- FileDeejay Hawkeye is for soundscan
Leighton Williams, Staff Reporter
THE artistes, producers and distributors want Soundscan, or a similar system, and the government intends to introduce such a system. However, producers and distributors in the business believe it will be difficult to install.
"It (Soundscan or a similar system) is necessary, but the industry is not organised enough and it can easily be manipulated. We really want to know the value of the industry and also the accuracy of the charts, but the system will easily be manipulated," explained producer Donovan Germaine of Penthouse fame, who has worked with artistes such as Buju Banton and Tony Rebel.
Soundscan is a system set up by the recording industry in the US to help measure and verify record sales from the bar code on a CD, through sales at record stores, live performances and, most recently, Internet retail sites like CD Baby and Amazon.com
It tracks actual sales of music and music video products throughout the United States. Sales data is collected from more than 16,000 retail, mass merchant and non-traditional outlets. Fresh data is compiled and made available to Soundscan subscribers every Wednesday.
In 1991, hit rankings were first generated from Soundscan data - and the character of the charts was changed forever. Where before the charts were dominated by contemporary but established artists, now explosive but short-lived appearances by newly released music punctuated a core of all-time best sellers. Genres like hip-hop, country, metal and R&B began to infiltrate the primary charts.
Prior to this system, charts that ranked record sales were compiled from the potentially subjective reports of radio programmers and store managers.
Since the introduction of the Soundscan system, Billboard magazine charts have been constructed directly from that data. MTV, VH1, CMT and all major newspapers regularly use Soundscan data. While most Jamaican distributors and producers acknowledge that it is a good idea, they think it will be difficult for such a system to work in Jamaica because of the current situation.
Jason Lee of Sonic Sounds thinks that a Soundscan system is necessary, since it would provide true figures as to what is being sold and also help to provide a more accurate charts. However, he added that it would be
difficult to install such as system due to the cost and technical work that is attached to the implementation.
Music sales
"If you are going to put a Soundscan at all the places in Jamaica to calculate the sales of types of music like how their (the US) scan is set up, it is sent through a modem system similar to DSL. We do not have that system running in Jamaica throughout the parishes," Mr. Lee said.
While Mr. Lee is looking at the difficulties surrounding the installation of such a system, Computer Paul believes that a Soundscan system or something similar should have been introduced long ago. "It's not as easy to manipulate as the current system we have. This will bring accountability all the way round. Plus, it will also help the charts that we have here," explained Computer Paul, who helped in the production of George Nooks' God Is Standing By.
With accountability being the buzz word, all parties have expressed an interest in knowing the amount of records sold each year in Jamaica - and the Government is just as eager to know.
"We have been establishing similar principles and the Government has been facilitating the establishment of this," explained Tony Laing, a member of the Entertainment Advisory Board (EAB) and the committee working towards implementing a system similar to Soundscan.
At the moment, none of the producers or distributors could say how many records are being released or sold. All they know is that thousands of records are produced each year.
The Government, like everyone else, is eager to find out just how many records are manufactured each year.
"At no time have the statistics on the records sold been steady. Whoever can put out the most sweets will get the statistics that suit him. Whichever producer can bribe the record shop will get the statistics to suit him. People in the business are not giving the right statistics," Mr. Laing argued.
For deejay Hawkeye, the establishment of a Soundscan or a similar technology is needed to track record sales, especially for the artistes who want to know how many records are actually sold.
"Every system can be manipulated but I would still support it. It's full time we know what is going on," he said.
Manipulate
However, the system the Govern-ment plans to introduce will be difficult to manipulate.
Currently, the Government with the help of World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), has been working to set up a banderole (a delicate system similar to a barcode, which comes with a number or hologram. Once imprinted on a recordable item it becomes permanent), which will be imprinted in the CD, record or cassette upon manufacturing. The banderole will not only help to check album sales, but will also help in the collection of royalties for artistes, composers and producers.
In addition, with this system, duplication will be difficult since the producer will acquire the serial numbers from the Jamaica Intellectual Property Organisation (JIPO) and imprint it into the recording instrument. The system will cost more to duplicate than producing a record with the banderole imprinted. The police are expected to check the various CDs, records etc. being sold. The failure of a retailer to have the banderole on the recorded item may land him or her in jail.
The banderole is also expected to tell each time the song is played on air, by sending the information directly to a computer at the collection body, as well as to the relevant authorities. The development of such software and its installation is being funded by the WIPO at an undisclosed sum. The system is being put in place by the Government, which is a member of WIPO, to protect the intellectual property of persons both here and abroad. Sound systems, nightclubs and hotels will be expected to register with the relevant collection bodies locally and be issued with licences.
In all of this, Mr. Laing believes that the reason the system is slow in coming to fruition is because the persons in the industry are unwilling to let go of the present set-up.
The practitioners
"It is the practitioners in the industry who are preventing the development of the business. The people don't want any change to the business, since they made their money off the business as it is," Mr. Laing explained.
Desmond Young, president of the Jamaica Federation of Musicians (JFM), agrees with Mr. Laing. He, however, puts a different spin on the subject, while adding that the music industry needs some form of measurement. Mr. Young points out that the industry which did not support the setting up of a Soundscan or a related system was simply afraid of changes. "The setting up of such a system will bring about accuracy in the business. Some amount of accuracy is needed in the business at this time," he said.
For now, Mr. Laing sees public education among members of the business as the only way that this system can be implemented. He points out that if the members of the industry are unwilling to accept the change, external pressure applied on Jamaica could see the industry wilting.
Hence, he argues that it will be more advantageous for Jamaica to accept such a system.
Soon.
