Music BDs Show Potential

Although Blu-ray Disc music titles currently have a small following (with sales of about 10% of what a movie BD sells), they present a great retail opportunity, according to participants at a session of the National Association of Recording Merchandisers, because the format infuses songs with new value.

The format's high-quality video and sound make for the perfect music community experience, which retailers can rally around as a selling point, in particular by hosting Blu-ray listener parties.

Zane Vella, founder of Related Content Data Base, acknowledged that today's consumers seem more concerned with convenience than quality, as they increasingly choose download services over bricks-and-mortar stores to quickly satisfy their music needs. But with listener parties, “you can educate the consumer to appreciate sound quality and to appreciate the deeper experience you get when you combine great video with sound,” said Vella.

He suggested that Blu-ray could be that energizing force for bricks-and-mortar music retailers, as 3-D has been to theaters.