Simultaneous release specified for internationally distributed music albums
Starting July 10, most music albums worldwide will be released only on Fridays. Labels, retailers, musicians, and other stakeholders have agreed on this date, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) announced on Thursday.
The association had already announced a corresponding agreement in February, but stated at the time that all parties involved needed time to prepare for the changeover. The uniform release date applies to all formats - CDs, records, digital downloads and streaming. A global release day reflects the realities of the current global music business, explained the head of the Concord Music Group, Glen Barros, with whom music greats such as Paul McCartney and Paul Simon are under contract.
The new publication day affects 45 markets, including eleven countries. Switzerland and Australia are also included, where Friday was previously the traditional publication day. In the USA and Canada, however, it was previously Tuesday, while in the UK and France it was Monday. In Japan, works by global artists will also be released on Fridays in future. Albums with a focus on the domestic market are not bound to this. (SDA)
