October 11, 2006
Classic rock driving ringtone growth
While hip-hop acts may rule today's ringtone charts, yesterday's stars are introducing the format to a broader audience and drive tomorrow's growth. The Washington Post reports.
"Only about 10 percent of wireless subscribers buy ringtones today, primarily young adults purchasing hip-hop and R and B-themed content. Record labels and wireless operators are keen to expand their market, particularly as the dominant format shifts from polyphonic ringtones to master recording clips. Exploiting the vast library of catalog music, they say, is emerging as a key strategy in that effort.
Acts like Devo, the B-52's, the Ramones, the Allman Brothers Band and Jimmy Buffett are generating healthy ringtone sales, and even Pink Floyd has found its way onto the mobile deck. Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" is one of the best-selling catalog ringtones of all time, with more than 1.2 million units sold, and became the first licensed track to appear in a mobile videogame.
Indeed, catalog-based ringtones are now the format's fastest-growing segment. Universal Music Group (UMG), for instance, says catalog ringtones sales are up 80% from last year and now represent 10 percent of all its ringtone sales."
The Permanent Link to this page is: http://www.textually.org/ringtonia/archives/2006/10/013783.htm