jon_chaisson: (Tunage)
jon_chaisson ([personal profile] jon_chaisson) wrote2007-09-10 08:47 pm
Entry tags:

RTS Presents: Say, would you like to see my ringle?

The RIAA revives the single format. Sort of.

I can't decide whether or not this is a good idea. In short, two of the major distributors (Sony BMG, and Universal Music Group--sheesh, I remember when those two were four separate majors) are contemplating releasing maxi-cd singles with three or four tracks and an additional mini-track "ringtone" uploadable to phones. This is all well and good, and it would be nice to see singles again, but at the same time I can see a few problems that would arise from the idea--most of all being that in my opinion, the people who use ringtones usually get them online, not from hard-copy cds. Then again, not every phone service has ringtones one is looking for (it took Virgin Mobile six months to create the ringtone of the "na-nah"s of Beck's "E-Pro"), so it could possibly work.

My suggestion: Main single with boring remixes = bad. Single with album tracks = okay. Single with non-album tracks or rarities = WIN! We really need to remind the majors that the cherished b-side track was NEVER a bad thing. ;)

More on this later...