Nigeria’s music industry is undoubtedly one of the sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa that is nibbling off a sizeable chunk of the economic growth and gaining massive appreciation worldwide. Nigerian music developed prominence beyond the country’s borders because of its Afrobeat’s authority.
Expansion of the Music Industry of Nigeria
Nigeria’s music industry has come under a lot of expansion with the rise of social media and new media. Earlier in their careers, in Nigeria, performers had no option but to depend on record sales or concert events for visibility.
Nigerian thorough entertainers Burna Boy, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, received to soar towards influential international stages, carving awards and collaborating with known international musicians. However, some critics have pointed out that a few artists in the industry resort to buying subscribers to artificially boost their online presence.
The Nigerian Music Industry – Key Trends
1. Emergence of Afrobeats
At present, Afrobeats rules the music genre in Nigeria. It combines traditional West African music with hip-hop, dance and, R&B genres. This combination of styles of music has made Afrobeats very popular not only in Nigeria but also in other countries of the world. Some of these artists have taken Afrobeats to the mainstream populations in the US, UK markets and beyond, giving Nigerian helpful music exposure.
2. Digital Distribution and Promotion
The growth of technologies has changed the pattern in which musicians in Nigeria market and sell their artworks. Downloading or buying albums is no longer how musicians reach their listeners, but rather they use digital streaming services like SoundCloud, Apple Music and YouTube. Hence, the Nigerian artists have gotten their fans well at home and outside the country. Reputable music streaming services like Artist Push provide guided support and numerous tools needed to succeed on platforms.
3. International Collaborations
A concurrent variation also relates to collaborations of Nigerian artists with musicians in other countries. These have helped import Nigerian sounds to different international audiences. For instance, when Wizkid collaborated with Drake on the song ‘One Dance,” Afrobeats managed to enter the Western market. In the same way, Burna Boy featuring with other international stars has had a positive impact in the global sphere for Nigerian music.
4. Importance of Music Videos
For one to market Nigerian music, there is a need to know the importance of having film-making or expanding in making music videos. More particularly, YouTube and other content sites furnish the most optimal reading of the video themes, which at times happen to be the themes of Nigeria. Music videos are vital in that they help enhance the concepts of the artwork and communicate with the audience visually. Quite a number of Nigerian musicians spend too much time making high-standard music videos to capture the audience’s attention and increase the number of views.
The Audience of Nigerian Music
Music of Nigeria mainly targets the young generation, both in Nigeria and around the world. Domestically, the most active music consumers belong to 18–35 years of age groups. There is also a focus on social media such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, which has a youth majority engaged in Nigerian music chiefly new releases, concerts, and music videos.
Many Nigerians are also broadcast in the country music’s broad distribution. There are many Nigerians in other countries, but most of them are still patrons of their native musicians, which allows Nigerian music to be promoted outside, for example in the USA and UK.
