Author: Sebastian Akaho-Tay

George Britton recently shared compelling insights on why Nigerian artists are more prominent in the global music scene compared to their West African peers.

Speaking on the Class Morning Show with Prince Benjamin, Britton pointed out that non-Ghanaians often support Ghanaian musicians more than Ghanaians themselves, which he believes undermines the success of local artists.

Britton highlighted that the reluctance of Ghanaian artists to work with record labels further hampers the international promotion of Ghanaian music, thereby missing out on potential music tourism revenue and global recognition.

He explained that Nigerians are heavily marketed abroad, creating a perception that they are the primary representatives of African music.

This has led to a situation where international audiences often mistakenly attribute songs by artists from other West African countries to Nigeria.

He gave examples, noting that artists like Camidoh and Olivetheboy are often misidentified as Nigerian due to the lack of strong promotional forces for Ghanaian music.

Britton emphasized that while Afrobeats is recognized as a West African genre, the dominance of Nigerian artists in the global market means that many people associate the genre solely with Nigeria.

To address this issue, Britton urged for greater involvement of record labels in promoting Ghanaian artists internationally. He stressed the importance of expanding Ghanaian music’s reach beyond local markets and into global spaces like America, Europe, and Asia.

He also criticized the current streaming habits in Ghana, noting that Ghanaians often do not engage with music streaming platforms as much as they should. This lack of streaming contributes to lower visibility for Ghanaian artists on global charts.

Britton called for a united effort to push Ghanaian music onto the world stage, advocating for increased streaming and support for local artists.

He believes that with a concerted effort and better representation from record labels, Ghanaian music could gain the recognition it deserves globally.

“People think Camidoh is Nigerian. When they hear the songs of Olivetheboy, they’ll definitely think it’s Nigerian. It’s because, you see, there isn’t a force from Ghana that makes people say, ‘Okay, this is Ghana.’

“It is assumed that Afrobeats comes from West Africa so it’s Nigeria or Ghana, but they know the Nigerian artistes [more] so every song they hear they say it’s a Nigerian song.

“My neighbour is a White guy, he’s always playing Afrobeats. He doesn’t even know [it intimately] but he’s playing Afrobeats. When you ask him for his favourite artistes he says, ‘Oh, Nigeria, Nigeria!’,” George Britton noted.

George Britton has offered insightful observations on why Nigerian musicians dominate the international music scene compared to their West African counterparts.

Speaking on the Class Morning Show (CMS) with Prince Benjamin (PB), Britton lamented that Ghanaian artists often receive more support from non-Ghanaians abroad than from their fellow countrymen.

This lack of domestic support, he argued, negatively impacts their careers.

Britton also pointed out that many Ghanaian artists avoid signing with record labels, which hampers the global promotion of Ghanaian music.

This reluctance deprives Ghana of its deserved share of music tourism and revenue.

He highlighted that Nigerians are heavily marketed abroad, creating a perception that they are the primary African contributors to the music industry.

As a result, even non-Nigerian artists are often assumed to be Nigerian.

He gave examples of artists like Camidoh and Olivetheboy, whose songs are frequently mistaken for Nigerian music.

Britton emphasized that the global community tends to associate Afrobeats with Nigeria due to the strong presence of Nigerian artists, overshadowing Ghanaian contributions.

To address this, Britton called for the integration of record labels into the Ghanaian music scene to promote artists beyond their local market.

He stressed the importance of reaching audiences in America, Europe, Asia, and South America.

He also countered the argument that these markets are unnecessary for the success of Ghanaian music.

Britton identified several key issues hindering the global recognition of Ghanaian music, including a lack of patriotism, widespread plagiarism, and poor streaming habits.

He noted that successful Ghanaian artists often have low streaming numbers from their home country.

To improve this, he urged Ghanaians to adopt better streaming habits and support local artists.

In conclusion, Britton called for a united effort to promote Ghanaian artists internationally. By involving record labels and cultivating a supportive streaming culture, he believes that Ghanaian music can achieve greater global recognition.

“People think Camidoh is Nigerian. When they hear the songs of Olivetheboy, they’ll definitely think it’s Nigerian. It’s because, you see, there isn’t a force from Ghana that makes people say, ‘Okay, this is Ghana.’

“It is assumed that Afrobeats comes from West Africa so it’s Nigeria or Ghana, but they know the Nigerian artistes [more] so every song they hear they say it’s a Nigerian song.

“My neighbour is a White guy, he’s always playing Afrobeats. He doesn’t even know [it intimately] but he’s playing Afrobeats. When you ask him for his favourite artistes he says, ‘Oh, Nigeria, Nigeria!’,” George Britton noted.

For a solution, he urged: “We need to get the record labels into our space. Let the labels market us outside our comfort zone. Then our music can be heard in America, Europe, Asia, South America and all that.”