Opinion: “Ghanaian artists need to focus on album sales again”

One great means of making money by most artistes across the world is album sales but we have totally lost it in Ghana. You follow the big guys in the game and they are always bragging with record sales and shows but In our Part of the world it is all about getting some hits songs on radio, then getting some one or two shows to play and that is the end of it.
Some months ago one of our big act traveled to some part of the country to promote and sell his album but truth be told he had a very bad patronage. This shouldn’t be happening to them.
I believe if artistes are educated more on the business side of the game through seminars organized by MUSIGA, Ministry of Art and culture, Ghamro etc… it is going to go a long way to help all the artistes.
In as much we are bombarding the majority with all the heat when it comes to record sales, we still have artiste who are doing well in that field. A typical example is Manifest, he made so much noise about his current Album #NowhereCool, got in touch with 15ghana.com to do his sales for him via mobile money. So they paid for the cost via mobile money and on the release day it was delivered at their door steps.
It was so great to the extent that he had so many people purchasing in advance. Not forgetting Online Sales too with platforms such as iTunes. The most fascinating part of it is that he personally did some of the deliveries himself. Which I guess boosted sales because he had short videos of that on Instagram. So most definitely some people will even purchase it because they want to meet him in person.

 
Why will an artiste invest time and money for months or years to prepare an album and let it loose on the internet for free downloads just a day after its release? I guess of course may be you don’t know your value. If much attention is paid to record sales, it will definitely affect contents positively.
If you know your value you wouldn’t be scared selling your records or albums. Everyone will love to support a good content by purchasing your record when it is released.
Good content plus good advance promotion on the right platforms plus selling with the right teams plus proper record stores all over the country for distribution, I believe change will come and our stars in GH will also have the bragging right when it comes to record sales.
 YFMGhana.com/Nana Quasi-Wusu (PM)
@Pmdepresenter