Why Reggae Is More Successful Than Soca

Reggae music went global on a different scale the day Chris Blackwell invested his belief & money in Bob Marley. Blackwell, who headed Island Records, believed so strongly in Bob's music (of course he saw an opportunity too!) that he pushed the necessary finances Marley's way. That significantly helped to promote reggae music outside of the Caribbean market.

Prior to Blackwell, the commercial viability of reggae music on a grand scale was still very much up for questioning but with the correct marketing mix and a better quality production from what other artistes were producing, Blackwell's investment made Marley's music appeal to a wider cross section of people.

It was not just Bob Marley who propelled reggae. Jimmy Cliff, Toots & the Maytals and others in that same ilk gave reggae that initial global likeability and from there onwards, with the evolution of dancehall, reggae has transcended into what we now witness as being a mainstream musical force.

Just on Sunday night at the 53rd Grammy Awards, reggae was further affirmed in mainstream music's corridors with Buju Banton winning an award for Best Reggae Album.

Artistes like Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Movado, Sean Paul, Elephant Man, Gyptian, Vybz Kartel, Beres Hammond, Maxi Priest and a host of others can easily fill arenas outside of the Caribbean as well as they can in the region itself. The social makeup of the audience further demonstrates that the cross over appeal that reggae/dancehall has is vast. These performers are household names globally. You only need to look at the upcoming Reggae Academy in Japan to see just how far a global appeal reggae/dancehall has mustered.

What About Soca?
But where is Soca music in the scheme of things? Reggae has gone way ahead but Soca seems to be left wanting. Why is this?

It can be argued that Soca is largely consumed within the Caribbean at the various island's Carnivals. But reggae was once for local consumption too, was it not? That argument in itself reinforces the notion that the cross over appeal of Soca is one of the major attributes that has been hurting its development as a business.

There are those who say that Soca needs a Chris Blackwell, an injection of money to raise its standards both production wise and with marketing. Now I hear you say, money? Soca has money! After all just a few years ago, Soca superstar, Machel Montano rocked Madison Square Garden's Wamu Theatre!

That may be so but for all of Machel's exploits (which must be commended by the way) at New York's most famous arena, where is Soca today in mainstream America music culture? I have travelled from New York to Toronto to London and the most Soca that I have heard at any one point on any main stream radio station are the Sunday afternoon shows both in Toronto & London where Soca music gets an exclusive two to three hour slot.

Having sad that, the pirate stations do there best to push Soca continuously but therein lays the problem. The people that matter to make Soca a commercial success do not listen to pirate radio stations, so Soca is still very much trapped within the confines of mainstream Caribbean and black culture. It sticks with Caribbean people abroad as a cultural representation.

Alison Hinds, Rupee, Kevin Lyttle, Machel, The Awesome Jam Band and Krosfyah are just some of the big names in soca who continue to spearhead efforts to take Soca to that next level of mainstream adaptability. Yet still Soca faces a battle.

The other day on facebook a discussion raged as to whether Bajan R&B Queen, Rihanna, could do more to help Soca's acceptance in the mainstream. Some thought that yes she should, to others who believe that she is under no obligation to do so at all. Whichever way you may choose to look at it, consider the following

Rihanna was nominated in no less than five categories at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, winning a Grammy for Best Dance album. Rihanna's success, her having such clearly traceable Caribbean roots could perhaps help to give Soca the push it needs to be recognised by the mainstream.

Even if artistes like Rihanna may not wish to do a solo Soca track, collaboration even with a top Soca act; something that is highly produced and acceptable for mainstream airplay can possibly pay big dividends for Soca. Reggae/dancehall artistes have collaborated with high profile R&B & Hip/Hop entertainers and it has further pushed reggae into the mainstream. Maybe this is the push Soca needs up its backside to get moving towards being more commercially viable.

Jeevan Robinson is CEO & Editor-in-Chief of MNI Alive.