We could go on about this forever - i mean to use an example i know of, GA csf has had more than 2 million views on youtube, can you imagine how much this has affected sales? Its not that hard to work out, the reasons are staring us in the face.

You may have a point but I don't see how it directly loses sales. If sales are lost it'll be singles sales having a much larger propertion lost yet single sales are high? You can tell it doesn't effect albums by the generally small amount of views an album track gets. Also, with a youtube video you have to be in one set place to listen to the track. When buying something you can listen to it anywhere, in the house, in the car, on the bus, at work, whilst walking or shopping....

Edited May 29, 200817 yr by RabbitFurCoat

Yes but that's a few hundred sales which may or may not have stopped people buying the album. so why are albums selling tens of thousands less?!

 

Its a lot of things combined though isnt it, with the combination of those early downloads and people illegally downloading and using things like youtube.

 

And i know what you are saying about being able to have tracks on demand at work or at home or on the way to work etc but the fact is, i personally on most nights go onto youtube and listen to songs on there. And the fact is, it aint illegal and so many people do it, youtube is one of the most popular sights on the net and with people spending more and more time online, its easy to click a few buttons and not only get your fave song played but get the accompanying video too.

 

Failing that, switch one of the now free music stations on the TV on and your fave new song is likely to come on in a few minutes.

 

Its a far cry from the days when i used to sit with my finger over the record button on my radio waiting for my fave unreleased song to be played so i could play it when i wanted.

Even better than that, give a £10 iTunes voucher. The reciever is definitely going to get something they like then.

 

Plus, who buys singles as presents?!

 

Not if they don't have an iPod... :)

 

As for presents, I was thinking more in terms of CD albums, of course.

 

No, what I'm saying is that most people aren't interested in the b-sides or remixes or videos. They just want the single they hear on the radio or see on the tv. They are only interested in the one song which would cost 79p.

 

That's true in terms of casual fans, but it is the more dedicated core fanbase who'll still want physical formats, and artists can't afford to alienate *them* becausethey're the ones who'll see them through lean times.

 

Yeah it does seem odd that downloads are so spread out...

 

Leona's 'Bleeding Love' sold over 100k downloads on its first week - from :http://www.buzzjack.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=54411

 

Bleeding Love’s physical sales – 112,776 - were slightly higher than its downloads (106,029).

Edited May 30, 200817 yr by vidcapper

Also, not every music fan has/wants/can afford a computer.

 

You don't need a computer because you can download tracks onto your ipod in many stores. Plus i'd be very surprised to meet people who have NO access whatsoever to a computer.......thats quite a feat! Do they live in a cave?

 

And if you don't want to buy an MP3 player then it's basically tough that you can't get the latest music. That is like me whinging a few years ago that I can't buy all the latest tracks on vinyl because I don't have a CD player.....people got over it and moved on.

Edited May 30, 200817 yr by Brutarn

Not if they don't have an iPod... :)

 

They don't *need* an iPod to use iTunes - simply download it, download whatever tracks you want, then burn them to CD. (And, let's face it, CD-Rs are f***ing cheap these days.) Show me someone who doesn't have access to *at least* a CD-RW drive.

Its a lot of things combined though isnt it, with the combination of those early downloads and people illegally downloading and using things like youtube.

 

And i know what you are saying about being able to have tracks on demand at work or at home or on the way to work etc but the fact is, i personally on most nights go onto youtube and listen to songs on there. And the fact is, it aint illegal and so many people do it, youtube is one of the most popular sights on the net and with people spending more and more time online, its easy to click a few buttons and not only get your fave song played but get the accompanying video too.

 

Failing that, switch one of the now free music stations on the TV on and your fave new song is likely to come on in a few minutes.

 

Its a far cry from the days when i used to sit with my finger over the record button on my radio waiting for my fave unreleased song to be played so i could play it when i wanted.

I suppose you're right it does have some effect. I doubt anything has any real significant effect though really, it's just when you add the numerous things together (cherry-picking, illegal downloading, youtube, copying for friends, bluetooth) it probably will effect sales.

the main reason behind the death of the physical single is illegal filesharing and DOWNLOADING...

P2P networks and blogspots which lets people download high quality singles for free have killed the industry...

i'm sure that most music labels would shut down in 5 or 10 years time.

 

There is a zillion blogspots or P2P filesharing programms which provide u with all the singles u need in HQ for free....

Edited June 8, 200817 yr by Big Mistake
It's not allowed to post filesharing sites!!!

I'm one of the persons that doesn't have a CD-RW. Plus I don't know how to download anything (except for the free Violet Hill single). I looked into getting an iPod, but in the US we can't download most UK songs. For example, I wanted Rule The World. It has never been in the US iTunes. It's next to impossible to order from the British iTunes. So getting the CD single is the only option; it's easy to order from hmv.co.uk. I happily bought my Rule The World (along with many other CD singles) during a London trip earlier this year. And none of them are collecting dust on a shelf. I bought the Uninvited single for 5 pounds, which I consider a good value as it contained the extended version and two previous singles. I think CD singles and vinyl singles should continue as a niche market, similar to jazz, classical, and easy listening. To be profitable, the CD single price can be increased to 2.99 with a minimum of three tracks.

