Labels Halt Downloads to Increase CD Sales

[DudeAsInCool]

Labels Halt Downloads to Increase CD Sales

LOS ANGELES, March 8 — As blockbuster hits go, the R&B smash "So Sick" is hardly new territory for the 23-year-old singer known as Ne-Yo. Before crooning the song on his own album, he was a co-writer on the 2004 chart-buster "Let Me Love You" for the singer Mario.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/09/arts/music/09sing.html

[Shawn]

But even before Ne-Yo's big debut, some music executives fretted that they were offering too many songs too early, particularly from pop and R&B acts.

So consumers looking for some hot new songs may have trouble finding them before the corresponding albums are released. "S.O.S.," a rising radio hit from the Caribbean-born ingénue Rihanna (a label-mate of Ne-Yo), is not expected to be available for sale online before her forthcoming album. And Shakira fans will not find her new song, "Hips Don't Lie," for sale at any of the major online music services, music executives said.

I think that's better anyway. It keeps people from getting impatient and buying singles when they can just get the whole album for free off p2p when it hits stores.

Just another example of big music thinking of the little guy. :yup:

[robsterman1]

Can't beat the twisted logic behind that...also there are a lot of albums "leaked" to P2P networks well ahead of release. One I can think of is the "St. Anger" album by Metallica. That one was out on p2p at least a month before release

[method77]

So, they say that not allowing digital downloads, increases cd sales.

Well, if people had bought it from an online store then the cd would sell less but the label would still get the money.

Do they want to sell BOTH cds AND digital copies? They want people to buy the the album twice?

[robsterman1]

So, they say that not allowing digital downloads, increases cd sales.

Well, if people had bought it from an online store then the cd would sell less but the label would still get the money.

Do they want to sell BOTH cds AND digital copies? They want people to buy the the album twice?

I think the consumer should have MORE choice in the FORMAT of the album, whether downloadable or in a CD. I can see the usefulness of single tracks as a promotional tool, where users can download selected tracks to hear the tunes and if they like what they hear, they'd buy the album. Format should NOT matter really.

[method77]

tell that to the industry

[Guest .::BeatFactory::.]

umm... the industry must be blind (or someone is really stupid) because this particular single "So Sick" and many others are serviced to radio and to DJ's in many formats. People from radio and DJ's leak the tracks to P2P. Even normal people get these singles when labels are doing marketing for the artists because they pass out things called "Album Samplers." Most of the tracks on those samplers don't have full songs, but usually there are at least 2 full tracks. I know I myself had half of Ne-Yo's album since about November, plus some other tracks that didn't even make his album. People aren't stupid. They'll get the music out to the masses if it's wanted.