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Business News Labels & Publishers Releases Retail
Majors still pushing for Friday global release day, but more opposing voices heard
By Chris Cooke | Published on Tuesday 16 September 2014
Isn’t it nice to have consensus in the music industry for once? Yes, it seems everyone agrees that the record industry worldwide should adopt the same release day, so that new tracks and albums go on sale in all countries on the same day of the week. So, hurrah for that.
Of course, no one can quite agree on what day of the week the global release day should be. But I think I’ve got the solution. In the first week of the year, we’ll do it on Monday, like in the UK currently. Then the second week, Tuesday, like in America. Third week, wait for it, bit of a curveball here, Sunday, because no one wants that. Australia’s release day of Friday would be used in week four, Wednesday in week five and then, in week six, no releases at all. It might stop the majors releasing all those God awful love song compilations for Valentine’s Day.
Now, you might be thinking this sounds like an insane idea. But have a quick think about how music licensing currently operates. Makes the movable Global Release Day seem simple by comparison doesn’t it? This is why I should run the music industry.
Anyway, the International Federation Of The Phonographic Industry is seemingly moving ahead with plans to instigate Friday as its global release day, on the basis that that’s what the majors want and everyone else can go fuck themselves. Well, that’s not the official reason. And anyway, how cosmopolitan of the US-headquartered majors not to force the American release day on us all. Perhaps they did actually do some research on this.
Though they probably ought to share that research with the other stakeholders, because not everyone is convinced by the shift to Friday releases. As previously reported, a grouping of indie retailers in North America have already voiced their objection to the plan, while a quick poll by Billboard has found that the US indie label trade body A2IM and the not-at-all indie American retailer Target are also opposed to the change. The World Independent Network has concerns but is yet to agree its line, while the UK’s Entertainment Retailer’s Association wants to see that aforementioned research (so let’s hope it wasn’t just Lucian Grainge randomly jabbing his index finger on a calendar).
Though, says Billboard, more interested parties do seem to be backing the proposal than objecting to it at the moment. And explaining the rationale, the IFPI’s Alex Jacob told the trade mag: “The key benefits [of Friday releases] include higher consumer footfall and online traffic levels over the weekend period, as well as increased social media activity which can help create a buzz around new releases and increased willingness to spend”. The IFPI also notes that big recorded music markets, notably Germany, have moved their release days in recent times, in Germany’s case to Friday, and things went pretty smoothly. So that’s alright then.
Aside from the impact on retailers and digital platforms, a move in release day would also impact on the chart of course, given that if new releases come out on Friday it makes no sense to have a chart week that closes at midnight Saturday for a Sunday countdown, as we currently do in the UK. Neither the Official Chart Company nor record label trade body BPI wish to speculate on that just now, given that worldwide discussions are ongoing, though rumour has it the BBC has said it is open to moving its chart show programme to another day of the week. Though it’s not certain how the show’s nine listeners would respond.
Discussions continue, so look out for future updates. We just need to agree with the other trade press what day of the week we’re all reporting on this story.
