Surely it would be possible to illegally download a song before its been legally released anywhere?

 

Just because a song is available to buy it doesn't mean any illegal downloader will. If its on limewire they'll get it, no two ways about it or whether its on itunes or not, well from my experience anyway. Most people won't know when something is due to be released on itunes anyway.

Of course you can download songs and albums before it has been released anywhere (leaked albums etc). There are promo CDs that radio stations get etc. And anyone from record labels could upload new songs to the internet too.

 

Of course after an official release still a lot of people will download songs illegally, that's not the question (I'm not naive either) but record labels could decrease the damage if they release a new song as soon as possible everywhere (if you know what I mean).

Why are they releaseing the physicals so late?? The gaps between download and physicals seems to be getting bigger. The same happened with Kylies Wow back in January/Feb.

 

I know CD singles aren't HUGE sellers, but they could at least make them available for those of us that do still buy them :cry:

 

Back to the topic in question :D i'm really glad Beyonce is leading the pack. Without a doubt the best offering of all the ladies. A bit disappointed in Christinas posision :(

Totally agree re the CD singles, and i think artists like GA who did a combined release last week show that's a great way to maximise sales and ensure a strong chart position. It's now at the point they seem to be making it longer and longer between so we will give up and D/L, thereby not ending up buying the CD. Therefore, they can justify cancelling the format. I believe they are trying to actively dissuade us from buying CD singles now, the shops, and the record companies. They don't want to totally rush it and risk losing our business entirely, but they know the overheads on D/Ls are so much less (and therefore higher profits) and can be sold to us 24/7, anywhere, at cheaper quality. Making CDS less and less available, lengthening the wait, and the lack of CD2 and maxi CDs these days is reducing the atractiveness to even keen CDS collectors/fans of bands who prefer the format. Ok conspiracy theory over!

 

Disagree re Beyonce though, it's the $h!ttest song of the lot. I don't know why it's so popular and hadn't heard it or Alesha until this week whereas had heard Xtina and Britney a number of times and i know Leona's been getting the airplay. Britney deserves it just for the video!

Edited November 5, 200816 yr by spicefunk

If physicals actaully counted towards the chart that much then id agree that artists such as Britney have screwed up with realesing the downloads 2/3 weeks before the physical. But physicals count so little that it barely matters anymore.

With the physical singles the problem is, they aren't selling as well so they are really not profitable, it's not worth to produce them, the labels lose on the CDs. They should sell a great amount of quantity to be to be own zero at least. With the download there aren't so many problems, because you don't have to produce front covers, back covers, a csae, the CD itself etc etc.

 

It is not about record labels want to force people to download music, it is just not worth it to produce the singles anymore because the physical sells are not big enough anymore.

With the physical singles the problem is, they aren't selling as well so they are really not profitable, it's not worth to produce them, the labels lose on the CDs. They should sell a great amount of quantity to be to be own zero at least. With the download there aren't so many problems, because you don't have to produce front covers, back covers, a csae, the CD itself etc etc.

 

It is not about record labels want to force people to download music, it is just not worth it to produce the singles anymore because the physical sells are not big enough anymore.

I sort of agree with you. I think they want to make money (imagine that!), and physical singles while i refuse to accept they lose money on them, probably don't make them much at all due to dwindling sales and higher overheads than downloads (but they do cost more for the consumer too). Therefore, convincing the consumer to download by the kind of tactics mentioned is advantageous.

 

However, if they actually bothered to produce/sell more physicals in more places they could reduce costs due to economies of scale, which are being lost. The only problem with this is the fact single sales were dwindling seriously before downloads were included in the chart and download services were popular, so this could not be reversed to a great degree although prob to a significant one.

 

It's necessary to move forward with these things but they could easily maintain support for the format, and most shops which stopped selling singles didn't really benefit from the extra floorspace for other products as the section was so small anyway, but i think they felt the limited profit wasn't worth the bother, and the record companies are supplying less singles from a similar POV.

 

Thing is, it's a self fulfilling prophecy. The more they do this, the more it becomes true that they are unprofitable. If they do continue CD format support (a la vinyl and how the resurgence of the format has resulted in a multifold increase in sales- still a fraction of downloads but worth it) i believe it would have plateau'd as there will always be a loyal subset who will choose to buy CDs. For any kind of range on the shop floor, we are now down to just HMV, so sadly this time next year we could ironically have vinyl singles and no CD singles... :wacko:

Edited November 5, 200816 yr by spicefunk

Just because a song is available to buy it doesn't mean any illegal downloader will. If its on limewire they'll get it, no two ways about it

 

I loved that bit - it basically seemed like Johnjo07 suggested that realising it on the same day worldwide would stop people illegal downloading it. Which it hasn't - the Opening Ceremony of this year's Olympics is available for purchase, yet I downloaded it. AND, unlike if I had brought it, the version I downloaded has commentary on it as well (Australia's commentary, in my case).

If they're getting a worldwide release, they should release it everywhere on the same day, that way that will prevent illegal downloads.

 

Only proper fanbases (Like I have for Britney) have downloaded it illegally but when it's been available for download I downloaded it straight away. And that's because I am a fan of Britney, not everyone is. No names here, but I will call him Bob. Take Bob for example, the other day I asked him if he downloaded Britney's single. He said "No because I have a perfect version of it already" The best way to prevent illegal downloads, is to release the song on the same day, everywhere!

Just who is this Bob fella?!

Shame on him for not downloading it legally! :unsure:

The best way to prevent illegal downloads, is to release the song on the same day, everywhere!

 

It makes no sense, cause the songs would still leak ilegally before they release. Once they´re sent to radios it´s impossible not to find it on P2P. Even if it kept the song from leaking, once it was sent to download on sites like itunes, it would still leak in a matter of hours. People who pay for downloads only pay because they want it, cause otherwise it would be really easy to get it for free. The digital singles market is currently huge and it depends exclusively on the good will of consumers.