Image via COTT Facebook Page © COTT.
One has to appreciate the fact that there is a chart for the weekly top 10 songs in Trinidad and Tobago! Yes, this is a welcome but really flawed chart. Why would I make such a statement? Simply put, it is a chart for the top ten songs played on radio in Trinidad and Tobago. So, what's the big deal (typical Trini response)? Let's get real now. This is the month of July, and the songs on the chart are from Carnival 2024, which took place in February! How can these Trinidad and Tobago Carnival 2024 songs be on rotation and charting since February? Don't get me wrong, I adore the songs on the list, but if other artists and songs received "fair play" on the radio, this list would not be the same! Sigh... What is the big deal? Are you aware that there are carnivals in Grenada, Saint Vincent, Saint Lucia, and Crop Over in Barbados? Are you telling me that radio stations in Trinidad and Tobago don't play Soca music from these islands? Are we that insular when it comes to Soca music? If the issue isn't with the radio stations, then it's with the people themselves. I don't believe that the people of Trinidad and Tobago are not listening to Soca from Greenz, Vincy, Saint Lucia, and Bim! The radio stations are doing the culture a disservice! Play Soca from across the Caribbean region and let the requests come in for radio play. Then, and only then, will this chart grow and feel legitimate.
This is why there are Soca conspiracy theories, discussions about the "Soca Mafia," and other such absurdities. The reality is that radio stations lack the diligence to thoroughly cover Soca music throughout the Caribbean basin. Thank you for the chart, COTT, but the people in charge of the culture, as well as those advocating for international recognition and a spot on the billboard chart for Soca, should reflect on their own actions and identify the true culprits of cultural deterioration: Radio in Trinidad and Tobago!
If you have an opinion on this subject, call in to your favorite radio station and voice your opinion or concerns. Start a conversation on social media to advocate for Soca music and the recognition of local content, specifically Caribbean culture, on radio in Trinidad and Tobago.
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Production Notes/Music Credits:
Chart: COTT Top 10 Radio Plays for July 11th - 17th., 2024
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Genre: Soca
Songs: All songs via YouTube
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