Audiomack, one of the most expanding music streaming platform in Africa has extended its monetization program to reach more artists around the world especially in emerging markets such as those in Africa.
Prior to this announcement, the Audiomack Monetization Program (AMP) was only available in the US, UK and Canada. It is now open for qualified authenticated creators in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico, India, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti and Europe.
The opportunity growth of the streaming platform in African countries like Nigeria made it set up an office in the previous year. Expanding its AMP into Africa’s biggest market is seen as a step towards tapping into that expected growth.
WHAT DOES THE AMP MEAN?
The AMP plan would allow artists monetize their music and receive money directly from the Audiomack back end.
This means that artists in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and other newly added regions can now access their streaming revenue directly without checking with intermediaries such as record labels and publishers.
When the AMP was launched in beta in 2019, it attracted American acts like Megan Thee Stallion and Lil Durk who in the course of the attraction became superstars. These artists seized the AMP to capture Audiomack’s community pool and extend their reach. Last year, following the success of its beta testing, Audiomack opened up to its authenticated creators in the US, UK and Canada.
WHY IS AMP AN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT TO ARTISTS ESPECIALLY IN AFRICA?
Africa has a large culture and community of artists and music lovers. AMP makes Audiomack the first and only digital streaming platform (DSP) paying artists directly. It could give Audiomack a competitive advantage, growing and expanding its user base across these new regions.
Globally, artists making money off streaming platforms is seen as rocket science, leaving one too many boxes to be ticked. Many artists, independent and signed have aired their views in respect to DSPs truncating their earnings and allowing loopholes that shortchange artists.
Bella Alubo, former Tinny Entertainment signee now turned content manager and creator told Document Women that she has a song with 5.8 million streams on Spotify alone, but has never received any royalties from her record label.
This can best explain a noteworthy problem artists have to deal with especially with the complications surrounding artists-label contracts.
WILL AMP CHANGE THE NARRATIVE FOR ARTISTS?
The AMP initiative is one that could change the narrative around the music business. It could give Eagle’s wings to independent artists, reducing the excessive hype on record labels and their deals. With a minimum of two uploads and a thousand plays, an artist can apply for AMP authentication and continue taking payment.
With the AMP and the normalcy of its development becomes a stable ground, artists like Neken Chuwang, can gain a grand footing, without the necessary presence of a label.
