Music media in Africa

1 Apr 2019 - 00:00

Music and the media are inseparable, with the latter – whether print, broadcast or online – playing a pivotal part in publicising musical works and artists, and playing an influential role in shaping the tastes of listeners.

Radio is still very popular in many parts of Africa. Photo: Nicholas Githiri

The media can often create or destroy musicians' careers. Such is its power and the influential clout of the people involved in it. And although the media has been widely decentralised by the unprecedented rise of the Internet, some traditional media outlets are still central in the promotion of music for the masses.

Music media has also made a big shift from its traditional forms; today we see social media influencers single-handedly creating the right kind of hype that can rocket artists and their products to dizzying heights. Just imagine what a top social media influencer, such as one of the Kardashian sisters for argument's sake, can do for an upcoming artist's career just by mentioning his name in a tweet or Instagram caption. It is no wonder that such mentions come with a hefty price tag.

In many African countries, music media still functions much like it did 30 or 40 years ago, with radio playing a major role in people's lives. This is largely based on lack of infrastructure and income – factors that have held back many regions on the continent in terms of Internet access. But even so, Africa's more developed music industries are seeing the music business changing rapidly with the Internet's ability to swing business models from relying on physical sales to employing strategies on how to maximise streaming revenue. One could say that Africa's media landscape is like a hybrid train that uses complex electrical circuitry and steam at the same time.

The idea of effective media also goes hand in hand with freedom of information and expression. Unfortunately many African governments have done exceptionally well to restrict media freedom when it comes to opinions and the dissemination of musical works. Censorship is often enacted under the false pretence of artists having undermined moral or religious laws, when all they have done is disagree with endemic corruption, bad governance or regressive ideologies in their countries.

Lastly, music media in Africa should be viewed through a historical lens, where the media structures that served the interests of the colonial powers of yesteryear were repositioned to cater for the interests, tastes and musical cultures of the majority.

We have commissioned numerous Overview texts on the subject, written by respected media experts from all over Africa, with plenty more to come as our coverage of the continent grows. These texts provide historical background before giving details of the current status of the print, broadcast and online media in their respective countries – vital information for anyone wanting to understand the context in which today’s African music is created, disseminated and consumed.

Overviews