Musicians and broadcasters have called for local music to be given more radio play as data shows that only one in 20 songs played are Maltese.
The latest statistics from the Performing Rights Society (PRS) show that just 5.4 per cent of all songs played across Maltese radio stations were written by local songwriters.
“It’s a shame that the most powerful radio stations play almost no Maltese or local music,” musician Mark ‘Iz-Zizza’ Abela said.
The Brodu frontman said broadcasters might feel that some local artists, such as his own band, can only attract a niche audience. But other acts such as Michael Azzopardi, KYM and Djun could attract bigger audiences, he said.
Artists could make more of an effort to distribute their music to local DJs, he suggested.
According to PRS figures from 2019, one in 20 songs played on the radio that year were written by one of the 500 Maltese artists who are members of the organisation.
“We have not provided 2022 data as there is a time lag in the data we receive from broadcasters in Malta. The year 2019 is the most accurate picture of the broadcast,” a PRS spokesperson said.
PRS identifies where and when specific works are played and distributes the royalties to composers and writers.
Like Abela, solo artist Cheryl Camilleri said radio stations limit themselves to repeating the same hit songs, believing this is what people want to hear.
“But radio stations have the power to be a catalyst, introduce new music to their audiences and to be changemakers,” said Camilleri, who released her debut album last December.
Abela’s band Brodu and Camilleri have been part of a Maltese music “renaissance” in recent years but aside from a few pockets here and there, the airwaves have largely ignored the local product.
“I think that good quality music with Maltese lyrics, particularly that with an inclination towards ‘alternative’ elements, has been experiencing an impressive renaissance for at least 15 years now,” broadcaster Michael Bugeja said.
Bands like Brikkuni and Xtruppaw, as well as hip-hop artists like Hooligan, took the “bold step” of writing contemporary music in Maltese, Bugeja said.
Their music connected strongly with younger generations and has influenced other artists to follow in their footsteps.
“[These bands] certainly, and thankfully, did away with the misplaced general opinion prevalent in the past that the Maltese language was not suitable to be applied to genres outside of the festival circuit,” said Bugeja, who has hosted the programme Rockna on NET FM for the last 13 years.
But radio stations “definitely” do not play enough Maltese music, although some do dedicate more time to it than others, he said.
It’s a shame that the most powerful radio stations play almost no Maltese or local music
He suggested stations should be made to adhere to a quota of local songs.
“I am a firm believer that there should be an official quota of home-grown music that broadcasters need to include in their daily programming,” he said.
“Very few Maltese radio and TV shows are dedicated to the local music scene and even fewer give a voice to those genres outside the mainstream,” he said.
The host of 103 FM’s local hour, Ephrom Tabone, called for a similar policy.
“We need regulation in Malta setting a minimum of local music to be played on the radio. The Broadcasting
Authority would then take action against those that do not follow it,” Tabone said.
A national cultural policy published in 2021 actually proposed the introduction of a 15 per cent quota for homegrown music on the air.
“Data reveals that only a small percentage of music aired on radio in Malta originates from Malta,” says the policy document.
“In order to provide both listeners and artists with increased exposure to home-grown music, a minimum quota of 15 per cent will be set for national radio stations as part of their public service obligation.
“This will include songs with Maltese lyrics and any music instrumental or otherwise, in any other language, composed, written or performed by a citizen or resident of Malta.”
The document proposed a similar policy for private radio stations operating nationally and licensed by the Broadcasting Authority.
On the other hand, Jake Cuschieri, host of Malta’s top 10 on Bay Radio, believes that radio DJs should curate their playlists on merit and not on whether an artist is Maltese or not.
“Top 40 stations have included local music as part of their airplay, but accepted songs should, in my opinion, sound good enough in terms of style, sound and production when compared to the other songs by foreign artists which are being played,” he said.
Still, there had been a “massive improvement” in terms of commercial music in Maltese doing well in Malta, he added.
“We have seen an increase in the number of local music submissions in Maltese which are being accepted for airplay.
“What The Travellers, Aidan and others have done with Maltese music is remarkable. They have headed in the right direction and are influencing others to follow,” he said.
Veteran broadcaster Toni Sant is less optimistic, saying Maltese music is not going through an especially good period.
“There have been better times and there have been worse times. I judge this by the amount of new stuff that is different from the rest. Things like Maltese-language hip-hop, bands that don’t just play three-chord rock,” he said.
And he agreed that on the whole, Maltese radio does not play enough Maltese music.
“In terms of TV, I must say that I’m in awe of Melita’s default channel, which seems to play back-to-back Maltese music videos 24/7. Simply amazing!
“Still, it could do with a bit of playlist curation, or what in the old days we used to call programming,” Sant said.
Sant’s weekly podcast, Mużika Mod Ieħor, has been ongoing since 2005, featuring music by performers in or from Malta.