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For the last half-year, sales of CD with the national pop music
in Belarus have grown almost three times. Among the best selling
Belarusian musicians English-speaking group Atlantica,
Tsyany-Tolkaj, J-mors and Alexey Hlestov. In opinion of Nikolay
Sapunov, the manager of West Records' Belarusian catalogue, it
is associated mostly with the decision of the government about
introduction on air of radio stations an obligatory quota in 75
percent of the Belarusian music. The some people consider it as
radical step. But in the field of national music’s
popularization it was required to do something. On Belarusian TV
channel ONT has appeared show The Song of year. In this project,
take part only Belarusian musicians. They became more popular,
began to make more concerts and tours. The need of radio
stations for qualitative items has urged on creativity of the
Belarusian musicians. Besides, due to organization RUPIS that
protects copyrights in Belarus, the poets and composers began to
receive the rather big royalties from use of their products on
radio, TV, in cafe, bars, restaurants, discos. Certainly, it
stimulated their activity. According to Nikolay Sapunov, the
Belarusian musical market seriously differs even from the next
Russia. Belarus is the small country, it is impossible to sell
disks in the big amount here. They also are cheaper, than in
Moscow. The Belarus pop group New Jerusalem said, that for one
concert in Moscow they have sold more CD’s, than for a month in
Belarus. Although of the certain interest which Russians show to
the Belarus music, the market in Russia is oversaturated and to
win on it the niche and to sell successfully disks for
Byelorussians is very difficultly. License CD in Belarus is much
more expensive than piracy one. Naturally, sales of piracy disks
greatly exceed sales of license production. Even regular checks
in shops and taking out of counterfeit production do not change
a situation. Young people download music from Internet. It is
necessary to move up consumer culture of the people, speaks
Nikolay Sapunov. Probably the situation will improve with the
further growth of well-being of citizens. When they will not
chase only the small price and more attention will pay on
quality of a product. In Belarus, there is smaller financial
turnover, than in the next states. The Belarusian companies do
not presume to put to promotion of artist so much, how neighbors
presume it. On the other hand, in Belarus more projects are
original. And less punching, when producers clone successful
artists. Despite of general growth of number and quality of the
Belarusian music, it has not yet reached a comprehensible level.
The records that do not hold out even up to an average level
appeared in an air of radio. Many regional radio stations are
compelled to use them to fill in an air with the Belarusian
music. It is necessary to put more money in creation of a
qualitative product, in creation of good material base of sound
recording studios in Belarus, counts Nikolay Sapunov. Sounding
of the Belarusian artists frequently does not maintain any
criticism because in Belarus there are not present serious
professionals and the good equipment in the mastering. If the
Belarusian composition gets in the Russian musical collection,
Russians make mastering anew. In the future, counts Nikolay
Sapunov, the Belarus musical market should become more various.
There must be not only formatted music for radio stations but
also all what people want to buy. Radio stations should define
more precisely their formats because now they play the same
style music. Probably, development of the Belarus musical market
is prevented also by absence of high-class professionals. Almost
all present managers and producers started with trade on trays.
New names, professional managers and producers, talented
composers and arrangers are necessary. Increase of tour
activity, encouragement of club performances also should play
the role. Then will be new time for Belaru
About the author:
Michael Garmahis (27) is journalist working in one of the
Belarusian newspaper. Some time was engaged in NGO’s social work
and also worked as a tutor of German and English in college. For
further information, please visit his web site:
http://garmahis.worldfreeweb.com (Michael Garmahis-My stories,
jokes, drawings, photos, links from Belarus)
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