Ghana is set to shake up its music scene with the launch of its first-ever local music streaming platform, as announced by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. This exciting new platform is scheduled to launch in November 2024.
The goal is to give Ghanaian artists a fair chance to earn money for their hard work, especially since many international platforms like Spotify haven’t been very helpful for local talent.
Why is this important? The music industry in Ghana is ready for growth! In fact, the recorded music market in sub-Saharan Africa grew by an impressive 24.7% in 2023, largely thanks to streaming. While South Africa currently leads the region with 77% of music revenues, Ghana has been missing out compared to its neighbor, Nigeria, which has a booming music industry worth about $39 billion.
Platforms like Audiomack and Boomplay are focusing on local artists and what regional listeners want, but Ghana hasn’t had a dedicated platform to lift its talent. Right now, international platforms often leave Ghanaian artists with only a small share of the earnings.
Dr. Bawumia’s initiative aims to change this by providing a proper catalog and a way to track royalties, which are crucial for artists to make a living.
However, launching this platform won’t be without challenges. It will need to find ways to make money and attract users. To succeed, it will be important for Ghana’s platform to create strong marketing strategies and build a loyal fan base, just like Nigeria has done.
What do you think about this exciting development for Ghanaian music?
