NEW
YORK (SONY) Following an impressive debut over the 2004 holiday season,
major and independent record labels are set to release more than 25
additional titles on DualDisc, an exciting new double-sided music
entertainment product that combines audio and video content on a single
disc.
With the first side of every DualDisc containing a full
audio album, and the DVD side providing the same album in enhanced
sound (such as 5.1 Surround Sound), along with such multimedia features
as music videos, documentary footage, photo galleries, web links, and
so on, DualDisc was created to bring the fan even closer to the
creative artistic process. DualDisc will add an exciting new dimension
to the consumer's musical experience. One disc, two experiences.
"We're
thrilled to be coming to the marketplace with an innovative slate of
DualDiscs, representing a broad range of artists and genres, including
titles from Omarion, Jennifer Lopez,
Velvet Revolver, Usher, AC/DC,
Destiny's Child and Avril Lavigne," commented Jordan Katz,
Co-President, SONY BMG Sales Enterprise.
Bill Frohlich,
Co-President, SONY BMG, Sales Enterprise added, "From the brilliantly
stylized, high concept film, created by
David Bowie, which is included
on the Reality DualDisc, to 'Made In Heaven,' the compelling 25-minute
mini-documentary that is part of the Kind Of Blue disc, SONY BMG's
first DualDisc releases make extremely good use of the extraordinary
capabilities of this exciting new product."
"DualDisc technology
provides artists with a new creative outlet which combines their
passion for music with the endless possibilities of DVD," said Phil
Quartararo, President of EMI
Music Marketing and EVP, EMI
Music North
America. "Over the next year we look forward to enabling more and more
artists to reach their fans using this exciting new product."
"We
are thrilled with the consumer response to DualDisc and look forward to
bringing many additional titles to the market in the coming months,"
said John Trickett, Chief Executive Officer, 5.1 Entertainment Group.
"Initial sales figures exceeded our expectations and retailers have
reported strong consumer demand for albums on DualDisc."
In
fact, just 10 weeks after its release in October 2004,
Simple Plan's
sophomore album Still Not Getting Any ... (Lava Records), released on
DualDisc, was certified platinum by the Recording
Industry Association
of
America (RIAA). The certification, for sales to retail in excess of
one million copies, marks a first for DualDisc.
"Music fans
responded very well to the introduction of DualDisc this holiday
season," said John Esposito, President and CEO, WEA Corp., Warner Music
Group's U.S. sales and retail marketing company. "The platinum
certification of
Simple Plan's album illustrates DualDisc's appeal to
consumers."
All of the major recording companies including SONY
BMG, Universal
Music Group, Warner
Music Group, and EMI, as well as
independent companies such as 5.1 Entertainment/Silverline Records, are
developing DualDiscs. Among the DualDisc titles slated for release in
February and March of 2005 are:
* AC/DC, "Back in Black"
* Academy of St. Jane, "Johann
Sebastian Bach: The Brandenburg Concertos"
Astrud Gilberto, "Now"
* Avril Lavigne, "
Under My Skin"
* Baltimore Symphony/Orchestra, "Saint Saen's Organ Symphony/Franck's Symphony in D Minor"
* Baltimore Orchestra/Houston Symphony Orchestra, "Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4"
*
David Bowie, "
Reality"
* Destiny's Child, "
Destiny Fulfilled"
* Dishwalla, "Opaline"
* DJ Haul and Mason, "Half Baked Goods"
* Donovan, "Fairy Tale"
* Five for Fighting, "The
Battle for Everything"
* Good Charlotte, The Young and the Hopeless"
* Humble Pie, "Live at the Whisky A Go-Go '69"
* Incubus, "A Crow Left of the Murder"
* Jane Monheit, "In the Sun"
* Jennifer Lopez, "
Rebirth"
* John Mayer, "
Heavier Things"
* Joshua Bell, "Romance Of The Violin"
* Judas Priest, "Angel of Retribution"
* Lee Ann Womack, "
Greatest Hits"
* Los Lonely Boys, "
Los Lonely Boys"
* Mercy Me, "Almost There"
* Miles Davis, "Kind of Blue"
* Motorhead, "Overkill"
* Omarion, "Omarion"
*
Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, "Live at the BBC"
* Philharmonic Promenade Orchestra of London/Boult, "Ludwig van
* Beethoven: Symphony No.5 and Leonore Overture"
* REO Speedwagon, "Live: Plus"
* Sammy Hagar, "
Hallelujah"
* Slaughter, "Then and Now"
* Stray Cats, "Rockabilly Rules"
* Switchfoot, "
The Beautiful Letdown"
* Tesla, "
Standing Room Only"
* The Church, "Forget Yourself"
* The 5 Browns, "Introducing The 5 Browns"
* The Pentangle, "Basket of Light"
* The Pogues, "Streams of Whiskey"
* The Searchers, "The Very Best of the Searchers"
* Toby Keith, "
Shock'n Y'all"
* Todd Rundgren, "Liars"
* Train, "My
Private Nation"
* Usher, "8701"
* Utah Symphony Orchestra/Abravanel, "Leroy Anderson-Fiddle Faddle"
* Utah Symphony Orchestra/Abravanel, "Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake"
* Utah Symphony Orchestra/Abravanel conducting, "Mahler - Symphony No. 6"
* Utah Symphony Orchestra/Abravanel conducting, "Brahms - Symphony No. 1"
* Utah Symphony Orchestra/Abravanel conducting, "Rachmaninov - Symphony No. 3"
* Utah Symphony Orchestra, "Jean Sibelius: Symph 1& 4"
* Utopia, "KSAN 95 FM Live '79"
*
Various Artists, "The British Are Coming"
*
Various Artists Reggae Tribute to Bob Dylan, "Is It Rolling Bob?"
*
Velvet Revolver, "
Contraband"
* Vienna
State Opera Orchestra
Peter and the Wolf by
Boris Karloff,
* "Serge Prokofiev's
Peter and the Wolf and Lt. Kije
Symphonic Suite"
* Wishbone Ash, "
Bare Bones"
* Yo-Yo Ma, "Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone"
More than 50 titles were part of the initial rollout of DualDisc in
November, 2004 including:
*
Simple Plan's newest album "Still Not Getting Any..." featuring 20
minutes of exclusive behind the scenes "making of the album" footage
* Nine Inch Nails' "The Downward Spiral" featuring exclusive photos and videos in surround sound and a complete discography
* Blondie's "The
Curse of Blondie" featuring stunning 5.1 surround sound and music video of club hit "Good Boys."
"This
past holiday season proved to be an excellent time to introduce music
fans to this new, exciting music product," said Jim Urie, President,
Universal
Music and Video Distribution. "DualDisc provides the budget
conscious consumer with the best value in music entertainment without
compromising quality."
DualDisc has already received an
impressive response from consumers in test markets conducted in 2004.
Music consumers who purchased a DualDisc said it met or exceeded their
expectations. In addition, 90 percent of consumers who experienced
DualDisc said they would recommend DualDisc to a friend and 82 percent
said they are satisfied or extremely satisfied with DualDisc.
