Local support needed for Spotify to impact streaming numbers – Harding
Music producer Jeremy Harding says local support is needed for Spotify to impact streaming numbers for Jamaican artistes and podcasters. On Monday, the popular streaming platform announced that it would be expanding to more than 80 new markets, including Jamaica.
The news was met with general excitement from industry professionals. It is believed that the platform becoming available in Jamaica will boost streaming numbers for the island’s artistes and podcasters. But while the prospect brings hope for improved streams, Harding says Spotify in Jamaica may not have the desired effect many yearn for.
“We already had Apple Music being launched in Jamaica, and Apple being here has not made any significant impact. Our artistes have not made any great gains,” Harding said. Apple Music expanded to 52 countries, including Jamaica, in April 2020.
The producer notes the unwillingness of Jamaican fans to pony up the subscription fee as one possible hindrance. “There is a hope that if an artiste releases a song and on YouTube [and] it gets to a million views, it will get the same million views on Spotify. The dream is that the viewers and listeners on YouTube will migrate to Spotify, that the Jamaican fans locally who support music they will now support it on Spotify, but the fact of the matter is that Jamaicans not paying US$9.95 a month for any streaming service,” he said.
Click the following link to read the rest of this article that was featured in the gleaner:
