Posted February 18, 200817 yr Public uncertain over the potential of USB releases Source: MW 10:47 | Monday February 18, 2008 By Ben Cardew New Music Week research reveals that the nascent USB market has got off to a stuttering start, with many retailers unsure of the potential that the new format offers. Universal launched the USB format in the UK in October 2006, with the release of Keane¹s single Nothing In My Way. Since then, all four majors have issued albums on USB, while independent XL Recordings released a MIA USB single domestically. However, latest figures from the Official Charts Company - which made USBs chart eligible last October - indicate that consumers have yet to fully embrace the format: to date, no chart-eligible USB release has broken through the barrier of 1,000 sales, with many selling fewer than 500 units in total. Leading the field in terms of unit sales (among the chart-eligible album releases) is Parlophone act Kylie Minogue¹s X, which was released on a limited-edition USB stick including the full album, the promo video for Two Hearts, a trailer for biopic White Diamond and a link to exclusive online content. It has sold 800 copies on USB out of a total of 332,000 units, equating to 0.24% of its total sales.
February 18, 200817 yr USB's aren't that great to be honest...plus the singles are £5 while that Kylie album on USB was £25 in HMV...why would you pay almost triple the price for so little extra
February 18, 200817 yr An album on iTunes is £8, and the USB memory stick I have cost me £10 in Argos - which totals £18. Considering that USB sticks with an album costs £25, is anyone surprised that they haven't taken off? Especially has the memory stick is probably 512MB - and that's probably being generous*? (Mine's 1GB.) * - The News of the World did a promo one for the release of The Bourne Ultimatum back in August, and it was only a 32MB one (probably the smallest size they make). Edited February 18, 200817 yr by DitzyNizzy
February 18, 200817 yr I would never buy a USB single I think. The point of buying a CD single is actually to have it in hands and to collect it etc etc. If I want a physic format, I will deffo buy a CD. What's the point in buying the USB format?
February 18, 200817 yr USB's are stupid idea's, what do you do with them? Plus you could probally buy two albums for the price of a single usb. Someone or something needs to do something about single sales, I'd hate to see them go..
February 18, 200817 yr USB's aren't that great to be honest...plus the singles are £5 while that Kylie album on USB was £25 in HMV...why would you pay almost triple the price for so little extra 5 times the price actually, which is ridiculous
February 19, 200817 yr People in the record industry are as dumb as stumps. This was never gonna work. But they'll never learn - they have completely lost contact with their customers. If you want a physical format you want something substantial (and not at those ludicrous prices). If you want a purely digital format you'll go online; so there's just no room for USB sticks. The public never wanted them - but the record biz likes to think they know best what we want - they don't.
February 19, 200817 yr Smacks of a young executive trying to prove how with it they are. A ridiculous fad idea engineered 100% to make ridiculous amounts of profit. Don't do it!
February 19, 200817 yr They are too expensive for me. I was going to buy the USB of the Sugababes last single change because it contained some extra remixes, but it cost £5 in comparison to the CD single of £3.
February 19, 200817 yr the only reason i bought 1 was coz it was the suga's that released it. if it was any else then i wouldn't bother coz they are far far too expensive
February 19, 200817 yr 25 pounds (aka $50!!!!!!!) is FAR too expensive for a single album, regardless of the format. for that kind of price, i'd expect nothing short of a multi-disc, lavishly packaged boxed set retrospective.
February 20, 200817 yr how long until some cool kid at the OCC thinks sD cards are the way forward :rofl:
February 20, 200817 yr oh please god no!! i can't figure out how 2 work the card reader on my pc. god forbid, i will never be able to work that 1 out. I was convinced the memory stick was f***ed until i turned it 'upside down' and put it in the right way
February 20, 200817 yr They're absolutely uselss. You can put a CD in your computer and upload the files so what's the need for USB which basically does the same for more the money?
February 20, 200817 yr how long until some cool kid at the OCC thinks sD cards are the way forward :rofl: They might already have done so - it's just the sales of USBs are so low. (PS - Anyone old enough to remember 8 tracks?)
Create an account or sign in to comment