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Will Ring Tones Save the Ailing Music Industry?

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By: Kendall | in: Music |

It was not long ago the Recording Industry Association of America fired its first shots aimed specifically at music downloading services and its users . Even though the legal status of such services had not yet been decided, the court cases began and downloader’s were prosecuted and fined tens of thousands of dollars.  Sites that supported this “illegal” downloading were scared straight and quickly made deals with record companies to sell music “legally”.  Quickly new peer to peer networks gained popularity with more downloads to boast than its predecessors.  Even under the penalty of law, users continue to download music “illegally” on these networks by the millions.

RIAA

Time won’t be spent here arguing whether or not peer to peer networks are a way to strike back at the recording industry, or if it really is stealing.  Songs on iTunes typically sell for $.99 per song.  For many, this is a bargain and can legally fetch listeners an album for less than buying one in a record store. Some including Steve Jobs are advocating price increases for downloads. 

Most people don’t WANT to pay for music if it can be had for free?  What would make people willingly want to pay anywhere from $.99-$10 to download a song?  The reason is two pronged: Cell Phones and individuality.  Currently, most people make use of cell phone technology.  How often have you heard something so random as “My Humps” come blaring out of the hip pocket of the middle aged soccer mom who stands behind you in the grocery line as she fiddling through her purse in embarrassment.  Her embarrassment is unjustified really, as she more than likely paid $3 for that song to let people know how she loves the body she punishes everyday at the gym.

The fact remains, we all want a theme song.  What would the film Reservoir Dogs be without the notorious slow motion walk accompanied by “Little Green Bag”?  Great songs accompany great scenes.  Most of us tend to live in many different movies at the same time depending on our present situation.  We take on very different personalities when dealing with girlfriends and wives, than we do when dealing with drinking buddies. So why not proclaim your wife with Warrant’s “Cherry Pie”, and let your best friend call to the thrashing melodies of “Fight for Your Right to Party”?  We need to wash that cherry pie down with something, right?  Our life soundtrack is only a phone call away.

Worldwide the cell phone ring tone industry has reportedly sold $5 billion in song snippets last year.  That can generate more than $150 million for song writers.  Musicians supplement their incomes and record companies rejoice at this revenue source.  The price of individuality is much easier to swallow than the price of enjoyment especially if that enjoyment is easy and free.  This could benefit record companies if they wise up and sell, sell, sell those ring tones.  No one ever said that record companies are the swiftest moving ships.  The tankers they are, are hard to veer off course, while smaller labels and companies quickly zip around them. 

In Atlanta GA, a company called hi-flitones has launched a state of the art website to go after both ring tone companies and record companies.  They are filling their site with local artists instead of the A level artists you can find from most companies.  And why is this?  Atlanta resident and Managing Partner of Hi-Fli Tones, Tim Maxman, explains ”In many explosive urban markets like Atlanta, Miami, and Houston, the evening radio countdown doesn’t play the Billboard Top 40. Instead, it’s full of local celebrities who make music specific to that region. That regional music is essentially overlooked by more popular sites like Jamster so we decided to fill the void. In the process, we give consumers an alternative and we create a revenue stream for local artists.”
This grassroots campaign is exactly what small artists and labels can use to launch their budding superstars, and overall it’s untapped.  How many frustrated kids end up downloading the Super Mario Bros. theme song out of frustration when they can’t seem to find their favorite NOFX song?
Nothing like a little challenge to breathe some life into the ailing music industry.  If digital downloads won’t save it, maybe our own strives to set ourselves apart will.


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Posted on January 14, 2007

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