Muzi, I don't think its only in music but stuff like the movies we watch, the clothes we r wearing, the perfumes etc its all mainly from the US or Europe.But it is getting better and the quality of music is improving as well if u compare to the 80's and 90's.

My uninformed opinion is that supply is meeting demand. Those with money to spend want to listen to "American" music and watch "American" tv shows. There is no limit per say on the amount of airplay SA music can get. There is however a quota radio stations have to play; they cannot give less than x amount of time to SA music.

I like SA music, not all, but some. Some of its utter nonsense. And by the by, have you seen some of the videos produced for SA music...pleeeeezzzz...spare me, and going even further, the videos produced for African music in general...i see nothing but girls shaking their wobbly bits around with Kanye West, P. Diddy, Akon-wannabes prancing around like they're the stuff dreams were made off. The music industry in Africa needs to grow up or shut up about not getting enough space in the media.

not all South African music is junk. Am into jazz...Jimmy Dludlu, Sibongile Khumalo, Musa Manzini, Concord Nkadinde etc all produce quality jazz.

There is also a new breed, Simphiwe Dana, Zama Jobe, Lira, Siphokazi etc all produce quality music.

We're just too shy to admit we've been colonised in every sphere of our lives. Slave mentality all the way...

American artists are given a red carpet treatment when they visit our shores, while local artists use their vehicles to change before appearing on stage and are used as curtain raisers.

I suppose those artists would be an exception to what Im saying but the overall standard of South African music is not up to par. I think the author of this topic described it perfectly when saying that South African artsits go mad and think that they are something special if they sell 25,000 records. In America sales like that would be an insult to an artist. The reason they sell millions of records is because they produce quality music.

So besides the quality of South African music not even coming close to that of American music, the fact that South African artists settle for selling 25,000 records, and are infact thrilled then they do it, just goes to show their mentality.......mediocre suits them just fine.

Further more there is a reason why many South African "artists" try and replicate and mimic(unsuccessfully might I add) American music. The reason for this is simple and once again because its quality.

American artists are given the red carpet treatment because they are good at what they do and their success is testiment to that. South African music will never be able to match up to American music because they simply are not good enough. With the exception of some of the artists you mentioned, who keep it real, the majority will remain average at best. Quality is what counts and what is essential and unfortunately South African music in general cannot produce good enough quality.

100% SA music station! Will that be the day pigs fly????Mmmm

Guys lets try to write quality comments here, not just criticising and then say nothing after that.Jamsta!!!!!!!

What is wrong with a 100% SA music station?

I beg to differ on the fact that we praise anything American! Give the American musicians their due - they deserve it. If South African artists cannot produce the quality that is played overseas - you cannot blame us for wanting to listen to more international music. At the end of the day we are the buyer and we have the right to listen to what we like.

We cannot be forced into listening to the SA garbage that is played on air from time to time - and then because we do not indorse it we are told we are not being patriotic!! Its called DEMOCRACY.

Its beginning to sound like the SA television company placing the emphasis on more local content. What a waste of the licence payers money. When are they going to learn you cannot tell us what to listen to or watch! My recommendation is for the local artists who are unhappy to do something about it and produce QUALITY that the world can take seriously. Just because they think it is marvelous does not mean its a seller. Thank goodness for FREEDOM OF CHOICE.

I agree with every single thing you said. Its about time people wake up and see South African music for what it really is and the quality that American music provides. Two thumbs up! Well done.

We ? (worship everything American)

I think not

South Africa has produced some of the greatest musicians of all time. I'm not talking about bubblegum, flybynight musicians here. I believe one of the barriers that have prevented them from soaring to greater heights is amongst others the language barrier, the different cultural tastes and the fact that it does not appeal worldwide.

There are a few who have made it ... 'Ladysmith Black Mambazo'
If one cannot relate to something, they will spend their hard earned cash of it.

Americans can afford to spend millions on promotions, great video's worldwide but that does not mean what they produce is quality... Sure .. i can listen to "Bump and Grind" or "Shake your Booty" when i'm getting smashed in a club but i don't want to listen to that shit when i'm at home ...
I'm not saying all the music produced is crap but let's face it some of it is quite tacky!
Don't get me wrong ... I'm not bashing American artists but i'm pro 'Mzantsi' as well.

