Making a living in music has always been difficult. It’s more difficult than ever to stand out in the vast tapestry of the music industry, which is currently both saturated and predictable. However, independent singers, rappers, and artists today have the power of social media and streaming platforms, which is analogous to a double-edged sword but still has an advantage. Breaking into the indie scene was difficult (I sound like my granddad), but some musicians succeeded despite the difficulties. Like the fields of Elysium, that space is home to many great artists of now and yesterday, including Maqsood Mahmood Ali, also known as Lucky Ali.
It’s practically hard to talk to your parents about mainstream music without mentioning his name. His albums ‘Sunoh’, ‘Sifar’, and ‘Aks’ are amazing efforts that demonstrate coherence and consistency. Even before ‘Oh Sanam’ dominated the charts, his career as an independent musician was legendary. Most people in Generation Z only know him as a musician and are unaware that he is the son of iconic actor Mehmood. For the younger audience reading this, the great comedy actor went bar to bar with Kishore Kumar in the film Padosan (1968), which was released years before Eminem and the Falcon ever performed in Detroit.
Let’s talk about the music that today’s independent artists generate and distribute. Why do all songs sound alike, and why have we abandoned musical features like the bridge? Check out any of Anuv Jain’s tracks. When ‘Baarishein’ was released, it was a pleasant new sound, but he later repeated the same sound until it lost its novelty. From there, he embarked on a career that consists of repeating the same song, and he is not alone in this. I adore Ed Sheeran, but did I really deserve to wait so long for an album we’d already heard? All of the songs, save for some parts of the singles
Ali built a name for himself when he had to rely on CDs and cassettes for retail sales. People had to leave their homes, go to the music store, and purchase a piece of music. Which is much more difficult than staying in bed and pushing a button, with the option of paying nothing if you can listen to advertising. Furthermore, all of this music is shared on Instagram 1500 times a day; 50 reels and 25 collaborations are the norm; as a result, millions of people are exposed to it every second. Ali did not have that luxury; he had to rely on the music stores to keep his music in the window.
