With the music industry entering the new year, there appear to be more uncertainties that go with it, not knowing how consumption patterns will change for better or for verse! However, taking a look at the crystal ball and attempting to predict the future as a soothsayer has its obvious pitfalls but, if one considers the changing trends witnessed last year, I would like to stand brave enough to make mine.
One of the most enduring certainties for the new year appears to be the resurgence of the physical market (read vinyl). A remarkable eight-and-a-half-million old-fashioned vinyl records were sold last year in the US alone, up by an incredible 52 per cent over the previous year and, with it, the growth of this physical format occurred for the seventh consecutive year. Younger audiences, especially indie fans about whom, more later are the main audience attracted to a perceived superior sound and the fascination that I had undergone in a pre-cassette/pre-CD era to “put the needle on the record”, also a lyric from the popular song from the ’80s, Pump Up The Volume, by M.A.R.R.S.
The popularity of vinyl has been validated by at least one Indian website that I am aware of which has dedicated space for vinyl reviews (musicunplugged.in). The reviews of the classic rock/jazz albums from the past are extremely well written and certainly worth checking out for the record collector.
Meanwhile, talking about indie artistes, which is certainly a growth area in India if one looks at the opportunities available of seeing them perform live. Notable events include ‘Live From The Console’ and ‘NH7 Weekender’ which now presents itself across Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru, and Kolkata being two of the many that are proactively supporting indie acts. In fact, the movement also has support from various websites including, but not restricted to, artistaloud.com, which recently celebrated its fifth anniversary, and oklisten.com. In fact, the independent movement has thrown across some remarkable collaborations; a recent one that I heard was “Mumbai Masala”, a fusion of sorts between Mumbai-based vocalist Dhanashree Pandit Rai, who displays her amazing singing talent ranging from pure Hindustani vocals to thumris and bhajans, in conjunction with a New York-based pianist by the name of Richard Bennett. The venture of amalgamating sounds initially appears disparate, but eventually finds its groove if you are willing to accept experimentation. However, the true calling for the merging of these talents will certainly be live rather than listening to it merely in the confines of perhaps your earphones or headphones.
Talking about the future of music, another encouraging trend is the resurgence of ghazals too. In fact, ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas, who originally hails from Gujarat, on his just released, latest collection Khamoshi Ki Awaaz, showcases good poetry by choosing a cross-section of both traditional and modern names. Similarly, the other biggie appears to be Roop Kumar Rathod, and his wife, Sunali’s collaborative effort on Zikr Tera, their first album in five years, which is due for independent release on January 24. I was fortunate to have received a preview of the album, via an exclusive listening session, which is tribute to the late Jagjit Singh.
Similarly, the presence of Indian origin indie artistes wanting to travel to India and perform live is also a potential upside for the indie movement. There are instances in the past, like the German based band, Fire On Dawson featuring Indian vocalist Ankur Batra, which performed in Mumbai. More recent examples of artistes who would like to partake in their roots include the Australia-based duo, Saffron Groove, featuring Melbourne-based singer-composer Shriram Iyer and producer-songwriter Bobby Beebob. The music video supporting the first single, Aaja Phir Se (One More Try), from their album Age of Revival, logged more than 2.57 million views on YouTube as of the week ending January 11. Then there’s the Los Angeles-based Dream Alive, featuring Karan Parikh on lead guitar, which has only recently launched a debut album, Before The Dawn, which has strong influences from the late ’70s, such as REO Speedwagon, Journey, Fleetwood Mac, Eagles et al.
While, musically, 2015 certainly has a bright side to it in terms of various growth patterns, the major consumer malice of not wanting to provide monetisation opportunities remains an eternal problem. Unless a cure is found quick enough, the only market that appears immune from digital debt appears to be live gigs
The writer has been part of the media and entertainment business for over 23 years. He still continues to pursue his hobby, and earns an income out of it!