Just a suggestion to u great artists out there: If u can't afford a great, quality music video 'DON'T DO IT' cause people get really put off regardless of how great the song is... rather work on getting more air play ...

We're not interested in seeing your face or seeing how many girls in skimpy dresses are bumping and grinding next to you ... but the quality of your music ...

100% South African music station is not a bad idea at all!!

My friend, stop whining.

We live in a capitalist world where the content we see on TV and hear on Radio is there because of Advertising radio and agressive marketing and promotion by the owners of said content.


If you want to see and hear more S.A. music, do something about it and stop asking pointless questions

This kind of suicidal belief by business, advertisers and radio is old news. Remember Castle lager ad on a rooftop somewhere in US, maybe New York and a group of South Africans cracking beers over a braai and thinking of home. The soundtrack was... you've guessed it... 'Africa' by Toto. In America feeling homesick, building a braai, drinking Castle lager and rocking to an American band. Proudly South African, not!

I guess we have just become sellouts of our own people.

It's all about making money - I think it's likely that if radio stations only played South African music many people would turn off as they would not be hearing the US/UK tunes that were massive in the rest of the world. The South African artists are never going to be able to compete with the highly developed industries in the US but that means that the SA industry needs to be responsible for pushing its artists further into the limelight and making sure that they do get heard not only in South Africa but elsewhere.
As someone who works in the UK music industry, the only South African band who I know of is Seether and my brother has sent me over a couple of cds of local rappers who are popular with you guys. You need to make your industry work harder for you!!!

SA musicians need to work harder if they want us to listen to their crap music,especially Kwaito music, its whole lota crap if u aks me , I mean really who would want to listen to that nonsense all day puleeeeez.

Fortunately with music people respond to something that moves or inspires them. If SA music is not getting enough airplay and sales - it means people are not moved or inspired by it.

Bru I think that this whole issue is about pleasing the greater number of listeners. First of all a presenter of whatever show looks at his/her target audiences, then decide from there what type of music s/he should play. I mean it let us face the facts here, the majority of people including your self (I am so sure) are so in love with the American style (No wonder owning a pair of levi's jeans is a big deal. I mean even older people are so into it, like drinking Jack Daniels whisky instead of your brandy.

America is big on everything buddy, from fashion, music, economy, communication (Your cellphones, internet conection, software such as there ones in your pc right now) everything bru.

Stop complaining and make the difference you can: Buy Proudly South African products only!!!! No Yahoo, no Microsoft (including X Box 360) for you.

Bru I think that this whole issue is about pleasing the greater number of listeners. First of all a presenter of whatever show looks at his/her target audiences, then decide from there what type of music s/he should play. I mean it let us face the facts here, the majority of people including your self (I am so sure) are so in love with the American style (No wonder owning a pair of levi's jeans is a big deal. I mean even older people are so into it, like drinking Jack Daniels whisky instead of your brandy.

America is big on everything buddy, from fashion, music, economy, communication (Your cellphones, internet connection, software such as there ones in your pc right now) everything bru.

Stop complaining and make the difference you can: Buy Proudly South African products only!!!! No Yahoo, no Microsoft (including X Box 360) for you.

I've been reading all the comments on this page and I think the bottom line is quality. If you all look at your CD collections you'll agree that whatever you spent your hard earned cash on was whatever moved you and was a quality product. I listen to all sorts of U.S tacky music with no meaning ie Lollipop (Lil Wayne), Smack That (Akon) when I'm in a club or while driving to work BUT check my cd collection-not ONE of those CDs is there. I also listen to tacky SA music like Kwaito amaLeft Right kaBricks etc etc but there is NO WAY I'm spending money buying that!

I do however BUY Jimmy Dludlu, Thandiswa Mazwai, Bongi Dube even Pro Kid - you know CDs where you don't skip any song and which give you the impression that the artist gave of their best when making the album AND paid attention to quality. The most quality SA music out there are jazz artists, some afro Pop but MOSTLY cd's mixed by DJs-those are always a good investment. I would LOVE to buy more SA music however I refuse to spend my hard earned cash on something just coz it's from SA.

So some advice to SA artists from an AVID listener and BUYER of any type of music - PAY ATTENTION TO QUALITY. Listeners aren't stupid.

Has anyone considered the demographic difference between the US and SA?

Mr Manuel has given the entertainment industry a R300Bn increase in budget for this fiscal year. Where is it? Imagine the quality music with an injection like that?