Billboard debuts top 20 ring tone chart

[nmskalmn]

Billboard Bows Ringtones Chart

Billboard is launching a chart gauging the commercial popularity of ringtones. The Hot Ringtones chart will debut in the Nov. 6 issue of the magazine as part of a new Digital Entertainment special section.

Full article here:
http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/ar..._id=1000684908

[boogieordie]

That's weird.

Not all service providers have the same ringtones available. So it's only a real comparison if they take that into account.

All and all that seems pointless.

[nmskalmn]

Well, I think the fact that Billboard is doing this signifies that ringtones are beginning to be a significant source of income for American entertainment companies, and that they anticipate sales will grow.

Spurred by the youth market, revenue for the service has skyrocketed, especially in countries like Japan and South Korea, where wireless data services have been adopted widely. The Yankee Group found that wireless telecommunication companies generated US$2.3 billion worldwide from ring-tone sales in 2003.

Only a small portion -- $80 million -- came from U.S. carriers, but interest here is rapidly rising. "Because ring tones are easy to understand and becoming simple to download, U.S. ring-tone revenue should pass the $1 billion in 2007," Adam Zawel, industry analyst at the Yankee Group, said.

Source of quote: http://www.technewsworld.com/story/35225.html

[boogieordie]

True.. hopefully this will force Sprint into actually providing better downloads for the cells. Right now they're kinda sucking in that department. They do have a Franz Ferdinand ringtones though, so props for them on that!