Cassettes, Mp3s and File Sharing

Hari is a regular DJ and performs in clubs and hotels across Kerala. He, along with two of his friends, Jerish and Onasis formed an electronic band (one of the first of its kind in Kerala to make original electronic music) named Roket Science. I heard few of their songs during the production stage and was immensely impressed by the work these guys put into each song. However Roket science never took off and the best they could offer was to upload a 50 second promo video of their band. The five or six odd songs they created never made it out of the four walls of their humble recording room in Thirumala.

The Internet has made our world shorter. Music that is made on the other side of our continent has become easily accessible. Ironically, today it has become increasingly difficult to keep track of a new artist. The minute you identify something refreshing, you might simultaneously stumble upon something else that is equally good. The possibilities thus become endless. For a Kerala based electronic band like Roket Science, chances of getting noticed in this muddle are very few.

Back in the 1990s when cassettes and radio were the important sources for music, listening used to be serious. When you buy a cassette, you immediately look for the songs on the two sides (Part A & Part B), check out who the music director is and who the singers are. Sometimes you could also find the lyrics inside. With the onset of mp3s, these details have become unimportant for the average listener. That accounts for the sudden popularity of Justin Biebers and PSYs on the internet. If the song has got some kind of a groove that is different from the previous one it is deemed to be a hit virally, until something else (example; Harlem Shake) replaces it.

Independent music scene in India is almost non-existent. Talented bands are unsigned and are entirely depended on concerts and gigs that happen once in a while. Internet is the only medium where they can promote their work of art and hopefully get a few listeners. Almost all Indian bands today release their albums online and make contact with fans through Facebook. Hardcore fans are active and keep the scene alive by organizing concerts and selling band merchandise.

The Internet has definitely widened our scope for acquiring new music. Even though You Tube hits are still considered to be the ultimate standard, it still provides space for original talent which conventional media never gives. MTV and VH1are in there for reality shows and cater less for music. But you need to know where to draw the line when it comes to music on the internet. Downloading the entire albums of A R Rahman is not worth a dime unless you have the patience to sit through each one of them and enjoy the music.