Heavy Metal Label Drops Digital Album Prices
Posted: 20 Jan 2010 03:12 AM PST
Underground digital heavy metal music distributor lowers prices on 95% of its albums perhaps realizing that distributing digital music is much, much cheaper than distributing physical music.
Metalhit.com, a site which handles digital distribution for dozens of underground metal labels, has announced it’s dropping the prices on 95% of its releases and catalog to $5.25 per album.
"We are pleased to announce that our entire catalog of releases are now just $5.25 for full albums!!! We decided to make this change after studying the opinions of buyers of digital music," said a statement from the label. "A rare handful of titles from labels outside of our influence will have albums available at alternative prices in our store, however, about 95% or more are available for only $5.25!"
It’s not clear why it decided to drop the prices, but surely it had to realize that it is much, much cheaper to distribute a digital album that it is or was a physical album. Album prices on many digital music sites seem to be a holdover of a different time when record labels had to recoup the costs of copying the compact discs; producing the CD case, labels and anti-shoplifting packaging; shipping, both to the distributor and then to record stores; labor, such as shelving CDs and staffing cash registers; and damaged and unsold inventory.
All of these costs were eliminated with digital distribution.
Whether or not it continues to sell albums at reduced prices remains to be scene, but at least it’s recognized the fact that pricing is an issue in a digital world, and rather than complain and sue file-sharing music fans it’s decided to make them a better offer.
Stay tuned.
Posted: 20 Jan 2010 03:12 AM PST
Underground digital heavy metal music distributor lowers prices on 95% of its albums perhaps realizing that distributing digital music is much, much cheaper than distributing physical music.
Metalhit.com, a site which handles digital distribution for dozens of underground metal labels, has announced it’s dropping the prices on 95% of its releases and catalog to $5.25 per album.
"We are pleased to announce that our entire catalog of releases are now just $5.25 for full albums!!! We decided to make this change after studying the opinions of buyers of digital music," said a statement from the label. "A rare handful of titles from labels outside of our influence will have albums available at alternative prices in our store, however, about 95% or more are available for only $5.25!"
It’s not clear why it decided to drop the prices, but surely it had to realize that it is much, much cheaper to distribute a digital album that it is or was a physical album. Album prices on many digital music sites seem to be a holdover of a different time when record labels had to recoup the costs of copying the compact discs; producing the CD case, labels and anti-shoplifting packaging; shipping, both to the distributor and then to record stores; labor, such as shelving CDs and staffing cash registers; and damaged and unsold inventory.
All of these costs were eliminated with digital distribution.
Whether or not it continues to sell albums at reduced prices remains to be scene, but at least it’s recognized the fact that pricing is an issue in a digital world, and rather than complain and sue file-sharing music fans it’s decided to make them a better offer.
Stay tuned.