Tuesday, 24 June 2008 19:22 UK

McFly announce new album giveaway

By Lizo Mzimba

Entertainment correspondent, BBC News

 

Pop band McFly are to give away their new album Radio:ACTIVE with the Mail on Sunday newspaper on 20 July.

Singer Tom Fletcher told the BBC it was a good way of expanding their fanbase and reaching new audiences.

 

He said: "We get to put it into almost three million homes, which is an incredible opportunity for us.

"Hopefully the three million people will all enjoy the music and they'll decide to see us when we go on tour." Last year, Prince did a similar thing.

 

He offered his latest album with the same newspaper to promote a series of concerts in the UK. It was seen as a successful strategy with the live events all selling out.

 

McFly's decision is seen as an equally shrewd business move, in an industry where many bands tend to make most of their money from live performances and merchandising.

 

Talent worries

 

Album sales, meanwhile, have been dropping in recent years.

McFly are one of the most successful British bands around with seven UK number one singles since 2004.

They have recently set up their own record label Super Records, which will give the new album a conventional CD release in September.

 

But some industry analysts have warned that a trend of artists releasing music for free could end up starving record companies of money they use to develop new talent.

Music consultant and former Sony executive Neil Cartwright said: "The record industry invests in new artists, and if that money disappears you're going to find it a lot more difficult if you're a young band to find support.

"That really is the danger the industry faces."

 

Do you support McFly doing "a Prince" or do you think this is an incredibly selfish thing to do and hope it backfires on them?

I'll definitely be boycotting the Mail on Sunday then, I can't think of a worse free gift. To be honest though probably quite a smart move of them, seeing as most of the screaming tweens that listen to their music will love the freebie and then go on to buy the cd copy.

Well... seeing as their last album was a major disappointment (I loved the first, and only liked the 2nd but hated the 3rd) I think i will get it just coz its free and that I am intrigued as to see how good this album will actually be, if its $h!t then whatever its free so i cant moan... but If i like it i may consider buying the album ^_^

its becoz they are $h!t!

lolz

I have no problem with artists doing this...but why is it always the f***ing Mail on Sunday? :manson:

this tactic is quite clever and worked for prince. although prince would have sold out all his gigs based on his status as a musical legend and his impressive back catalog that attracts all age groups. but prince is prince and mcfly do not come even close to his status and talent. i read somewhere that prince made millions in profit from his 21 day residency at the O2 much more than he would have made if he sold a huge number of his new album after record company deductions.

 

as far as singles, mcfly will struggle more now than ever, cause spending money on singles/videos and releasing them has to come from somewhere and if you don't have a big record company finance then you can struggle. they are definately banking on tour sales to pay for everything. it will be pointless for mcfly to release and sell singles on itunes if the songs have been given away already. which means we will be seeing less on them on the charts, so its not all bad ;)

 

giving away an album is risky for a smaller act like mcfly, they are a boy band after all and they all have shelf life, we were getting an indication based on their dire no legs chart runs that they are very fanbase driven. and this fanbase is decreasing (based on recent album/single sales stats) partly because the kids are growing up and out of them or switching to other newer fresher acts. the jonas brothers are definately a threat to them, they are getting more high profile. i can imagine many kids liking them over mcfly now. i can't imagine anyone over 17 liking them unless its cause they fancy them.

Doh! I'll have to buy it for the CD and then burn the racist and homophobic bull$h!t that is the newspaper itself! <_<

 

It's a clever move I think considering they've always made their money from touring considering their last album didn't do so well but they still managed to fill reasonably large venues! Very interested to hear this.

They're trying to be something they're not. :/

 

They're no different from bands like Busted, give it another year and they'll be gone.

I will deffo check it out ;)

I am sooo tempted to say something about this, but I will resist that urge.

They're trying to be something they're not. :/

 

They're no different from bands like Busted, give it another year and they'll be gone.

What are they 'trying to be' by giving something away with a newspaper? :blink:

They're trying to be something they're not. :/

 

They're no different from bands like Busted, give it another year and they'll be gone.

 

Thats what people always say when they release something new :rolleyes:

What are they 'trying to be' by giving something away with a newspaper? :blink:

As in like Prince, Paul McCartney are highly accomplished artists, and I suppose they gave away their albums as they don't need to prove anyone any more. Yet Mcfly are giving away albums on the base of what, a couple of #1 singles which last 3 or 4 weeks on chart? :unsure:

 

But then, on the other hand,- it's quite a good idea if they want to be taken seriously and build up a new fan base. :lol:

I really like McFly, for their music and their looks.

I think that it is definitely a brave move to put their album in the mail on sunday, but as they want to get a bigger fanbase it seems logical and smart of them.

I will be buying the newspaper for the free CD but then will probably buy the CD format when it is properly released.

It's probably because nobody will actually buy a copy so this is their chance for them to sponge it for free.

what annoys me is for years people moaned saying Mcfly play it safe they never take risks

and now they are taking a huge risk people still can't shut up

I understand people don't like them but it would be nice for people to say 'i don't like mcfly but goodluck to them for taking a big risk'

 

Well seeing as the average age of buyers of the Sunday Mail is 40 plus and the sunday edition of the paper costs nearly 2 pounds to buy, I can't see how it's going to be all that beneficial to McFly or their usual readership. McFly are just getting a little extra publicity for their new album, it still gets a normal release with an added DVD in September.

Edited June 28, 200817 yr by suggy

many of us are judging them on their poor chart runs and sales (after all this is a chart focused forum) aswell as they poor quality and forgetable nature of their number 1"hits". they reek of desperation too using the 3 singles for £4/£5 deal everytime they release a single, also the text to buy and their hard sell tactics at their concert in order to get a hit.

Well I think it's a really good move for McFly. If they had released their album normally, then I don't think sales would have been too high, but this way they can release their album to a larger threshold and morew casual fans will probably be inclined to buy the Daily Mail, and then of course you'll have the hardcores' who'll buy the deluexe version of the album when it comes out in the shops.

 

At the end of the day, I believe free music is the way forward. Illegal downloading is too much already in force for people to stop it, and record sales really mean so little nowadays, especially for bigger acts anyway. Just look at Prince, Coldplay and Radiohead, they've all given their music away for "free" over the past 12 months and it's obviously worked for them, and gradually more and more artists will either distribute their records through the internet for free and legally, or will release them through the newspapers.