Cingular convinces bands to release songs as ringtones before singles

Usually people like to, you know, actually know a song before they'll drop $2.49 on a ringtone, but Cingular is flipping things around a bit, and have cut a deal with several different artists to get them to release their new songs as ringtones before they hit radio. First up is Coldplay, you'll be able to get their new song "Speed of Sound" as a ringtone six days before it gets played on the radio and a couple of months before their new album comes out in June. Probably not a bad little experiment, especially given how much money the record labels are making off of ringtones these days (inexplicably, people will pay more for a 30-second ringtone of a song than they'll pay for the song itself).

[Brian Erst @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

It's not so inexplicable if you realize that people will probably max out at 3-4 ringtones a year ($10), while they might buy dozens/hundreds of songs.

Purchasing crappy quality songs (ringtones or 128kbps AAC) at all is the truly inexplicable thing...

[Brandon @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Its commonly known that MANY people hear the singles online (due to leaking/piracy) before they are played on the radio and a video made for them to be played on MTV, this isnt a bad movie by Cingular at all.

[Kenny @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

People want ringtones becasue when their phone rings they get a reaction...

"Oh dawg, I love that song!"

This positive reenforcement also causes such individuals to refuse to put their phone on vibrate at a movie, concert, ANYWHERE. They associate themselves with a genre of music or even an artist.

here's why this isn't a very good idea, IMNSHO:

If you release a song as a ringtone after it is unfathomably popular, regardless of it's quality (see: Baja Men - Who Let the Dogs Out) -- people want it because if they have such a hit playing, they will draw attention and perhaps gain respect credibility, etc.

If you release a song no one knows yet (I haven't heard it on my ClearChannel station... so I don't know it) -- you're probably not too likely to get the same reaction.

but that's just my $0.02 (that won't be put towards a ringtone... ever)

[Mark @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

You're right about why people buy ringtones, but I bet "unreleased ones" sell anyway. They'll have a one week window where hopefully someone will here it and recognize the artist and they can tell them the song isn't released yet, thus making the ubercool (in their own minds anyway.)

[Aaron @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Yes, it's about getting the recognition from the people around you about how cool you are usually, but in this case it's an internal thing.

The phone rings, it's a song that isn't even out yet, and the person thinks to themselves "Man am I awesome or what? I've got this song and these sorry suckers around me don't. They don't even know what song it is! Those mainstream losers! I'M SO MUCH COOLER THAN YOU!"

and they get all that self-satisfaction for a mere $2.50.

[Connected @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I saw a similar story today on the Beeb about online downloads being included in the top 40 from Sunday. It made me think maybe they should include ringtones in the Top 40 now, given that they also out-sell singles. Read my post here http://www.connectedinternet.co.uk/blog/_archives/2005/4/12/575657.html

[shaun @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I see this as a pretty big sell out move on the part of the bands. I can understant gimmicky things to release CD's, but to release your music so your fans have to pay to hear them on these sub-par cell phones, and pony up the dumb cingular prices in conjunction... thats not sending a very good message to their fans.

Thumbs Down.

[Brad @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Why is it inexplicable? It's harder to steal a ringtone. People would pay more for the single if they had to. But they don't.

[Cisco Kid @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

#5 Aaron so true. It's called marketing people so may you don't buy ringtones but you do get caught in the web with other products say razors or beer etc

[Cisco Kid @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

#5 Aaron so true. It's called marketing, so you may not buy ringtones but you do get caught in the web with other products such as razors, beer, any Apple product and of coarse anything with "limited edtion" in its name

[lupinstel @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Hey guys did you hear coldplay's new song? The one that goes "beeep beep blip beeeep beep boop beep blip beep beep" Its bad-ical!!

[jennifer roberts @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Hello engadget;

My name is Jennifer Roberts and I founded Roberts Integrity Music, a company that promotes great music of diverse genre and produces GREAT original songs of diverse genre that we are interested in releasing as ring tones. As a result,I would like to be contacted by one of Engadget ringtone personnel
to find out how to get started.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide ENGADGET information about Roberts Integrity Music. Do contact me at Roberts Integrity Music at [e-mail] or [phone] or [phone].

Progressively pursuing;

Ms. Jennifer Roberts
Roberts Integrity Music
CEO/Media Promotions Coordinator
Singer/Songwriter

" Making Great Things Happen "