Anywhere(CD) But Singles

Filed in archive Commentary , Companies on April 21, 2007

This article is part of a series reviewing the AnywhereCD bundled CD+MP3 album store.

1. Anywhere(CD) But Here (Warner Music).

2. Anywhere(CD) But Singles.

3. Anywhere(CD) is Better Than Nowhere.

4. AnywhereCD 30 Cent MP3s

AnywhereCD is not AnywhereMusic, AnywhereMP3, and certainly not AnywhereSingles.

Anywhere founder Michael Robertson is no novice to digital music and licensing. He founded MP3.com, which was slapped with a hundred million dollar lawsuit when he ran afoul of the major labels. Robertson wrote in his blog that the reason single downloads are not available is that they generate less revenues. Huh?

Obviously there is a huge differential in unit sales and profile on a $10 album compared to a $1 single. But as iTunes has shown, consumers have an overwhelming preference for singles so that the total revenues are far greater with singles.

So AnywhereCD is willingly reducing its total sales? Not likely. Pay no attention to the PR spin. The clear reason is that the major labels haven't licensed MP3 singles to him yet. But with iTunes breaking that dam, AnywhereCD's time will come.