Cynthia Nwanonyiri
Africa’s music industry has indeed maintained a constant and regular growth rate, likewise, it has also risen to become one of the world’s biggest music sectors.
African musicians are now the base around which many music enterprises are formed, from fighting piracy to earning international fame.
The success of the industry has been largely attributed to technological transformation.
The Internet’s arrival and the rapid advancement of new technology have significantly altered our lives.
Technology has provided a deep and progressive transformation that is altering every element of the music industry, particularly in Africa.
Technology has had a significant impact on the music industry over the years. Take the phonograph and analogue tape machines, for example, and compare them to digital recording software and internet-based streaming services.
The music industry has been impacted at every level over the last two decades as a result of fast innovation in digital technology.
The way people make music has evolved as a result of technological advancements. Composers can work on film music from the comfort of their own homes.
Livestreamed performances allow musicians to entertain fans all around the globe. Without ever securing or signing a record deal, songwriters can produce albums and distribute them through digital distribution and streaming platforms.
Also, most parts of the African music industry have shifted dramatically as a result of advances in digital technologies.
To some extent, early digital recording technology and software made the recording session cheaper and easier.
Compact discs supposedly increased consumer audio quality while lowering manufacturing and distribution costs.
Initially, digital technologies aided in the growth of the music industry. Then there was Napster and the internet had progressed to the point where people could share and download music via the internet.
Dubbing tapes and burning CDs were no longer required for music piracy. People could get nearly any song they wanted for free via file-sharing services.
It is true that the present and future improvements are extremely helpful to all actors in the industry, particularly musicians.
In view of these new technologies, one could say that there are many possibilities for African musicians, promoters, broadcasters, and consumers.
With the rise of the internet and the spread of new technologies that have led to the launch of streaming services, the entertainment and music industry in Africa has also been remarkable and has witnessed enormous changes in the last decade.
The film and music industries’ technological advancements have created several work prospects for young individuals in the business.
Afro rhythms are reaching a global audience, and African artists are partnering with internationally known artists.
Technology has brought about electronic music. Electronic music is always changing. Even if the artist is artificial intelligence known as, it is augmented with fresh sounds and blended with acoustic instruments to release the composer’s inventiveness.
African modern music, which blends traditional songs and rhythms with innovative sounds created with cutting-edge technology, has achieved worldwide acclaim, lending Afrofuturism a tangible presence outside of literature and the visual arts, thanks to technological innovations. – TechBuild Africa