This is something that has disturbed my mind recently and I'll like to know your thoughts too. Please note, this is a civil and constructive discussion about the music art. Now to my thoughts....

I know some years back, the gospel music scene was not as big and popular as it is now (maybe the same can be said of the secular counterpart too, but secular was relatively bigger). Thankfully, Nigeria and Nigerian gospel artistes have gained more prominence in the continent and globe at large, same as secular. However, it appears the gospel industry might overtaken secular compared with 10 years ago! If I'm right, why is this so?

1. Music is an art: Like any other form of art, music is largely dependent on inherent talent, skill and development. Does it mean there are more talented and developing music artistes in gospel than secular...I can almost positively affirm. We probably can count more super-talented gospel artistes "big names" than secular....same with rising talents.

2. Music Labels: Gospel music labels seem to have gotten more creative and proactive than 10 years ago, maybe secular labels too. But the average gospel label can boast of at least 3 to 5 talented, known and growing artistes. Not many secular labels can boast of the same. For instance, the top ten gospel labels have more artistes than the top ten secular labels. Popular gospel labels are RoxNation, LoveWorld, RockTown, e.t.c and popular secular labels are Mavin Records, YBNL, StarBoy etc.

3. Talent Support: Gospel music seems to be having increasing support, particularly in finance. Finance is an important part of any art. Talent without support may not go far. This is good for both industries. However, there's an evident increase in finance and audience for gospel music.

4. Solo Acts (not part of a Label): Most secular solo acts might struggle more than the gospel solo acts. Even if there is no chance for a public platform/stage, the gospel act can at least sing before a church audience no matter how big or small. The secular solo act will need to at least join a band to even perform in a beer parlour.

5. Emerging Labels: Like earlier discussed, the rise in support and relevance of the gospel music industry has given much courage to rising labels and artistes to use the social media space and local audience to share their contents with as many as possible. The secular industry may not so much boast of the same. Notable emerging gospel label is the Gracious Hearts Music who are set to drop their debut album and Artleon.

Aside these five points, there are many other factors that can swing prominence and relevance in favour of any artiste, label or industry, for instance during the heat of the COVID 19 pandemic, the gospel music industry gained even further global relevance. Example is Way Maker by Sinach nominated for several categories of the Dove Awards. Earlier, Burna Boy came popularly close to the well-famed Grammy Awards as well. Truthfully, Nigerians and Africans as a whole now solidly embrace music from within more and in addition to import from the Western world than a decade earlier.

Thoughts?

Source: My opinion.

airmark, lalasticlala please send forward, I need some reviews. Thank you

i think where u got it wrong is 2compare record labels instead of d artistes.

i dont think d gospel record labels are bigger than secular record labels.

But wait o! Can we discuss gospel songs made by secular artistes? E.g God Win by Korede Bello

kingkoboko:
i think where u got it wrong is 2 compare record labels instead of d artistes.

well, well, well....you mean from the topic or the discussion?

kingkoboko:

i dont think d gospel record labels are bigger than secular record labels.

Ok....but how easy is it for a new artiste to get in?

kingkoboko:
But wait o! Can we discuss gospel songs made by secular artistes? E.g God Win by Korede Bello

hmmnn...this one off me but good point! I think I was considering clear cases of 100% gospel and 100% secular. However, it seems artistes signed to a secular label may freely do gospel songs...but that can not be the case for a gospel artiste. But you also know there are some songs that are very moral if you go by the lyrical content. They can almost fit into gospel and secular. To make it easy, I'll consider gospel songs as those clearly preaching Christ and Christian values, and others secular.

Right?

U don dey understand my argument abi?

A secular artiste/label can easily do both secular & gospel music but a gospel artiste/label cant deviate from gospel/Christian music, can they?

That in itself answers d question of which is bigger. *tongue out*

i mst however acknowledge that Naija gospel music has grown 4rm d Rosemary Chukwu, Chinyere Udoma, Prince Gozie Okeke era 2d Sammy Okposo, Frank Edwards, Sinach era.

Honestly, i cant wait 2see d next growth phase of Naija gospel music. It looks super-promisin wit endless possibilities wallahi.

kingkoboko:
U don dey understand my argument abi?

A secular artiste/label can easily do both secular & gospel music but a gospel artiste/label cant deviate from gospel/Christian music, can they?

That in itself answers d question of which is bigger. *tongue out*

LOL! It doesn't necessarily answer the question on which is bigger...just that it shifts the audience in favour of the secular

kingkoboko:


i mst however acknowledge that Naija gospel music has grown 4rm d Rosemary Chukwu, Chinyere Udoma, Prince Gozie Okeke era 2d Sammy Okposo, Frank Edwards, Sinach era.

Honestly, i cant wait 2see d next growth phase of Naija gospel music. It looks super-promisin wit endless possibilities wallahi.

Very true... I also kinda think gospel artistes tend to have long lasting songs than secular....some gospel songs have been around for many years and still fresh 'trendy' compared to secular...

leatherman:



Very true... I also kinda think gospel artistes tend to have long lasting songs than secular....some gospel songs have been around for many years and still fresh 'trendy' compared to secular...

My problem wit u b sey u no dey like 2giv examples. Which gospel songs are evergreen? Mention d song title & artiste.

Which gospel songs are as evergreen as these secular songs below 4instance?

Sweet Mother

African Queen by Tuface

Kuchi Kuchi by Jodie

If i remember more i go add. Hehehe...

kingkoboko:


My problem wit u b sey u no dey like 2giv examples. Which gospel songs are evergreen? Mention d song title & artiste.

Which gospel songs are as evergreen as these secular songs below 4instance?

Sweet Mother

African Queen by Tuface

Kuchi Kuchi by Jodie

If i remember more i go add. Hehehe...

Lol...Tope Alabi, Sammie Okposo Nathaniel Bassey, Frank Edwards, Sinach and more...all have songs that spanned over ten years and more...

But aside that, you can tell that the relative presence of the gospel scene is far bigger and increasing compared to decades earlier and the growth is bigger than the growth of secular music over the same period.

Lol

The fact that some secular artists delve into gospel kinda gives them more audience

But the gospel scene has grown much too

swtchicgurl:
Lol

The fact that some secular artists delve into gospel kinda gives them more audience

But the gospel scene has grown much too

true...
what do you think of 5 years from now?

leatherman:


true...
what do you think of 5 years from now?

Leather, I think it should be about where we now or a bit better for gospel because of all the plenty endtime messages around

Na cos boys don realize den no really need labels again..

Scarrr:
Na cos boys don realize den no really need labels again..

Maybe not always the case