As many of you have probably noticed, several CD singles are now retailing at £1.99 and are consist of a 2 track single containing 2 radio edits - the new singles by Texas and Paul van Dyk for example have these 2 track CDs available.

What do people think of these? I still can't help but remember buying CD singles with 40 minutes on for around 99p or £1.99 in the early 90's - seems a bit of a con to me and the wrong way to get life back into the singles market. Getting rid of the 20 minute rule would be much more of a gesture to music buyers than £1.99 for 7 minutes of music!!

A con ... a complete con.

Do I need to say more? OK...

I too remember the days of the 40 minute CD filled with quality music not fillers.

The earlier Radiohead EP's and Mansun EP's spring to mind. Quality tracks.

How would Frankie Goes To Hollywood have coped in this day and age with a two track 7 minute CD?

There is some rule about eligibilty to be included in the official singles chart - i seem to recall its a max of three tracks and something like 20 mins of music. It was reduced in the late 80's from 40 mins

However, the BPI helpfully hide these rules in a password protected area.......

presumably £1.99 is seen as a price where squiddies with their pocket money are likely to buy, competing with ringtones and the like.

I rarely buy singles (I actually cant remember the last one I did) so it doesnt bother me, and in the main the singles charts are full of cack anyway. let them die and allow people to download them for 99p if they want to!

if they think this is the way to beat downloading of music they really don't have a clue.

The rule I think is that a single must have only 3 tracks and be no more than 20 mins in length total. That would be fine if they were £1.99, as I remember all singles used to be in their first week. I don't know why they don't abandon the rule if they are so concerned about singles sales. I used to sepnd about £20 on singles every week, now I just d/l them all, apart from the Bon Jovi ones which I buy about 10 copies of! (something which everyone should do!!).

But even then, I buy import Jovi singles which have an extra B side here and there, and extra enchanced footage etc.. As far as singles go we get a total raw deal. The 2 track & Maxi CD system has been in use in Europe for some time, but our "Maxi" CDs will still only have 3 tracks. Quite simply, singles are no longer value for money- lower the price, add extra tracks and incentives and the sales will rise. It's as simple as that.

Brian

really all they needed to do was reduce the price to £1.99 and keep everything else the same. i never pay £3.99 for a single, but will occassionally pay £1.99 - wasn't there a spell when singles were often £1.99 in the first week of release to boost initial sales? is that still the case?

if its a song i like, or there are worthwhile extra tracks, then £1.99 is probably fair enough.

is there a time limit in these new rules?

Iain

The best time to buy them is the week they come out!

Why? They are no cheaper in the first week anymore, mores the pity.

Brian

The CD single died a slow and painful death a number of years ago. All we can do now is mourn it's passing.

The single has not had the cred or the prestige for so long now. The singles chart no longer gives an accurate reflection of the nations music tastes.

They usually are cheaper in the 1st week - maybe it depends on the shop you buy them from!