As I mentioned in my previous post, record sales have plummeted within the last few years. Recently, I discovered that record labels are trying out a new way to sell music: USB flash drives.
In May, Universal Music Group released a limited edition Lady Gaga USB flash drive. The USB contains the songs from Lady Gaga’s album, The Fame Monster, along with remixes, music videos, and a few digital extras such as a digital booklet, photo gallery, and links to websites. The USB sold out within 24 hours of its release.
It would be interesting to see how many units would sell if these USBs weren’t limited editions. What would sales look like if USBs replaced CDs on store shelves? Would people be more willing to buy music in this form because it’s something different and tangible?
The advantages to music on USB are that it’s something new and different, and USBs can hold a lot more than a traditional CD. However, the disadvantage is that USB sticks can’t be played in conventional form. The music first has to be uploaded to a computer and then played either directly from the computer or from an iPod or similar device.
It will be interesting to see what direction record labels take with USBs.
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