Would you buy a CD with three singles and a ring tone? The music industry certainly hopes so. It has decided to wake up and do something old new. The latest thing to hit the music stores will be the ringle - a CD format containing three songs (a latest hit, a remix, and an older track) and a ring tone in slip-sleeve cover. The new product is expected to retail for $5.98 or $6.98, and that means about a 33% profit margin, with wholesale price at around $4.

According to Reuters, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, which came up with ringle, and Universal Music Group are going to be the first to roll out ringles. Sony BMG will release 50 titles during October and November, while UMG will have somewhere between 10 to 20 titles ready by then. The “ringle” name has been approved by the Recording Industry Association of America, and there is an industry wide logo to help with branding. Only Sony thus far can distribute ring tones, while the other major players will have to seek deals with operators.

Music on CDs has been retailing for prices much lower compared to a few years ago, mainly due to various new ways of digital distribution (mostly through the Internet). Personally, I wouldn’t buy ringles for one reason at least - the ring tone on the CD and the couple of songs you will eventually have to move to your preferred listening device, whether it’s your MP3 player, or your mobile phone or computer. The CD will be virtually useless, except maybe as a collector’s item, or original backup storage. There will probably be millions of copies in the stores, and that’s millions of pieces of plastic, metal and other materials that will eventually find their way into the environment, if not recycled or disposed of properly. Would you buy ringles?

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