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Debate & reception

DebateContested

Streaming's promise for dancehall: global reach or a pennies-per-stream squeeze?

One side

Global reach & direct distribution

The other

Pennies-per-stream payouts

What was argued

Two documented positions on streaming's effect on reggae and dancehall, stated neutrally: supporters credit on-demand platforms with giving Jamaican artists direct, borderless distribution and new discovery paths; critics point to fractional per-stream payouts and 2024 minimum-stream royalty thresholds that leave many acts earning little. No verdict.

The records this concerns

Jamaica Music Society (JAMMS)Streaming economics of reggae and dancehallAudiomack Caribbean

Sources

Jamaica Gleaner business desk; DancehallMag; Spotify Loud & Clear; World Music Views

Commentary

Collecting the money at home: neighbouring rights and JAMMS

One side

Royalties recovered for creators

The other

Gaps and unmet expectations

A neutral account of debate over local rights administration: JAMMS reports recovering substantial neighbouring-rights royalties for producers and performers over two decades; some artists question how much value reaches them and note gaps, including the absence of a statutory local performance right for performers.

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Commentary

Does inscription reach the artists? Recognition versus livelihoods

One side

Meaningful symbolic recognition

The other

Little direct effect on livelihoods

Two views on the practical impact of UNESCO recognition: some hold the symbolic dignity is real, overdue and useful for cultural policy; others note it did little directly for working musicians' pay in an era shaped more by streaming economics than by heritage listings.

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Debate

Playlists as the new gatekeepers: open door or new payola?

One side

Meritocratic discovery

The other

Concentrated curatorial power

A neutral framing of two views on streaming playlists: some see editorial and algorithmic playlists as a meritocratic door for unsigned Jamaican artists to reach global ears; others argue they concentrate power with a few curators and echo older concerns about paid placement and radio gatekeeping.

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Debate

The streaming single versus the riddim album

One side

Single-and-playlist efficiency

The other

The riddim-album tradition

Two positions on how streaming reshaped dancehall's recording economy: some hold that the single-and-playlist model rewards standalone hits and global focus; others argue it undercuts the riddim-compilation tradition of many artists voicing one rhythm, a system that built dancehall's collaborative economy.

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