. Why not give it one more try? Consider inventors like Edison and possibly any artist that has ever inspired you. They had many of failures and shortcomings I’m sure, but they didn’t let that stop them. So don’t let that stop you, I challenge you this week, Pick IT Back Up, whatever IT may be.