Warner Brothers in the US have invested in TV advertising to promote a series of Green Day ringtones based on voice greetings the band have recorded to promote new album 'American Idiot'.
The move marks the arrival of the record labels in the ringtones business. Until recently ringtones only provided an income stream for the publishers who owned the rights to the songs that were being recreated by the ring tone companies in polyphonic form. However new technology has opened up the market for so called 'real tones' where the ring tone is actually a clip from a song. This means the record label can also draw an income from the ring tone sale.
Though their TV advertising on MTV and MTV2, Warner will be hoping to secure their share of America's $150 million ringtone market.
Some have criticised record labels for getting into the ring tones business claiming it has a negative impact on an artist's artistic credibility. But Warner boss Tom Whalley told the New York Times this week:
"We're in the culture with each and every one of our artists. The ring tone can help connect that fan to the artist. If it's done with taste, I don't think it crosses that line where it's commerce over art."