It is yet another year of celebrations among the proudly South African record companies, for having again scooped the most prestigious and priceless Award, “Best Selling Album of the Year.”

AIRCO wishes to congratulate NCA RECORDS for their victory and the embedded public announcement of its business success, against the background of the multinationals/majors’ inference about the decline of sales in the local music market.

AIRCO still proudly celebrates the reverberation of the Award as it fell into the hands of BULA RECORDS in the previous two consecutive years (2006 & 2007), for this nullified the very continuity of fallacious generalisation about the music industry suffering a decline in sales; this argument being the motivation for the arbitrary scaling down of sales units required for Gold and Platinum Disc Certification by RISA in 2007.

It is AIRCO’s prerogative to also brag about the remarkable dominance presented by independent record companies both in the SAMA Nominees and Winners lists, including in highly contested categories like:

• Best Group - won by Freshly Ground (from Africain Instinct & SonyBMG)
• Best Kwaito Album - won by Brickz (from Wheel of Steel & Ghetto Ruff)

In light of the continuous attempt to underrate the successes and the immense contribution made by proudly South African producers towards the development of local content within the music industry;

AIRCO reaffirms its unwavering position and mandate to claim the independent record companies’ rightful space in the music industry.

AIRCO will vigorously and unapologetically promote all South African brands to the same level demanded by multinationals, without any compromise.

AIRCO believes that all proudly South African record companies’ logos deserve to be visibly recognised and acknowledged whenever and wherever their products are placed, including even in the SAMA Awards.

AIRCO believes that if local producers are not often acknowledged or recognised, but rather constantly disassociated or distanced from their products, our expectation as a country to see them equally developing to the recognition given to multinationals and exporting their product globally will remain a dream.

Thus we take pride in proclaiming the current successes at the SAMAs, with conviction that this will educate and set the record straight beyond any reasonable doubt: Independent record companies are a significant stakeholder in the development of local content and driver of the music industry in general.

Broadcasters and regulators can therefore be proudly encouraged to increase the local content quota without any fear of local content producers, who are predominantly independent companies, not meeting the demand as was alleged by multinationals during ICASA submissions.

The people of South Africa have once again spoken through their financial support for a local product produced and distributed independently by an independent record company. If "the market dictates", as attested by Keith Lister’s utterances in an interview with Empire Magazine earlier this year, then the market has dictated loud and clear what it would appreciate hearing more often, even on its radio and TV.

The following winners represent the independent music industry:

Best Female Solo Artist
Karen Zoid - 'Postmodern World' [Just Music cc]

Best Duo / Group
Freshlyground - 'Macheri' [3 Ground Records/Instinct Africain]

Album of the Year
Freshlyground - 'Macheri' [3 Ground Records/Instinct Africain]

Best Global Chart DVD
Harris Tweed - 'Live Under The Pillows' [Just Music cc]

Best Afrikaans DVD
Jan Blohm - 'Jan Blohm Live At The Performer' [Hathor Records]

Best Producer
Crighton Goodwill FOR Blow Your Mind BY Loyiso; Wessel Van Rensburg FOR Happy@Empty BY Wessel Van Rensburg

Best Engineer
Freshlyground - 'Macheri' [3 Ground Records/Instinct Africain]

Extra Information for Finalists in Above Category"
David Langemann FOR MaCheri BY Freshlyground

Best Afrikaans Traditional Music Album
Valiant Swart And Ollie Viljoen - 'Vur En Vlam' [Rhythm Records]

Best Mgxobanyawo Album
Thokozani Langa - 'Phuma Kimi' [Bula Music]

Best Maskandi Album
Umgqumeni - 'I Juke Box' [GRC]

Best Traditional A Capella Album
Ladysmith Black Mambazo - 'Ilembe' [GRC]

Best Instrumental Album
Tony Cox - 'Blue Anthem' [Sheer Sounds]

Best Traditional Jazz
Mccoy Mrubata - 'Brasskap Session Vol 1' [Sheer Sounds]

Best Adult Contemporary Album: English
Freshlyground - 'Macheri' [3 Ground Records/Instinct Africain]

Best Urban Gospel
Benjamin Dube - 'In His Presence' [Spirit Music]

Best African Contemporary Gospel
Hlengiwe Mhlaba - 'Blessings' [Izibusiso ]

Best African Traditional Gospel
Lusanda Spiritual Group - 'Ndiphakathi' [GRC]

Best Pop/Rock Gospel
Reason - '' [Spirit Music]

Best Afrikaans Gospel
Retief Burger - 'Luidkeels Hersien' [Merchant Music]

Best Kiddies Album: Afrikaans
Lienka - 'Inafrikaans Se Kinderliedjies' [Mastermax Productions]

Best Country Music
Alan Ladd - 'Sing Country' [Fantasia Music Distribution]

Best Rock Album: English
Seether - 'Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces' [Musketeer Records]

Best Rock Album: Afrikaans
Kobus! - 'Swaar Metaal' [Rhythm Records]

Best Alernative Music Album
Somerfaan - 'Kyk Of Sy Kyk' [Roar Agencies]

Best Pop Album: Afrikaans
Nicholis Louw - 'Hier Naby Jou' [Select Music]

Best Urban Pop Album
Kb - 'My Rhythm' [Mathemo]

Best Sokkie Dans Album
Kurt Darren - 'Voorwarts Mars' [Select Music]

Best Urban Dance Album
Dj Cleo - 'Eskhaleni Phase 4' [Ghetto Ruff]

Best Kwaito Album
Brickz - 'Estokfeleni' [Ghetto Ruff]

Best Comedy Album: Afrikaans
Thys Bosveldklong - 'Op Veiling' [Fantasia Music Distribution]

“WE ARE PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN”
By Eugene Mthethwa
AIRCO Chairman

Watch this space for further updates on local content and needletime for AIRCO Members and all Rights Owners. For more information about AIRCO, visit www.airco.org.za , telephone 011 447 1199, or fax 011 447 9444