Sabotaging our own: Ghanaian music and the purchasing problem

Well, for well-informed arts people who feel that there is grave labour producing content for consumption, and who understand the intricacies of copyright laws, purchasing is sacred.

But, to hip millennial who enjoys free downloads on the internet, it’s absolutely rubbish.

Research has shown that sales of legitimate cassettes and compact discs (CDs) have declined due to the internet piracy.

A 2004 study on ‘the effect of internet piracy on CD sales’ by Economists, Martin Peitz and Patrick Waelbroeck suggested that sales of CDs, which benefits musicians, saw a major decline between 2000 and 2001 due to internet piracy.

In 2001 alone, there was 10% decline in CD sales worldwide, causing a huge loss to the music industry.

How did it start?

Many musicians around the globe have made huge incomes from the sales of cassettes and CD. In the early 1980s, when cassette patronage was declining, CDs made a timely emergence on the market of music media.

Swedish Pop group ABBA and American singer-songwriter Billy Joel were the first musicians who made money from CD sales after releasing “The Visitors” and “52nd Street” albums respectively.

Let’s bring it down to Ghana. Highlife, Hiplife and Afrobeats musicians in the early 90s enjoyed massive sales boosts when CDs were introduced in the country.

I quite remember when my parents and older brothers used to rush to distribution vans to purchase CDs. CDs from Lumba Brothers (Daddy Lumba and Nana Acheampong), Daasebre Gyamenah, Paa Solo, A.A.A (Akwasi Ampofo Agyei), K.K Kabobo, Amakye Dede, Obuoba J.A. Adofo, Dr Paa Bobo, and other superstars in the 1990s would not pass by without finding their way into sound systems in my household.

Even though cassettes were still selling in the late 1990s and early 200s, CDs had its way through, putting smiles on musicians’ faces. CDs gave musicians direct cash and value for their midnight toils. Plus, it in the long run also contributed to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

But around 2004-2006, the music business model changed. The music purchasing business switched from distribution vans to online and offline piracy.

More online music blogs that make music available to its subscribers and daily/monthly visitors emerged. Hubs and portals for music piracy grew in numbers, set up by internet savvy, music-loving young Ghanaians who saw it as a niche to explore and exploit in outwitting unemployment.

The outcome?

Artistes felt the impact in their pockets and bank accounts. Many veteran musicians, who could have made money from direct sales, legal online stores like iTunes and Spotify and other royalty sources, have rather suffered the consequences.

Amina Ibrahim, the wife of late Highlife musician Daasebre Gyamenah, had to beg Ghanaians for financial support to help the musician’s family. Before the death of Highlife legend Jewel Ackah, he had to rely on former President John Dramani Mahama and a few industry people for financial support. Hiplife star Omanhene Pozo died of a brain tumour because he couldn’t afford a surgery.

These are just a few instances.

There are a bunch of one-time hitmakers who find it very difficult to afford a square meal.

This is happening because free music downloads have taken over from the tradition of music purchasing.

A lot of Ghanaian musicians, including Volta Regime Music Group owner Edem and Zylofon Music/Burniton Music Group artiste Stonebwoy have felt the sting of the download culture.

In 2017, Stonebwoy complained bitterly about some Ghanaian music blogs unlawfully putting musicians’ hard work up for free downloads and making double profits from the venture, which inflicts heavy losses on the artiste.