In a groundbreaking move for regional media and entertainment, Barbados TODAY, its sister publication St. Lucia Times, and the innovative music-ranking platform Selecta Charts have officially signed a partnership designed to transform how Caribbean music is promoted, distributed, and celebrated.
The recent collaboration brings together one of the region’s largest digital news networks with a modern, data-driven platform built to elevate Caribbean artists across genres.
For Paul Husbands, CEO and founder of Selecta Charts, the partnership marks an unprecedented moment for the industry: “This is a huge multimedia collaboration. I do not know if any charts-based system in music in the Caribbean has ever collaborated on this level.”
He emphasised that combining the reach of established media with a modern music platform is critical to sustaining and expanding Caribbean creativity.
“With the extensive reach of Barbados TODAY, which is well known across the Caribbean, along with Selecta Charts, which is a very modern and innovative music platform, I do believe this collaboration will be excellent for the music industry,” Husbands noted.
Barbados TODAY’s and St. Lucia Times’ Chief Executive Officer and Publisher, Hermina Elcock, described the partnership as a strategic alignment built on innovation, digital expansion, and cultural preservation.
“This isn’t just about publishing content. It’s about capturing our culture and lifting up Caribbean talent. Partnering with Selecta Charts helps us shine a bigger light on our music and gives our creators more visibility,” Elcock explained.
She said the timing of the collaboration could not be better.
“What makes this work is how well we fit together. Barbados TODAY brings the audience and credibility, while Selecta Charts brings the innovation and the excitement. Together, we can push Caribbean media and our culture even further than our shores,” Elcock said.
For Husbands, the partnership is expected to significantly increase visibility for artists from Barbados, Saint Lucia, and the wider Caribbean. The integration of weekly Top 10 charts, genre features, and digital engagement into the news platforms creates wider exposure than Selecta Charts has ever had.
“It is going to be a huge increase in engagement. Because of the extensive reach across the different islands, Barbados TODAY and St. Lucia Times, you’ll be able to reach a wide demographic of persons,” he said, adding that this level of distribution will motivate more artists to use the platform.
“What’s going to be really fantastic is seeing how creators use this big reach and the huge engagement and its impact. It’s going to put the music on the charts on a scale where people will be able to see it regionally and internationally.”
One of the challenges the platform aims to address is the seasonal nature of Caribbean releases that is often tied to carnival or festival periods.
“The issue with the music in the Caribbean is, it is very seasonal. Having charts on a weekly basis would encourage and incentivise artists to release music on a year-round basis, which to me would be the biggest innovation,” said Husbands.
Elcock agreed that year-round cultural engagement strengthens not only the creative economy but the broader digital ecosystem of the region.
“This partnership helps us reach younger, music-focused audiences and also gives our regular readers new cultural experiences. It’s really about widening the conversation and growing across the region,” she said.
Husbands sees even greater possibilities emerging as momentum builds: “This could create new avenues for collaborations and early releases. It may even shift how the industry operates. Time will tell, but the excitement will grow week to week.”
Hermina reinforced that the partnership is only the beginning of a long-term vision.
“This is just the beginning. We already see opportunities for events, creator collabs, video projects, digital campaigns and even research that can grow out of this partnership that may help brands understand our culture better. It’s the first step toward a whole new multimedia space,” Elcock said.
tracymoore@barbadostoday.bb
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