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Do singles sell more now?


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Old 01-02-2009, 13:03
!J!
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i remember a couple of years ago when the singles market was dead and an artist didnt have to sell that many copies

have downloads changed this? does an artist need to sell more copies?

overall do you think downloads have been positive or negative to the industry?

i cant imagine them not being around any more best thing to happen!
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Old 01-02-2009, 14:20
Hotelier
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Singles sales have increased in last few years.
I think the average in 2006 was about 56K for a number one, 2008 it was something like 70K.

Here is a list of total UK singles sales(retail) this century(except 2008, dont have those, but see above)

Millions
2000 T 55.695
2001 T 51.209
2002 T 43.937
2003 T 30.888
2004 D (5.771 17.89%) T 32.267
2005 D (26.444 55.23%) T 47.882
2006 D (53.098 79.34%) T 66.924
2007 D (77.956 90.06%) T 86.560 (Highest total since 1979)

D= Downloads T = Total
Downloads have obviously boosted the singles market.

Also, Vinyl singles have increased by about 400%.
(200K in 200, 1M in 2007)


source
http://www.zobbel.de/
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Old 01-02-2009, 17:31
Carmen Queasy
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Singles have only increased because of downloads.

I believe physical singles are on their last legs?
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Old 01-02-2009, 17:38
Hotelier
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Yes, although for number one records, the physical % is much higher than the average, especially x factor acts.
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Old 01-02-2009, 17:38
Lickers
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Singles have only increased because of downloads.

I believe physical singles are on their last legs?
Probably.

I genuinely can't remember the last time I bought a physical CD single......
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Old 01-02-2009, 17:45
Carmen Queasy
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Yes, although for number one records, the physical % is much higher than the average, especially x factor acts.
Probably wise decisions by record labels and retailers, though. Physicals from the likes of the Xfactor sell at £3.99 because sheep buy them, whereas a download is around 80p.
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Old 01-02-2009, 18:09
Hotelier
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Well, I'm not sure about sheep, I think its just the massive exposure the songs get. But all acts dont sell the same, Leon jackson sales, for eg, were relatively poor compared to others, so I think there is some degree of personal like/dislike involved. Some acts seem to generate almost as much dislike as like amongst viewers.

Anyway, most certainly downloads have maybe 'saved' the single format from terminal decline.
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Old 01-02-2009, 18:18
Hiroki
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Personally if I can't buy it on CD then I don't pay for it.

Downloads are ruining the chart for me and the same songs stick around for ages which is annoying.

I really hate paying for downloads & i'd hate to see the end of cd singles and albums.

Last edited by Hiroki : 01-02-2009 at 18:19. Reason: To add more
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Old 01-02-2009, 19:52
shackfan
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The sad thing about it is that in, say, 10 years time the 15 - 20 year olds who are downloading singles now are bound to have lost their ipods, or had their laptops explode or something similar and they will not be able to flick through their old cd/record collection like us oldies can. I still enjoy looking at and playing some of my old 12" singles from the early 80's. It is a sad loss that they wont think about until it is too late.
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Old 01-02-2009, 20:01
Computer
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The sad thing about it is that in, say, 10 years time the 15 - 20 year olds who are downloading singles now are bound to have lost their ipods, or had their laptops explode or something similar and they will not be able to flick through their old cd/record collection like us oldies can. I still enjoy looking at and playing some of my old 12" singles from the early 80's. It is a sad loss that they wont think about until it is too late.
Yeh I guess that is a good point that you make there. A lot of people keep back ups though
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Old 01-02-2009, 20:10
shackfan
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Yeh I guess that is a good point that you make there. A lot of people keep back ups though
Its not quite the same as having a few friends over and covering the floor with your old singles.
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Old 01-02-2009, 22:10
Cstar2229
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I haven't bought a CD single for years
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Old 02-02-2009, 11:14
!J!
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Its not quite the same as having a few friends over and covering the floor with your old singles.
but think of the mess! then you would have to sort it all out again, not the same as just putting your laptop on the floor with access to thousands of songs
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Old 02-02-2009, 11:36
glyn9799
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I love CD singles, i buy one most weeks. I just wish they would go back to offering us something decent instead of just 2 track CDs all the time They should release them all in card sleeves too. They are usually only 99p as oppose to jewel cases which range from anywhere between £1.99 to £4 regardless of the number of tracks.

I notice that loads of artists seem to be releaseing 7" picture discs and the moment, Killers, Lily Allen, Girls Aloud. They must be popular - i personally love them
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Old 02-02-2009, 12:35
polka.dott
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I never buy CD singles. Why? They are over double the price and just take up space. It' also so much easier to buy them. I rarely buy physical albums either.
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Old 02-02-2009, 12:54
CLL Dodge
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Probably.

