Era backs Universal plan for singles

10 May 2007 - 09:33:41

Source: Music Week

 

 

The Era council has proclaimed its unanimous support for both Universal’s proposal to move the singles release date to Friday and EMI’s move towards releasing unrestricted MP3 formats.

 

The council says that the music retail community fully backs the Universal proposal and encourages all record companies to follow Universal’s lead, which was revealed by Music Week last month.

 

“By releasing singles on a Friday, Era believed that record companies could create some consumer excitement around Friday as a new release day,” the organisation said in a statement. “Many retailers already hold stock on a Friday and are prevented from selling the physical version until Monday even though the digital version is freely available.

 

“Era believes that such a move helps consumers access the music they want on a Friday and over the weekend and could extend the buying week from seven days to nine days on a new release. This can only be good news for the consumer and is a step in the direction of narrowing the gap between physical and digital release dates.”

 

“Whilst some logistics changes may be needed at a wholesale level the majority of retailers thought such a change could be implemented without major upheaval at retail.”

 

Era co-chairman Paul Quirk says, “Era supports any record company that looks at new ways of attracting customers into high street stores and releasing singles on Friday is an excellent move by Universal which should add excitement to weekend sales.”

 

In addition, the council expressed its support for EMI’s decision to release unrestricted MP3 formats, which it says will help to win back the trust of digital customers.

 

“Era retailers have long believed that the failure by record companies to offer interoperable files has hampered the uptake of digital music and led to an increase in illegal file sharing,” the organisation said.

 

“Consumers have long supported a clear retail proposition for digital products where the file they purchase can be used on multiple devices. It is important that retailers are able to offer the consumers the content they want playable on any device. In a high street store environment one would not expect a CD from one retailer to only play in certain hardware so why should a consumer get something less when purchasing digital formats?”

 

Era co-chairman Jim Batchelor adds, “Era would encourage all record companies to release DRM-free MP3 formats if the industry is to re-engage with and win back the digital consumer’s trust”.

 

The statements follow Era’s council meeting, held in London yesterday (May 9).

 

If implemented, this would mess up the midweeks.

 

Mind you look at Maroon 5 - released on downloads from Friday, they've charted at #18 behind Hellogoodbye & Snow Patrol who's download only singles had been available all week, yet I'd expect them to leapfrog these two acts by next Sunday's chart.

Well, the physicals market needs something to give it a shot in the arm, but I am not sure this is the way forward :unsure:

The sales that are sold Friday and Saturday, would affect the chart on Sunday, wouldn't it. :unsure:

The sales that are sold Friday and Saturday, would affect the chart on Sunday, wouldn't it. :unsure:

 

I was just thinking that, you can make a 9-day week out a chart that's revealed every 7 days :wacko:

I was just thinking that, you can make a 9-day week out a chart that's revealed every 7 days :wacko:

 

 

Unless the Sunday chart show is moved to a Friday, but that won't happen, wouldn't it :unsure:

I can only see this making the problem worse, sales would be pitiful and it would LOOK worse, even though it's basically a 9 day week. I don't see what difference it would make - if you want to buy something on a Friday you will, it'll just mess up the midweeks as they will be basically secure as all of the weekend sales will have already happen, the midweeks will basically just give the actual result -_-

 

Simple way to make physicals a lot more successful? Market them more. I know barely any shops that stock physicals and the ones that do tuck them in a little corner and the back of the shop. Perhaps relaxing the rule on gifts with the singles might help as well ^_^

I personally think that they should release a physical release as soon as it's played on radio.