Is technology driving recording frenzy?
Mqondisi Dube | Sunday September 17, 2023 06:00
The period leading to the festive season was much anticipated as music followers kept their ears glued to the airwaves for the latest hits.
And artists rarely disappointed as anytime from August was a merry-making period with new releases flooding the market. Some flopped; others did just fine while yet more stood out as the festive season hits.
The artists targeted the period leading up to the festive season as they looked to cash in on the free-spending associated with the Christmas period.
South Africa, as the status quo has remained, was the undisputed factory that churned endless Christmas holiday hits.
Christmas without a South African hit felt like the blunt taste of tea without sugar. It was not a festive period without a Brenda Fassie release in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
There would be anxiety the longer an artist took to release a festive season hit. However, there appeared to be an unwritten rule that the once-year release was the benchmark.
Experts in the industry reckon, albums have a two-year cycle, from the time of the album’s release to its promotion up to when it starts a decline. But the industry is seeing a vertiginous shift, with artists making frequent visits to the studio. Celebrated artist, Vee Mampeezy, rarely gives his fans sufficient time to digest his latest release before making his way back to the studio. One of the most sought-after jazz artists, Tomeletso Sereetsi says the increasing use of technology, which has driven recording costs down, is behind the surge in frequent releases.
“The industry has changed, recording is very much accessible. Digital recording is cheaper and the quality better than in the past. There are so many tech companies working in the space. They are improving the softwares and apps. In the end, the beneficiaries are creatives as it brings the costs down,” Sereetsi says.
He also says as a result of the lower production costs, there is now a proliferation of new artists, and by extension, new releases.
“Barriers to entry have been broken,” he notes. Sereetsi says the other force pushing an increased number of releases entering the market is the shift from recording albums to singles.
“People no longer record albums. It’s now a single-based industry, they just record one song and test the market and if it doesn’t stick they go back and record another one. Even if it catches on, the artist will still record a new single. It means that there will be a lot more releases in that sense,” he says.
He adds that in the past artists took time to put together an album, which meant paying more to release. “It was a physical product, cut a cassette, cut a CD or an LP. But nowadays there is no need to cut any of those products, which makes it easier for people to release frequently. Even radio stations accept soft copies and people consume their music through new platforms like phones.” Sereetsi says releasing singles helps as it is cheaper and less time-consuming. “It has made it easier for people to record music,” he says. Veteran guitarist, Kapenda Katuta says back in the day an artist was supposed to have a budget and a market for the product.
“We had the likes of Alfredo Mos and Nata Capricon among others. Today’s artists lack material and move from one studio to the other with the same song. For you to record a good album and release it, you need a good budget,” Katuta says.
He is against frequent releases saying artists need to take time on their work.
“You can’t release something before the market digests your previous release. They need to take time. Look at Dr Vom,” he says.
Katuta bemoans the increased use of software for recording.
“It kills the industry. You need the presence of a real artist as the software cannot give you every instrument,” he says.
As music fans enter the home stretch leading to the festive season, anticipation is no longer about whether or not an artist will release, but on which product will dominate the airwaves come December.