Transformations in the sinhala song creation process with the introduction of cassette recording technology

Abstract

Sinhala songs have gone through a transformation with the introduction of cassette recording technology to Sri Lanka. People who were involved in the creation of Sinhala songs can be classified under three categories: those who were involved in the process of creating songs, those involved in the production and reproduction of songs, and the audience. Sri Lankans were attracted to cassette recording technology as a result of the political, economic and social changes that happened during the 1970s. This technology led to transformations in the behaviour patterns of people who were involved in creating songs in Sinhala. Among the changes, most noteworthy were the emergence of a group who were economically well-off who also wanted popularity as artists, the increasing expectations about economic stability in the minds of the majority of popular artists and the search for the freedom of expression by artists through their songs.