Now you don’t have to be jealous of your British friends who get their music the day before you. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has announced that, beginning July 10, all global music releases will be moved to Friday. While the move has been public knowledge for some time, the date of the switch had not yet been announced.
The global release day unifies the release of new music for the first time; currently, new albums are released on Mondays in the U.K. and France, Tuesdays in the U.S. and Canada, and Fridays in Austria, Ireland, and Germany. It’s argued that this chronological chaos contributes to the proliferation of music piracy. Additionally, according to the IFPI, a unified release date will generate a buzz and sense of occasion for music fans.
“This was done primarily for the consumer,” IFPI CEO Frances Moore told Billboard. “Consumers were telling us via different pieces of research done across many countries that Fridays and Saturdays was when they wanted new music and that’s what has led this campaign. We’re hoping that with more consumers in stores on Fridays and Saturdays, which stores tell us leads to increase impulse buying, and with peak activity on most social media [typically taking place over the weekend], will all lead to an increase in sales.”
See? It’s all about the consumer.
(via Billboard)
