MixedContent

The New York times has a good article about how classic artists like the Eagles, Queen, the Rolling Stones, etc.. are enjoying huge paid download numbers on their hit singles. The question raised here is if digital downloads of singles are cannibalising sales of “greatest hits” packages, a traditional money maker for the record industry. Some data even suggests that the digital downloads of hit singles are even encouraging sales of greatest hits packages.

“Consider the case of Queen, whose 1992 “Greatest Hits” CD has become an evergreen seller. The band’s song “Bohemian Rhapsody” has sold more than 301,000 copies online; “We Will Rock You” has sold more than 202,000. Both routinely rank among the 200 best-selling digital singles. But even if some fans are buying both songs — suggesting that they might be interested in the complete hits collection — their online purchases do not appear to be cutting significantly into physical sales. The CD sold an estimated 435,000 copies last year, up about 9 percent from the year before even as the industry’s overall album sales declined 7 percent.”

The article closes with a interesting quote as well, discussing sales of the hit single “Eye of the tiger”:

“Mr. Peterik said he had been delighted by the song’s success online. But he said such sales can “coexist” with continued sales of full albums. Those buying the song “are not fans of Survivor,” he said. “They’re fans of ‘Eye of the Tiger.’ “

There has been much talk in recent years of “band as brand”, but this seems to suggest that the finer grained “song as brand” might also make sense.