I genuinely can't remember the last time I bought a physical CD single......
I buy them all the time, though they tend to be Dutch, French & German as the UK industry has decided we shouldn't have them.
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Old 02-02-2009, 13:38
fezxenakis
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I love CD singles, i buy one most weeks. I just wish they would go back to offering us something decent instead of just 2 track CDs all the time They should release them all in card sleeves too. They are usually only 99p as oppose to jewel cases which range from anywhere between £1.99 to £4 regardless of the number of tracks.
Don't know why they didn't go do card sleeves years ago on the Albums as well. So much nicer.
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Old 02-02-2009, 14:03
zippydoodah
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Probably wise decisions by record labels and retailers, though. Physicals from the likes of the Xfactor sell at £3.99 because sheep buy them, whereas a download is around 80p.
I don't think you can put it down to sheep! Christmas is probably the only time of the year when the majority of the pyshical CD Single is bought as people tend to buy them as small presents for stocking etc.

Download might cost 80p but it will cost you a lot more if you ever have a hard drive failure and you loose your collection in one hit. At least with a single, if it breaks you haven't broken your entire collection.
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Old 02-02-2009, 14:36
!J!
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I don't think you can put it down to sheep! Christmas is probably the only time of the year when the majority of the pyshical CD Single is bought as people tend to buy them as small presents for stocking etc.

Download might cost 80p but it will cost you a lot more if you ever have a hard drive failure and you loose your collection in one hit. At least with a single, if it breaks you haven't broken your entire collection.
itunes encourages you to make back ups of your purchases and prompts you to do so
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Old 02-02-2009, 16:24
Carmen Queasy
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I don't think you can put it down to sheep! Christmas is probably the only time of the year when the majority of the pyshical CD Single is bought as people tend to buy them as small presents for stocking etc.

Download might cost 80p but it will cost you a lot more if you ever have a hard drive failure and you loose your collection in one hit. At least with a single, if it breaks you haven't broken your entire collection.
Granted, the time of year is very influential towards this, but people were pre-ordering the release despite knowing who won the show! Baaah

I think a lot of music download sites allow you to download them to more than 1 computer. Everything I have ordered digitally from Play.com is still available to download now.
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Old 02-02-2009, 17:07
cnbcwatcher
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Probably.

I genuinely can't remember the last time I bought a physical CD single......
I last bought a CD single in May 2007 but since I started downloading I haven't bought one.

The sad thing about it is that in, say, 10 years time the 15 - 20 year olds who are downloading singles now are bound to have lost their ipods, or had their laptops explode or something similar and they will not be able to flick through their old cd/record collection like us oldies can. I still enjoy looking at and playing some of my old 12" singles from the early 80's. It is a sad loss that they wont think about until it is too late.
In that case its a good idea to keep backups. I keep my downloads on my main PC, my laptop, my Ipod and on an external hard drive. If you use ITUNES then you can create CDs with your purchased music files on them.

but think of the mess! then you would have to sort it all out again, not the same as just putting your laptop on the floor with access to thousands of songs
I'd agree on that one. If I kept buying CDs I'd have nowhere to put them and it saves on clutter and everything. At least with the laptop you don't have to constantly change CDs as all the songs are there.
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Old 03-02-2009, 23:25
iaindb
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I'm delighted. The singles' chart is back to how it used to be.

For about a decade we had the irritating feature whereby 99.99% of singles would peak at the debut chart position, and all but one or two chart-toppers would go straight in at number 1. Bor-ing!!!:yawn:

But now -
because most singles are bought as downloads, some records, even by big artists like Pink, are being discovered a bit at a time.
The record's not officially out for several weeks, but some people know where to go to get in early. So records now climb the charts, sometimes fairly slowly, just like they used to in the good old days. And now some records actually climb to the no 1 spot instead of going straight in. Just like in the good old days. Lovely
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Old 04-02-2009, 11:28
!J!
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I'm delighted. The singles' chart is back to how it used to be.

For about a decade we had the irritating feature whereby 99.99% of singles would peak at the debut chart position, and all but one or two chart-toppers would go straight in at number 1. Bor-ing!!!:yawn:

But now -
because most singles are bought as downloads, some records, even by big artists like Pink, are being discovered a bit at a time.
The record's not officially out for several weeks, but some people know where to go to get in early. So records now climb the charts, sometimes fairly slowly, just like they used to in the good old days. And now some records actually climb to the no 1 spot instead of going straight in. Just like in the good old days. Lovely

beyoncé is a good example with if i were a boy didnt get to number 1 until about the 5th week
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Old 04-02-2009, 11:59
Hotelier
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So far this year, singles sales are up 33% year on year.
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Old 04-02-2009, 12:38
!J!
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So far this year, singles sales are up 33% year on year.
wow that is a big climb is that from downloads or physical purchases?
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