In 2008 album sales seemed relatively weak until Christmas time, though this may easily have been explained by most of the big releases happening in the final quarter.

 

However through the art of cherrypicking and of course the credit crunch could album sales sink even further? Since all downloads have been incorporated into the singles chart a few acts have had odd chart entries and a few songs have made the iTunes chart. However these have been from a select few major releases; Arctic Monkeys, Leona, Duffy, Coldplay and that's been about it.

 

Then in the last few months of the year both 'Use Somebody' and 'Circus' made the top 40 on the back of their parent albums being released, although they never did much to begin with. It was still quite a rare thing, big albums from Adele, Oasis, Take That, Pink, Snow Patrol, The Killers and Girls Aloud all (AFAIK) failed to generate a sincles chart entry despite big first week sales.

 

Moving into 2009 and with Lady Gaga it now seems to be the opposite. 'Pokerface' has rocketed to #12 on the iTunes chart and 'Paparazzi' and 'Love Game' are in there too. This might be easily explained if it was a huge album release but it's not, it'll be incredibly lucky to have first week sales of just 20,000; 'Pokerface' could sell 50-75% of that total this week alone. Is the act of cherrypicking really about to kill off the album? This weeks number one looks like the main reason it'll manage to scrape over 20k is because it's selling for less than £4 on iTunes, which is made even more attractive by their 'complete my album' function which I'm sure many people have taken advantage of.

In the US (where things are MUCH worse) albums retail at $10, the equivalent of £6.50, if that. If all new albums were retailed at £8 (and deluxe editions at £10) album sales would increase dramatically I think.

I guess so... GaGa must be No. 1, but no.

The main factors squeezing the sector are:

 

Clearly the economic slowdown is going to have an impact the last time we were in the depths of recession sales plummeted to a then low in 1992.

 

Then there’s the cherry-picking craze. People prefer to just download the highlights and not purchase the album with lesser album tracks.

 

The advent of online music subscription libraries will negate the need to buy music for some people when you can listen to anything you desire for a monthly fee.

 

The paradox with slashing album prices is that cheaper prices would generate more sales. However with zavvi teetering on the brink of oblivion and HMV making multi-million pound loses each month I don’t see much room for manoeuvre, as fewer retail outlets will reduce impulse buys and overall sales.

 

I think we could see record companies responding like Syco did with Run or the price of downloads increasing signifcantly as they look to increase profits to offset falling album revenues.

the only way to stop this is to have all albums as bundles so that people can't cherry pick tracks...but that would greatly take away choice, singles sales would fall and consumers would go elsewhere, probably down illegal routes, to download these tracks

This thing I have never got my head around is how so many are willing to spend anything from £30 and above to see an artist live but are not prepared to buy a physical album, with the lyrics and artwork for about £8 - £10. This of course you can play over & over. Odd I think

 

 

This thing I have never got my head around is how so many are willing to spend anything from £30 and above to see an artist live but are not prepared to buy a physical album, with the lyrics and artwork for about £8 - £10. This of course you can play over & over. Odd I think

 

Not sure what you mean there Tillywhim. Surely most of the people that are paying the money to go and see an artist live will already have bought the album. I know I wouldn't pay out that money unless I already knew what the music they are going to be singing is like.

 

The main factors squeezing the sector are:

 

Clearly the economic slowdown is going to have an impact the last time we were in the depths of recession sales plummeted to a then low in 1992.

 

Then there’s the cherry-picking craze. People prefer to just download the highlights and not purchase the album with lesser album tracks.

 

The advent of online music subscription libraries will negate the need to buy music for some people when you can listen to anything you desire for a monthly fee.

 

The paradox with slashing album prices is that cheaper prices would generate more sales. However with zavvi teetering on the brink of oblivion and HMV making multi-million pound loses each month I don’t see much room for manoeuvre, as fewer retail outlets will reduce impulse buys and overall sales.

 

I think we could see record companies responding like Syco did with Run or the price of downloads increasing signifcantly as they look to increase profits to offset falling album revenues.

 

I think you are right on all 5 counts.

 

On the last point iTunes are going to introduce a 3 tier price system for tracks (from April 2009) in line with what other music sites are already doing and requests from the music industry.

Not sure what you mean there Tillywhim. Surely most of the people that are paying the money to go and see an artist live will already have bought the album. I know I wouldn't pay out that money unless I already knew what the music they are going to be singing is like.

 

 

Well you would think so I agree, but I have often listened to people talking at live gigs and have been amazed when I overhear comments about them now going to buy the album :huh:

the only way to stop this is to have all albums as bundles so that people can't cherry pick tracks...but that would greatly take away choice, singles sales would fall and consumers would go elsewhere, probably down illegal routes, to download these tracks

 

Precisely - even a share of a smaller pie is better than no pie at all.

 

The main issue affecting album sales is declining High St availability. Obviously we all know about Woolies, but signs are they won't be the last record retailer to go under, especially since they were under pressure even *before* the current problems.

 

About the best we can hope for is that the the transfer of business from the dead shops, will at least enable one or two of the remaining High St record shops to survive...

 

I think we could see record companies responding like Syco did with Run or the price of downloads increasing signifcantly as they look to increase profits to offset falling album revenues.

 

I think the term 'shooting oneself in the foot would apply there'. :)

 

If record companies attempt to milk the only expanding sector of the market, then an increase in piracy would be the inevitable consequence.