October 29, 2017
Radio has impeded the growth of the independent music scene
in India, says singer Sonu Nigam, who is confident the scenario can change
overnight if the platform lends support.
"Things can change overnight for
independent music with just one thing... the day radios start playing
independent music. Radios don't play the indie songs only.
"The day they
start playing them, saying 'this song is good', the listeners will latch on to
them," Sonu said here on Sunday.
The popular singer, who has spent over
25 years in the film industry, had earlier come up with independent albums like
"Deewana" and "Mausam" with the former's title track and the latter's song
"Bijuria" being hits.
At the MTV India Music Summit here, Sonu reasoned
that the radio has perhaps stopped promoting indie tracks due to being
"over-enamoured" by Bollywood.
"And Bollywood, that too is only about
actors, actresses and films. Music is a part of cinema. When someone says this
film has made Rs 150 crore, is there anyone who talks about how much its music
has made?
"How many times does radio support it? They just do an
interview with the artiste maybe... and radios have actually taken away our
business. Earlier, if you heard 'Deewana', it didn't need publicity. The public
went on its own to seek it.
"Radio has taken away that right from you.
Because of radios, you don't buy CDs. Earlier, you used to buy CDs and
cassettes. But because radio stations are there, you feel if there are seven
options, at least one will have something decent to listen to."
Sonu
stressed that "radio owes it to" independent music and artistes. "It has
finished independent music in India."
When singer Jasbir Jassi prodded:
"I think the government can do something", Sonu quipped: "It's too late in the
priorities. Right now, Swachh Bharat is everything. Swachh Music is not the
priority."
He added the day radio -- which has a "lot of power" -- gives
due credit to writers and composers, promotes "good songs", "singles will start
working".