This is the chart on iTunes as of today at 3:30pm.
Highlighted is a cover version of Rihanna's latest single Only Girl (In The World) by a terrible tribute act (with an even more terrible name), currently placed at No.52. (EDIT: Song now climbed to No.50. Also, listen to the other edits. The vocals are 2 bars ahead of the backing track. Shoddy work...).
It provides an intersting insight into today's market, and also highlights how far behind the labels are in keeping up with it.
The reason they are behind is because they still maintain this strange release schedule whereby they premier a single weeks before its release. In some cases it can be as long as 8 weeks. An example of what I am talking about:
Kylie Minogue's first single from her latest album Aphrodite, All The Lovers. A 30 second clip was premiered on her website on April 20th 2010. The full track was premiered in full on BBC Radio 1, inexplicably, 3 1/2 weeks later on May 14th 2010. A full CD quality rip leaked online on May 16th 2010 and had a full 4 weeks to proliferate around the internet before the single received it's official release on June 11th 2010. At the end of week 25 on the Official Uk Top 40 Charts, Kylie placed a modest No.4 on downloads alone, followed by a move to No. 6 the following week, and then following the physical release, peaked at No.3, then falling to No.9.
What happened here then? Basically, the sales that Kylie needed to get to No.1 were lost in the 4 weeks between the single leaking online and becoming available to download. Some would opine that people who download illegally would do so regardless of whether the song was legitimately available or not, and others would suggest that even though some people download illegally, they then purchase the song when it becomes available. The answer is unclear. What is clear, is that the sales fell short and Kylie lost out on a No.1 single.
Rihanna follows a similar pattern here, but what is interesting is that people are downloading a mediocre cover version instead of waiting for the real thing. This is the key observation to make: People want things instantly. They WANT IT RIGHT NOW! There is no real reason (that I can see as an observer) that the single cannot be released right away. It was premiered online in full on 7 September 2010, and there then follows a staggered global release schedule starting on 10 September 2010 across Europe, Canada and the US, and ending (oddly enough) on 25 October 2010 in the UK (the world's 3rd largest music market). Again, as the single was officially released from the 10 September 2010, it was already on the internet by then, meaning that some of the biggest markets were losing sales at least 6 weeks before their official release.
I have no doubt that the song will be a No.1 hit for Rihanna in the UK, however I think that a more efficient approach and strategy could be taken to releases in future. The market is changing in the way that consumers purchase music, so the way that the music is sold should change with it. I certainly find it odd that an obscure tribute band should be allowed to cover and release a version of a song that hasn't even been officially released yet. Surely the original artist should get first dibs? At least to protect the integrity of the song...
The song itself is absolutely massive. It is big in every way. Thumping beats, basslines, and leads, accompanied by strong vocals in the chorus. It is incredibly catchy and an easy crowd pleaser. Which means it isn't particularly original, nor is it ground-breaking. It appears as a product of the current electro-pop production line, pressed from the same mould used by the likes of Usher, Taio Cruz, and Flo Rida.
The video received it's premier last week, and follows the same styling as the artwork has. There's lots of colour grading and treatment to maintain a theme, but the video doesn't really relate to the song or music. The closest it gets is Rihanna dancing around in a big field on her own, which is a pretty weak interpretation. Nevertheless, I have no doubts about the success this song will enjoy.
The song is taken from Rihanna's album Loud which is due for release on 15 November 2010 in the UK. Only Girl (In the World) is available to download from 25 October 2010.
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