Record label unveils single plans Robbie Williams is one of EMI's biggest-sellers Music giant EMI is to introduce a new system of prices for CD singles in an attempt to revive sales. Most singles will be available on two-track discs for £1.99 - but releases by the biggest names will be priced at £3.99.
The changes come as the UK music industry tries to recover from a sales drop that has seen almost 40% fewer singles sold so far this year compared with the same period in 2002.
EMI, one of the five major record labels, has best-selling stars including Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue and Coldplay on its books.
The company's new policy will see £1.99 two-track CDs released from September, backed up by £2.99 versions with added extras, such as DVD tracks.
The £3.99 releases will be reserved for a select few "blockbuster" artists.
We're hoping that this acts as a trigger for other record companies to start putting forward their own initiatives
Gennaro CastaldoHMV EMI chairman Tony Wadsworth told industry magazine Music Week: "There is confusion among consumers about pricing.
"They see singles at £1.99, £2.99 and £3.99 and don't know why."
The singles will remain at the same price for the duration of their release - rather than being discounted in the first week but reverting to a higher price - he said.
The move was welcomed by record shops, who said it could help "turn things around".
HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo told BBC News Online: "I think we should be a little patient and not just assume that singles have had their day.
"We're hoping that this now acts as a trigger for other record companies to start putting forward their own initiatives."
I don't know it's going to be the fix that everyone is looking for
Conor McNicholasNME EMI's move would help clear up confusion among customers and could end the culture of hyping up a single in its first week of release, Mr Castaldo said.
But others were less sure about the impact of EMI's new policy.
NME editor Conor McNicholas said: "All the work that EMI are doing is definitely heading in the right direction - but I don't know it's going to be the fix that everyone is looking for.
"What the entire record industry needs to do is really look at the way that music fans nowadays want to receive music."
Most fans now want to receive music digitally - to mobile phones, iPods, Xboxes or PCs - he said, and major record companies have yet to catch up.
And Matt Mason, deputy editor of Smash Hits, said it was a positive move but the culture of single-buying among fans was not as strong as it once was.
Digital chart
"There's just a lot more competing for their attention," he said.
Smash Hits readers - mostly aged between nine and 16 - still enjoyed going to record shops but many also wanted their songs in a digital form, he said.
It has already been announced that downloads from approved music sites are going to be counted in the official top 40 from next year.
The industry is also looking at other possible ways to revive the market.
Options include changing the day when the chart is published and reducing the wait between a single first being played on the radio and being available to buy
― William Gibson Jr, Tuesday, 5 August 2003 18:23 (twenty-two years ago)
Options include changing the day when the chart is published and reducing the wait between a single first being played on the radio and being available to buy"
Anyone got any suggestions to improve the situation?
― William Gibson Jr, Tuesday, 5 August 2003 18:24 (twenty-two years ago)
A further 13 artists - such as Robbie Williams, Gareth Gates and Coldplay - achieved the same feat for major labels.
A platinum disc is awarded for an album that sells more than 300,000 copies.
Greatest hits were not counted and nor were albums of cover versions.
'Real force'
The Association of Independent Music (Aim), a trade group, had said 39% of platinum albums were on indie labels.
But they did not count albums that achieved multiple platinum status in 2002 as well as those that went single platinum.
Aim chief executive Alison Wenham said: "These figures prove the UK independent sector is the real force behind the survival and success of the British popular music industry."
RELATED INTERNET LINKS: http://www.musicindie.org/Association of Indie Music The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
― William Gibson Jr, Tuesday, 5 August 2003 18:31 (twenty-two years ago)
― William Gibson Jr, Tuesday, 5 August 2003 18:32 (twenty-two years ago)
Albums would be a different thing i would assume.Craig David is Indie and coldplay major label? Haha someone should tell NME they cover the wrong one.
― Garry Easton, Wednesday, 6 August 2003 00:10 (twenty-two years ago)
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Wednesday, 6 August 2003 00:13 (twenty-two years ago)
When you can download a track onto yr hard drive in half an hour on a 56k modem, and then compile 15-20 tracks onto one solitary CD-r (not to mention the hundreds you xan fit on if they're just data files), why on earth would anyone be interested in clogging up their lives with 5" of plastic containig a poxy one or two tunes? There's just no point.
I'd welcome a system where you can pay, say, 75p-£1 per track, in a shop, and then find that track waiting on your PC when you got home; or have it uploaded directly onto yr MiniDisc/miscellaneous player in the shop; etcetera.
The funny thing is, I *want* to pay for music. But I'm fucked if I'm ever buying a CD single again - my life's cluttered enough as it is.
― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 6 August 2003 00:24 (twenty-two years ago)
EMI hires Second Life Flying Spaghetti Monster as digital media specialist - will it work?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/06/09/emi_hires_sadville/
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2007/12/13/pastafarian-cto-resigns-second
("Permitting Second Life users to own the rights to their virtual creations was Ondrejka's idea, and he helped write the code that operates the fantasy world.")
― StanM, Monday, 9 June 2008 19:44 (seventeen years ago)