AfterDawn: News

New "ringle" format re-packages CD singles

The music industry has once again decided the reason people aren't spending as much money on their product is packaging. In order to correct this perceived packaging shortfall they've decided to introduce a new format called the ringle.

A ringle is a CD single containing a couple of songs and a credit to get a ringtone from some third party provider. With the exception of Sony BMG, all the major labels are still working on deals with ringtone providers.



The format is expected to launch next month. Sony plans to start selling 50 titles during October and November, while Universal Music should have 10-20.

Major retailers from Wal-Mart to Amazon.com are already planning to support the format, which is expected to have a profit margin for them either slightly less or slightly more than CDs, depending on the suggested retail price.

Like other music industry efforts in the last several years, this does nothing to increase the amount or improve the quality of new music releases. Perhaps this time around it will turn out differently than all the rest.

Source: Reuters

Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 10 Sep 2007 5:44

• Previous article

• UK Government responds to BBC iPlayer petition

• Next article

• Apple sells 1 million iPhones

• 17 comments

• ZippyDSM

  ................................................
  ...........................................
  ......................................
  ............................
  ...................
  ..............
  ....
  
  
  WTF..............
  price btches PRICE, lower your god damn prices,if singles were under 3$ and normal CDs under 10 you would actually be pushing more product and staying competive with digital distribution....

  10.9.2007 06:56 #1

• H0bbes

  *Snickers* CD sInGLeS??? PAID ringtones? What are those? :-P
  
  *Clicks out of window, returns to Yahoo music and audio editor...*

  10.9.2007 07:38 #2

• ydkjman

  This has already crashed and burned before it has taken off. It's not going to work.

  10.9.2007 08:08 #3

• BludRayne

  Same crap, new packaging.

  10.9.2007 08:11 #4

• plazma247

  Wiizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Booooooooooooommmmmmmm
  
  Crash and burn baby, crash n burn.

  10.9.2007 08:20 #5

• FRL

  Is this a new way to spread Sony BMG -rootkit ? ;)

  10.9.2007 08:49 #6

• plazma247

  Originally posted by FRL: Is this a new way to spread Sony BMG -rootkit ? ;)You would have thought they had learned from the past but oh no...
  
  http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2007/08...it_controversy/
  
  If i remember correctly, it was a company in Milton Keynes UK, cant remember the name, who were the ones that designed the technology for sony BGM.
  
  As i remember sony paid them a shead load of money to develope it and make it work and then they had to re-call all the CDS, haha could it be the same company writing code for the USB Finger print reader.

  10.9.2007 08:58 #7

• masbmasb

  Who here believes he/she is overworked and under paid? Who here believes he/she should get more than just screwed by the RIAA? I will do as I always do - wait for the song to be put on p2p sites and then download it and pay for it come judgement day. This is just another way to make the music industry richer and the listeners poorer.

  10.9.2007 09:12 #8

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by masbmasb: Who here believes he/she is overworked and under paid? Who here believes he/she should get more than just screwed by the RIAA? I will do as I always do - wait for the song to be put on p2p sites and then download it and pay for it come judgement day. This is just another way to make the music industry richer and the listeners poorer.
  Hell it dose not even make the artists rich just the "industry".

  10.9.2007 09:18 #9

• nobrainer

  lets work this out:
  
  itunes cd single = $0.99
  sonys ringle = $6 or $7
  
  omg do sony think ppl are complete idiots and will pay that?
  
  http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/200...e-the-riaa.html
  
  Originally posted by above link: The ringle is designed to staunch the recording industry's collective blood loss. Sony BMG, the company that brought you the CD rootkit, has been pitching the idea of a new product called the ringle that combines a CD single with a digital ringtone download. The other labels are on board, according to Reuters, and the product should show up in stores soon.
  
  The ringle is a slip-sleeved CD single of a hit song that will feature a couple of bonus tracks from the same artist and a code to allow buyers to go online and download a "free" ringtone of the main song. For $6 or $7, this sounds strangely reminiscent of the French decision to sign off on the Louisiana Purchase: it's a bad deal.

  10.9.2007 12:11 #10

• DVDdoug

  Hmmmm.... I didn't know you could buy a CD-single! 30 years ago you could buy a 45 RPM (vinyl) single for about $1*. Vinyl albums were about $5 or $6. I looked-up some inflation numbers, and prices have gone up by 4X in the last 30 years. By that measure, a single should be $4, and an album should be $20-$24.
  
  Nowadays, it seems very inconvenient for someone to load a single-CD into their CD player (or CD changer) in order to play the one song.... A record changer used to hold about 6 records, but people's habits and expectations have changed! I assume most people who purchase singles are ripping them to MP3.
  
  
  
  
  * Most stores carried the "top 40", and some carried the "top 100". Once a song fell-off the charts, you might find it in the stores (leftover) "oldies" bin. If a song didn't make the charts, you had to buy the whole album.

  10.9.2007 13:05 #11

• LILBUCK

  it' a shame that they think this is WHAT THE CONSUMER'S WANT. This is a classic example of what the consumer's do not want. I'd fire whoever(or retire) the O'L Timer who came up with this ONE.

  10.9.2007 17:09 #12

• borhan9

  intresting concept however as zippy said its prices not content.

  11.9.2007 15:18 #13

• plazma247

  hahaha whats next "MINGLES" where you get say a selection of ringles or singles in one box.

  11.9.2007 16:52 #14

• avoidz

  "Ringles." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

  14.9.2007 01:12 #15

• seb32

  lol
  they're just retards -- they don't get it

  15.9.2007 18:55 #16

• plazma247

  Originally posted by seb32: lol
  they're just retards -- they don't get itU might be onto something there mate, maybe we know now what the R in Ringles stands for :-p

  16.9.2007 10:50 #17