For sure, Nagaland has always loved music. But starting from the 60s and after, Mokokchung’s craze for music was something that was unmatched and unstoppable. It was the ultimate hub of music fans and music lovers and was the town that pioneered in giving rise to legendary bands like The Shadows and Squadron who were among the first and the best in Nagaland.

A generation of music lovers gave opportunities for various local artists to flourish. The bands in the likes of The Shadows, The Echoes, The Highlanders, The Sky Vengers, The Hill Boys, The Lusters and girl bands like Jean and the Jeanies, The Four Birdies, and Blue Jeans thrived during those days. Mokokchung had its heyday during the 60s up until the ‘80s, and arguably till the early 90s.

Mokokchung was also the district that first organized ‘All Nagaland Beat Contest’ as early as in 1970s and also hosted the first Regional Beat Contest organized by The Caretakers.

As music was loved and cherished by young, old, men, women and children, Mokokchung witnessed the flourishing of local artists and musical events were successfully hosted in the town. This thriving music scene in Mokokchung made it the venue that attracted well-known bands from other states to travel and perform live concerts in Mokokchung.

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What could have caused the decline in craze for music?

Shortly after the hype and the craze, Mokokchung began to lose its grip on Music. Year after another, there were fewer music shows and events held, musicians declined and so did the supporters.

This decline perhaps began with India opening up to foreign markets in the 90s and also to an era when western pop-culture dominated the scene. People’s taste in music slowly started to prefer a studio-produced version and hence, the raw talents with limited equipment stood no chance to an industry that was going all out to influence the world.

At the same time, academics were given the utmost priority as society went ahead with the belief that excellence in academics was the only way out to a comfortable future.
The prevailing law and order problem in the 90s could have been another factor that played a role in dampening down the spirit.

Relationship between Music and Economy

Music is a powerful means of connecting people. It bridges linguistic and cultural divides, and is a vehicle for identity and expression like no other. And it’s not surprising how a vibrant music industry can do wonders.

The South Korean band, BTS, is worth $3.6 billion to South Korea’s economy and has contributed to a surge in tourism while increasing the appeal of South Korean products.

Similarly, Hornbill International Rock Contest held every year either in Dimapur or Kohima not only attracts tourists and performers but directly contributes to the development in terms of having more venues and opportunities in those places.

According to the 2013 Nashville Music Industry report, the music industry helped create and sustain more than 56,000 local jobs and contributed USD5.5 billion to the local economy. Similarly, UK Music estimated that in 2013 music directly contributed GBP3.8 billion to the UK economy and directly employed 111,000 people.

Music events and contests fuel job creation, economic growth, tourism development and artistic growth, and strengthen a place brand. A strong music community also attracts highly skilled young workers in all sectors for whom quality of life is a priority. This in turn attracts business investment.

Of course, Mokokchung cannot be compared to an industry as influential as the K-pop industry or the western music industry but it can still manage to become a music district by reviving its old music scene, especially at the time and age of electronic media and social media platforms.

Suggested strategies on how to revive music scene in Mokokchung

Bringing back the periodic Music contests and Events: This will not only serve as an opportunity or a platform for music enthusiasts but will turn up the passion towards music that the town once had. Along with it, holding events like music festivals will attract tourists.

Community Support: Getting community support is a widespread challenge. However, hosting a high profile music event that can provide a convincing demonstration of music’s benefits in the town can ultimately help investors and the community to warm up just like the International Hornbill Rock Festival has.

Work on location & design: The first impression is the key to anything. Pick and design a venue in such a way that the hearts and minds of those who were skeptical about the development can witness the change. This will enhance community engagement.

Partnership & collaboration: With close proximity with famous local artists across the state, the town can attract large headliners. The trick is being noticed locally and nationally as having a vibrant music scene creates the “cool” factor and a quality of life that makes people want to visit, live, and work in your town.

Strengthen the music community: Local circumstances, including socio-economic indicators, political priorities, and strengths and weaknesses of the local music community must be taken into account. Small towns like Mokokchung can get creative and discover what works best for them.

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