We once had a debate of whether Music Streaming was the future to music downloads and that battle seems to have settled and a sure winner declared in streaming. At least stats agree to this globally but what about back home in Uganda?
Even before the dust settles, it is not quite hard to realize that whereas most of the industry is moving towards streaming, we are not yet there as most people get to listen to music via radio air plays, through pirated downloads and what not but what could be the major reason that this shift hasn’t been felt in Uganda?
We have seen services rise up like Tidal and Apple Music with local offerings but why is it that even these are appreciated by a niche not the general population. That is what we are answering today.
Availability of free to download music
Free Music downloads are probably the biggest threat to streaming and these are readily available across the internet. Previously it used to be foreign music made available on such services but even local music has found its way there.
Even some of the biggest Ugandan websites are in that position because they host music that is readily available and free to download.
Free Music Sharing over OTT Apps
On top of the free downloadable music, add sharing to the equation and Ugandans will say bye bye to streaming. Not to say you can’t share music over music streaming services but for one to listen to a song shared this way, it will redirect to the hosting service where one must be a subscriber to listen to it. Also, you can’t own or store music over streaming services unless you part with a few shillings.
This resorts most people to downloads which they can easily share over OTT apps like WhatsApp, Telegram and others. After downloading the music here, one can listen to it any day they want and at any time they please.
Expensive Data
We also can’t ignore the fact that data is expensive in Uganda for the average citizen yet having a sizeable and stable data package is a must have for music streaming.
And what to Ugandans resort to? Ignore streaming where they’ll always need an active data connection and opting for the download once and listen throughout approach, which is a bummer for streaming.
This currently is being addressed as we are yet to see.
Streaming services are paid for
Whereas there exists free music streaming services like “Spotify”, there functionality and experience is limited than their paid for tiers. The discomfort of having to endure Ads within streams, only shuffle through playlists, no playback kinda makes streaming services a hardsell.
In order to forego the above, the streamer has to pay a monthly subscription and enjoy the service at full functionality.
Online Payments Requirement
Most streaming services on-top of being paid for only accept cards or other globally accepted online payments. These are not well adopted in Uganda where the economy is largely cash based and the easiest alternative to card payments being Mobile Money, which is not accepted by these streaming services. This on the other hand limits the would-be streaming account holders in Uganda.
Availability of radio, video libraries etc
Much as you’d frown upon the above reason, radio remains the biggest media in Uganda and as such, most people listen to music via radio. Radio is free, readily available even on feature phones on top of not requiring an active data connection to transmit.
Away from radio, some Ugandans also visit local video libraries that also offer music which is uploaded on their microSD cards or other mediums as they approve.
Lack of sensitization about streaming service
We shouldn’t also ignore the fact that sensitization about music streaming services is still lacking. Very few Ugandans even know there exists music streaming services both the artists and listeners.
The few that know of this remain urban and our music industry is largely local.
Had the artistes known of these services, they would sensitize their fans and also had the fans known about this, they would largely look for their artistes. Just saying…
Independent culture of our music industry
Our music industry is largely independent if not the whole of it. A streamlined and organized music distribution system would help to answer for this but we lack it here. Someone has talent, hits the radio or shares his music via free services and that is it. They recoup their investments mainly from concerts but main distribution remains radio, free online music hosting services like YouTube and maybe DJs.
Those that try to distribute their music through streaming services have to go through aggregators, who also take a cut for their services.
An organized music industry with streamlined distribution would largely help us to do away with this.
Lackluster awareness by the streaming services
Music Streaming remains a niche and the few that enjoy it got to know about it probably because they’re tech savvy, well traveled, got to know about them through word of mouth or are outright adventurous.We can’t accord their finding of these music services say to sensitization by the streaming services themselves.
I wouldn’t blame the streaming services as well given the market is small and not as streamlined as a developed music industry with well tested channels and avenues of making money.
Not to say that nothing has been done but the little that has been done is bundling music subscription together with the data to use for streaming and sensitization.
