Ghanaian entertainment executive Bullgod recently sparked debate with a blunt assertion: “Our industry is artiste-led and that’s why we’re not moving forward.”
It’s a statement that hits at the heart of a long-standing structural issue within many emerging creative economies particularly in entertainment music. While talent is the lifeblood of any entertainment industry, an ecosystem driven almost entirely by artistes rather than by institutions, systems, and business infrastructure can struggle to achieve sustainable growth.
The Problem With an Artiste-Led Industry
In more developed markets, artistes are the face of the industry, but they are not its backbone. Behind every globally successful musician is a network of professionals: managers, label executives, distributors, publicists, booking agents, A&R teams, legal experts, and data analysts. The system works because structure leads, and talent thrives within it.
When artistes dominate decision-making, several issues tend to arise:
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Short-Term Focus Over Long-Term Strategy
Artists are naturally focused on creativity, visibility, and immediate success. Without strong institutional leadership, long-term planning catalog ownership, publishing, touring circuits, global partnerships — often takes a back seat. -
Weak Business Infrastructure
Sustainable industries are built on contracts, royalties, publishing systems, transparent accounting, and strategic investment. When these are secondary to star power, the industry grows in hype but not in value. -
Inconsistent Standards
A system led by individual personalities often lacks uniform standards. Professionalism varies. Deals are informal. Structures shift depending on who is popular at the moment. -
Limited Global Leverage
International markets operate on systems. Global labels and streaming platforms expect structure, documentation, and negotiation frameworks. Without these, local industries struggle to compete on equal footing.
Why This Matters Now
The digital era has made visibility easier than ever. A song can go viral overnight. An artist can trend globally from a bedroom studio. But virality is not the same as industry growth.
Countries that have successfully exported their music from the United States to Nigeria and South Korea built systems around their talent. Labels invested in infrastructure. Governments recognized creative arts as economic drivers. Data and distribution networks were prioritized.
If the ecosystem remains personality-driven rather than institution-driven, growth will always depend on the next breakout star not on a reliable pipeline of talent and revenue.
Artists Shouldn’t Carry the System
The irony is that an artist-led industry doesn’t just stall growth it also burdens artistes. Musicians end up acting as CEOs, marketers, brand strategists, and distributors, often without the expertise or support required. Creativity suffers when talent is forced to manage structure.
A balanced industry allows artistes to create while professionals handle expansion, monetization, and governance.
What Needs to Change
For real progress, several shifts must occur:
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Stronger Label and Management Structures
Professional management and accountable record labels must take the lead in business strategy. -
Clear Industry Regulations and Standards
Contract transparency, royalty tracking, and publishing systems need strengthening. -
Investment in Infrastructure
Studios, distribution systems, training institutions, and touring circuits must be developed. -
Data-Driven Decision Making
Success should be measured beyond trends, focusing on revenue, catalog value, and international licensing.
The Bigger Conversation
Bullgod’s statement is not an attack on artists; it is a call for structural reform. Talent is abundant. Creativity is not the problem. The question is whether the industry can evolve from being personality-driven to system-driven.
Until structure leads and talent operate within it, progress may continue to feel like motion without movement.
Because in the end, an industry built on stars alone will shine but it won’t scale.
