Outrageuos records

biz-ark-human · **on:** February 16, 2005, 11:19:46 AM

It's always been of interest to me to know if the artists from this indie label actually sell records. Any1 willing to help?

How is Zubz' album doin'?

How much did H20 sell?

machiavella · **Reply #1 on:** February 16, 2005, 11:32:36 AM

i don't know...but local hip hop doesn't sell much...their sales has to be relative to the genre..and i think Pitch Black Afro would be the highest selling hip hop artist in SA...if i'm not mistaken....i don't have the figures .... hope someone else does...

the brand® · **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2005, 11:38:11 AM

thers a diff btwn
sales n fame........

h2o didnt sell jack
zubz........i dont no

record sales wont keep u alive..
no 1 listens when i say this
ppl love u but they dont buy shit......

Dpleezy · **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2005, 11:39:54 AM

i heard pitch black and skwatta sold platinum (50,000),,, i'm fairly sure most indy hip hop sells way less (lucky to sell 5,000). just what i heard, not necessarily correct.

the brand® · **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2005, 11:47:50 AM

i stand corrected

biz-ark-human · **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2005, 12:03:28 PM

true, seems there's still a long way to go until indie records start generating huge enuff sales for artists to make a living off of.
:roll:

Dpleezy · **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2005, 12:09:05 PM

touring is the only way to make money,,, slowly build up a fan base, maybe sell some CDs at shows,,, the market is tough in SA.

biz-ark-human · **Reply #7 on:** February 16, 2005, 12:31:35 PM

yeah, touring for sure. And as an unsigned artists, the next best thing to selling ish off your backpack is goin' to as many shows as possible (even when you not performing) to go sell some cd's. It really works, i've tried it before...

Rabe · **Reply #8 on:** February 16, 2005, 02:27:58 PM

the truth of the matter is that you guyz who pretend to b hiphop heads donot buy music...period,cuz if you check the kwaito sales and the rnb sales those guyz realy buy their music whether its hot wack or cold they give support so for a guy like me who is venturing into producing i know i wont me making much money or whatever so u beta do this for the love not for the sales........Lets keep up the movement

MaddStone · **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2005, 12:22:58 AM

Its all relative.Relative to what u may wonder?Well, relative to the way u want things to happen.

No doubt, its really tough going the indie, but its also the most rewarding if ur grind is on point and ur pa**ionate enuff.True, pa**ion wont get u anywhere if u dont have the marketability and business acumen.U gotta think laterally and this is where the whole underground/commercial squabble comes in.If u think laterally, u gotta be willing to strike a compromise.But, if u compromise, this doesnt mean u have to sellout.And its harder for a really grimey grimey artist to do this as all they may listen to is strictly the under-underground side of the music.In that case, compromise will lead to selling out cause it wont gel.Though there may be ways to get around it.These days, if u notice the current minimalist trend of music and the hits that happen........any one can really strike it big, but u just gotta play ur cards right and market urself in the proper way.Also, u gotta be willing to be in everyone's face every second so that ppl can be aware that ur around and what ur doing.

I totally agree and emphasize the whole touring and doing shows, cause thats how most of ur cash flow is gonna happen.More shows u go to, performing and not, the more ppl will recognise u.So just vibe with the peeps, create good relations and invite peeps to ur shows.Tell them to bring friends along, and then they can get in free if the friends come as well.So u get more ppl there.carry a demo everywhere u go.Get urself business cards.Get a manager, etc etc.Make urself as marketable as possible and get a team with u that can aid in doing the same.Cause the more ppl u have, the more networks u can create.

Just a few tips in marketing 201........yes peeps elevate past 1st year into second man.lol.All good.

RuSh · **Reply #10 on:** February 20, 2005, 08:41:51 AM

yeah thats why i think its important to make music that you would be able to export.i dont even think signing to a major label in south africa cos the market is so small and the country not that big,distrbution can be hanled if you commited and your network you created stretches the country..imagine you push 50000 units in south africa how much does the artist actually get?

TNGlive · **Reply #11 on:** February 20, 2005, 01:12:51 PM

Quote from: "Dplanet"

i'm fairly sure most indy hip hop sells way less (lucky to sell 5,000). just what i heard, not necessarily correct.

Can anyone else back that up?

Quoting Madd "u gotta be willing to be in everyone's face every second so that ppl can be aware that ur around and what ur doing." - This is a very costly exercise. More tips on how to do this?

Dpleezy · **Reply #12 on:** February 20, 2005, 03:36:50 PM

Whadup TNG,

It's very hard to verify indy sales as most people won't admit if they haven't sold many units. The law of hype means that people are unlikely to be honest if they only sell 1,000 units.

One of the guys at Kurse told me that if you sell 5,000 units (as an indy) you are doing fairly well. I imagine that most majors would be quite satisfied if you sold anything more than 10,000 units. 50,000 is platinum and they'd be extremely happy with that. With marketing spend, productions costs and label profit to be taken into account, the percentage the artists gets if fairly low.

Record sales worldwide dropped by 7% last year, but SA did not follow that trend with Kwaito, Gospel & Afrikaans music doing well.

"Music turnover in this country was R705-million last year, virtually unchanged from the R704-million the previous year. However, there was a marked increase in the value of local music sold - from some R192-million in 2002 to R225-million last year - a 17% jump. From 2001 to 2002, sales of locally produced music rose an even more impressive 23%.

Conversely, last year domestic sales of international (or foreign) music were down from R512-million to R479-million."

- Recording Industry of South Africa (Risa)

TNGlive · **Reply #13 on:** February 20, 2005, 04:19:02 PM

Word. Tight info tight thurr. Kinda sad about the 225mill for the local joints. Bread can only be broken so mnay ways.

Quote from: "Dplanet"

It's very hard to verify indy sales as most people won't admit if they haven't sold many units.

:wink:... hehehe... THat's why a soundscan type of company up in herrre would kinda make things bery bery bery interesting.

MaddStone · **Reply #14 on:** February 20, 2005, 09:56:30 PM

Worthwhile looking into getting a soundscan company set-up here in SA.U can check out SOundscan's site on the net and they give some good info on allthings they doing.Maybe u could mail them and hit them off bout possibly looking into creating a satellite company in SA monitoring the local sales.Then we could set-up a similar system to the Billboard sales chart.Never know, could be possible.

Anyways, TNG, how u doing son?U well?

I sent u a PM.Check it out.