Why did Congolese artists focus the albumsales not on Belgium instead of France back in the days ? They could have easily received cerified gold records, because they had just to sell 20.000 albums in Belgium, while in France you had to sell 100.000

I think it is because (even though they could make huge numbers since Belgium has a huuuuge Congolese community) Belgium really not give you much in terms of momey and return compared to France. If you become famous in France, Congolese, Ivorian, Cameroonians, Canadians and all the French speaking countries know you and if you know how to write good french lyrics like Stromae you can even be known in United States, while being a Belgium musician and sell in Belgium really bring you nowhere. For example except Stromae who purposefully choose to sing more in France than in Belgium do you know any other big Belgian artist? No

I think it is because (even though they could make huge numbers since Belgium has a huuuuge Congolese community) Belgium really not give you much in terms of momey and return compared to France. If you become famous in France, Congolese, Ivorian, Cameroonians, Canadians and all the French speaking countries know you and if you know how to write good french lyrics like Stromae you can even be known in United States, while being a Belgium musician and sell in Belgium really bring you nowhere. For example except Stromae who purposefully choose to sing more in France than in Belgium do you know any other big Belgian artist? No

yes, Damso is from Belgium and Johnny Hallyday (RIP) who was seen as the biggest Francophone artist and Jacques Brel who was big legend in the Francophone music-scene. (Koffi even said that he's one of his rolemodels). French is btw Belgium's offical language

You will still receive the same amount of money if you are a member of SABAM, like if you are a member of SACEM. Because they will put all those sales of Europe, the US together and pay it every 6 months.

Its a shame that Congolese artists didn't structure their sales in Belgium. They could have received easily gold records in Belgium, instead of selling it en desordre.

I feel like this was because the SNEP had a more mythical aura surrounding it compared to Belgium's sales classification unit. Hence the desire to go gold in France, since this was a sign to them that they made it in Europe.

I think it is because (even though they could make huge numbers since Belgium has a huuuuge Congolese community) Belgium really not give you much in terms of momey and return compared to France. If you become famous in France, Congolese, Ivorian, Cameroonians, Canadians and all the French speaking countries know you and if you know how to write good french lyrics like Stromae you can even be known in United States, while being a Belgium musician and sell in Belgium really bring you nowhere. For example except Stromae who purposefully choose to sing more in France than in Belgium do you know any other big Belgian artist? No

yes, Damso is from Belgium and Johnny Hallyday (RIP) who was seen as the biggest Francophone artist and Jacques Brel who was big legend in the Francophone music-scene. (Koffi even said that he's one of his rolemodels). French is btw Belgium's offical language

You will still receive the same amount of money if you are a member of SABAM, like if you are a member of SACEM. Because they will put all those sales of Europe, the US together and pay it every 6 months.

Its a shame that Congolese artists didn't structure their sales in Belgium. They could have received easily gold records in Belgium, instead of selling it en desordre.

I think you didn't get my point by the way Johnny Hallyday was born in France.

I am saying that all.the belgian artists who had success (2 in this case) went the global/european route and didn't focus only on Belgium there are plenty of Belgian musicians who are focused on Belgium only and struggle to get the views of Stromae and Damso. For example.I thought that Damso was French and yes Belgium has French as an official lamguage but we all know how dutch belgians (the ones with the power) feels about French Belgians in fact Stromae struggle to reach number one spot on those Vallon region while reaching number one in the Belgium as a country


For example.Shay a Belgian artist





60 milion no where near the number of Stromae or Damso


Same for Angèle



100 milion now check Stromae





695 mln


Damso




242 milion

Furthermore Belgium has 11 and an half habitamts while Framce is almost a 70 milion so of Course Congolese artists will focus on France more than Belgium

Wow I have just found out Shay is actually the nephew of Tabu Ley and Shay means "the one who brings the light" in KiYanzi it is crazy how Congo has dominated the French and Belgium charts. Even Stromae said a lot that he credit a lot.of his musical taste to Congo

To sell their albums on in Chateaux Rouge at Photo Joël Mbetenge, Babs Music & Jhimmy Mukelenge that only the Congolese diaspora knows.

I’m not talking about nowadays, but back in the days (90’s & early 2000s).

Maybe didn’t understand my point. My point is that back in the days Congolese bandleaders were fighting about getting a gold record in France which was very difficult (100.000 copies), claiming then that they received gold records, while they were all fake, not certified by SACEM and not even sold 50.000 in France. While they could have easily received gold records in Belgium where the Congolese community is big and just sell 20.000 copies. Back in the days you people coming from Germany & Holland to buy CDS in Matongé, because you hann’t Congolese shops there (only one years later in Aachen and one in Rotterdam). But the ambiance wasn’t the same like in Matonge, so they prefered going there.