Music - New Generation?

Westlife were officially the first download chart Uk number 1 in 2004, with a reissue of their 1999 hit single 'Flying Without Wings'. Since thie first download number 1, the Uk music charts have had to introuduce new methods of making the UK Top 40 Chart. All legally downloaded music and music bought in store is now included int he UK Top 40 Chart.

Downloading music

Downloading music from online music stores has revolutionised the way we buy music. The quick way many people prefer is to download tracks straight from the internet using sites such as iTunes and Coke Music which have given Internet users the ability to download their music quicker then ever. Shops like HMV are struggling with their sales of CD's and it is becoming that there is no longer a need to go to CD shops to buy CD's.

Illegal Music Downloading

The cost of an MP3 download is roughly 50p-79p. Music downloading companies have already cut their prices to interest more customers but still some people choose to download tracks illegally or use file sharing software to share their music. This form of music downloading is illegal and the UK government is improving laws and watching Internet activity to prevent it.

With the first download chart number 1 in 2004 for Westlife and the combining of the download chart and UK Top 40 chart music is changing and we are entering a new era of music. In April 2006, Gnarls Barkley achieved the first UK number 1 based on download sales alone. With over 31,000 sales for this single, the download industry is becoming a key way to sell music and achieve a number 1 in the UK Top 40 chart. The song was not released for sale in shops until the day after it had reached number 1 in the charts.

Future of Music Downloading

With such a high number of music downloads, the Internet will continue to play a huge part in the sale of music for years to come. But what does the future hold for music downloads on other platforms? Mobile phones now have features of an MP3 players and downloading music for pobile phones has become a lot easier. The introduction of mobile phone MP3 shops has boosted sales. The latest online MP3 shop selling music for mobiles is 3 mobile, a 3G (third generation) mobile phone network provider in the UK. I believe their will be more shops as mobile technologies advance. New phones with large memory sizes have been invented to add to the multimedia experience on a phone. These memory cards for mobiles are developed to be compatible to transfer music, videos and games from PC to mobile phone. TV channels are now offering 3G customers clips, live footage and sports highlights on their phones. This technology is showing us that the worlds of multimedia and mobile phones are coming together.
New technologies will improve the communication and increase the power and performance of the small devices most of the public use on a daily basis.


BBC News 'Westlife top first download chart' at:


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3617020.stm (13 Nov 06)