Chioma Onuchukwu
Leading music distribution company, TuneCore, has announced its expansion into the African continent.
TuneCore is a global platform for independent musicians to build audiences and career with technology and services across distribution, publishing administration and a range of promotional services.
The company announced its launch in February in the following countries: West Africa – Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia; East Africa- Tanzania and Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, while Southern Africa – South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, and Lesotho.
This was welcomed with a lot of excitement online, particularly among artistes and music executives who have been asking the organisation for years for an African representation.
TuneCore, which is owed by Paris company, has always made a point of emphasising its commitment to supporting independent musicians with the tools they need to get their music out there, expand their fan base, and maintain control over their careers.
It’s a known common problem in the music industry when it comes to publishing rights and streaming data, and as time goes on, more creators will understand better on utilising the necessary tools to build better sustainable careers in the African ecosystem.
Head of TuneCore West and East Africa, Chioma Onuchukwu, speaking on some of the areas of focus in Africa indicated, “Partnerships with local DSPs and providing education to artistes that will assist them as independent artistes are two of my main areas of focus. Understanding music creators’ pain points can also help inform product and service modifications and/or additions. We recognise that every market is unique, so we’re working to tailor our services to meet the needs of our West African artistes.”
In Ghana, the company has already partnered with 3Music Awards for this year’s edition to present the ‘Most Streamed Song’ and ‘Act of the Year’. “The collaboration is a way for us to demonstrate our commitment to the development of Ghanaian artistes. Ghana continues to be one of the top African countries in terms of streaming data,” said Onuchukwu.