There is a new trend in the music industry that’s spreading like a brush fire in the summer heat. The brushfire I am of course talking about is the growing trend for musicians to distribute or sell their music on USB flash drives. It is common knowledge that the music industry is hurting with decreased sales from CDs and DVDs and began looking for a more modern alternative. USB drives proved to be the most logical step and with how universal the USB has become, it was the smart choice as well.
Now we used the term brushfire because although the trend started off slow, in recent years it has picked up tremendous momentum. Several bands have been releasing USB drives filled with their music for years, but it wasn’t until flash prices came down and the technology advanced that it has begun to truly take off.
For example, Lady GaGA released a special edition USB flash drive containing the album “The Fame Monster” last year. What is so surprising is that the USB stick was SOLD OUT in less than 24 hours from its announcement! The USB drive retailed for $49.99 and came with a bunch of extra features including videos, music tracks, a digital booklet, and much more.
But this is not the only success story; there are actually an abundance of musicians who have had great success selling USBs. Performers such as Willie Nelson and the estate of Bob Marley have produced special edition music USBs as well as bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Matchbox 20, and many more!
It is easy to see that at least for special edition releases, USB flash drives are proving to be the medium of choice, but it’s not hard to see why. USB drives come in multiple different data capacities which allow musicians and bands to preload content onto the USB drive for special promotions or even as added bonuses for purchasing their USBs. It is fairly common to see music videos, albums, digital content and even behind the scenes footage or extra promotions.
USBs also come in multiple different shapes, sizes, colors, and even materials that can all be customized to a particular color scheme. Custom shaped USB drives can also be made, like in the case of The Beatles and Lady GaGa USBs, to add more customization. All of these customization options just show the diversity and the potential for musicians if they promote their albums or other materials on a USB Drive.