 

Album sales are down because there are too many other entertainment options (such as games, video, film, and internet). I don't know anyone who still buys CD albums like me. The US album sales (per capita) are much lower than the UK. I used to walk into a London HMV, and it would be 90% music, 5% video, and 5% games. Now it seems to be an equal split, or with music at around 60%.

 

 

 

I am gutted because theres nothing like the original single! You dont get any interruptions and... even if you dislike a song that you have bought at least youve got it for if you want to listen to it in the future as a memory whereas if you download it... your not gonna guarantee you'll have it forever! Coz your computer might F*** up or something! I love the Singles market and will be devastated when its officially dead! I hope we can still get them online though! :(

the main reason behind the death of the physical single is illegal filesharing and DOWNLOADING...

 

I'm not sure why that would hurt singles more than albums, but in a minority of cases record companies and/or artists have only themselves to blame.

 

By that, I mean where they get embroiled in copyright disputes. While they are hacking chunks out of each other, fans have little recourse but to obtain the artists recordings through illegal means, so both artist & record company lose out.

the main reason behind the death of the physical single is illegal filesharing and DOWNLOADING...

P2P networks and blogspots which lets people download high quality singles for free have killed the industry...

i'm aure that most music labels would shut down in 5 or 10 years time.

Of course this is not true! illegal filesharing is not the cause. The prices of physical CDs were too high and it was really easy to find songs on the net at 1 stage. Internet was spreading very quickly and record labels reacted far too slowly and comfortable to this situation. And here is the result: illegal downloading and filesharing. Blame the record companies and stores!

 

Ps: it is not allowed to post download or filesharing sites in this forum, your post has been edited.

Of course this is not true! illegal filesharing is not the cause. The prices of physical CDs were too high and it was really easy to find songs on the net at 1 stage. Internet was spreading very quickly and record labels reacted far too slowly and comfortable to this situation. And here is the result: illegal downloading and filesharing. Blame the record companies and stores!

 

You're right Ben! Actually I'm happy downloading is killing music industry. There were lots of ppl doing nothing for high salaries! And unfornatelly companies earned more money than artists!

Not convinced the price is the main reason ppl don't buy cd singles. Most releases have been available at 1.99 for like 15 years or more.

 

Go to a music store back then and the singles wall (a whole wall dammit!) was right at the front where any dummy could find it. Now in my local HMV i have to climb two flights of stairs and then track the tiny shelf down in a corner somewhere. ppl can't be bothered to do this. Many of the stores customers won't even know singles are up there on the 'alternative' floor. :(

Singles in the Late 90s and Early 00s were a lot more than £1.99. I remember seeing WH Smith with a 4 for £10 offer and thinking it was a great deal (i remember buying 'Hate To Say I Told You So' and 'Point Of View' so was probably about 6-7 years ago), that kind of pricing would get you hardly anything now...

Being a CD singles collector, I must say this digital era sucks :P The B-Sides, the video inside the CD single, all these things will cost more if you wanna buy them separately :mellow: Get a CD single with the main track, a remix, a B-Side and a video, at £2,99 ^_^ These 4 things separately, will cost a bit more... :P And yes, the cover was very important... I always liked to watch also the cover of the CD single -_- xox.

 

 

 

 

CD single £2.99 (3 tracks + video)

 

Download off iTunes (A side - 79p, B side - 79p, Remix - 79p, Video - £1.29/£1.89) = £3.66/£4.26

 

CD single Wins!!! + you get to hold it with a REAL cover!!! :D

 

 

Except the majority of singles that I remember buying WEREN'T as good a deal as that. It wasn't uncommon for some singles to be charged at £3.99. And it wasn't uncommon for singles to have only 2 tracks; the lead single, and then one remix or B-Side.

Almost £2 per track.

CD single FLOPS.

 

Or for what most people want:

 

CD Single: £1.99. Download: 79p. Download wins! :D

 

EXCACTLY.

There were exceptions of course, but B-sides and remixes were rarely as good as the main tracks. Why bother?

 

Exactly. If people actually wanted b-sides and remixes then they'd still be downloading them. But they aren't, they rarely make any kind of impact on download charts and digital bundles hardly sell either, people only want the one track!

the main reason behind the death of the physical single is illegal filesharing and DOWNLOADING...

P2P networks and blogspots which lets people download high quality singles for free have killed the industry...

 

Not that I'm cynical or anything, but those of us here who can remember the early 80's were told exactly the same thing about home-taping... :)

 

Well i've carried on buying today - i've brought Matchbox Twenty's new single These Hard Times as well as Rihanna's album and Alphabeat's album