“Thanks to the internet, the music industry has changed, but it has taken a long time for the major labels to wake up to the fact, says Paul Myers
Friday April 25, 2003
It was always going to happen. The first of the major labels, EMI, is finally making a significant move to offer music online in a way that consumers really want.
Permanent downloads, CD burns and, interestingly, making the music available to download on “radio date” – two to three weeks before it’s available in the shops. Previously, if a listener heard a song on the radio and it wasn’t available in the shops they’d always find it online in a minute or two with one of the pirates. Bingo. A good radio promotion turns into a lost sale.”
” The independent labels meanwhile have cunningly used the internet and “free” downloads for promotional reasons for a while now. Wippit currently has the next single by Craig David featuring Sting as well as future releases from cult indies Ninjatune and Copasetik.
These labels know that music lovers have a couple of options. Either get the music from paid-for services, and have the opportunity to buy more of the same, or get an unofficial copy from one of the pirate services that will surely have the track lurking and ready to download, an act from which labels get no benefit at all.”
