Beyond Going Viral: New Platform Seeks to Build Sustainable African Music Careers
The African music industry is increasingly looking beyond viral success as music executives and industry platforms focus on how emerging artists can build sustainable careers.
The latest development is the second edition of A&R Listening Room, a Nigerian artist-development platform founded by music executive and artist-development advocate Mide Ajayi.
The programme has partnered with TurnTable Charts, which will serve as its media partner ahead of the second edition scheduled to take place in Lagos in October. The partnership is intended to increase visibility for emerging artists and create conversations around music discovery and artist development.
A&R, or artists and repertoire, is an important part of the music business. A&R professionals help identify promising musicians, develop their work and connect them with the wider music industry.
The Listening Room’s development reflects a growing recognition that discovering an artist is only the beginning. Emerging musicians also need professional development, industry connections, audience-building strategies and pathways to commercial opportunities.
TurnTable Charts already provides data on music performance through its charts covering areas such as songs, albums, artists and producers. Its current charts demonstrate the scale of Nigeria’s music market and the importance of measurable audience performance across radio and other platforms.
For African musicians, the growth of digital platforms has created new ways to reach audiences outside their home countries.
However, visibility does not automatically translate into sustainable income or long-term careers.Industry development programmes can therefore play a role by connecting artists with people who understand music production, marketing, distribution, publishing and other parts of the business.
The A&R Listening Room initiative also highlights the importance of industry professionals who work behind the scenes. While artists are often the most visible part of the music industry, producers, A&R executives, managers, distributors, publishers and chart organisations all contribute to how music reaches audiences.
As African music continues to expand internationally, the industry’s next challenge may be building stronger systems around its growing pool of talent.The focus is gradually shifting from simply asking which artist is trending to asking how emerging artists can build careers that last.
