Music

Record industry embraces TGIF and makes Friday the new music release day

by Richard Howard

I don’t know about you, but North America’s habit of releasing albums on Tuesdays has always seemed kind of weird to me. “Oh, it”s the worst day of the school/work week where I actually have to try (unlike Monday) but the weekend is so far away it feels like a myth? Shoot, lemme go cop that new Lordes record because that’s clearly at the forefront of my mind right now.” On July 10 that all changes and TGIF gets a little more oomph with Friday becoming the day that new albums drop in countries worldwide.

With the launch of New Music Fridays, the rest of the world will now join smarty-pants countries like Japan and Australia in having new releases debut at the end of the work week. Naturally, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) tried to blow smoke up our butt’s claiming they did it all for us:

“The move will mean fans can now get new music on the same day worldwide rather than having to wait for their own national release day. It puts an end to fans being unable to access music in their own country when it is legally available elsewhere, and the frustration that can cause.”

Read: Hopefully, this cuts down on a week’s bonanza of pirating before the new album drops in certain locales. Their CEO was more a bit more upfront, giving a secondary reason as the fact that Friday and Saturday shopping “leads to increased impulse buying, and with peak activity on most social media [typically taking place over the weekend], will all lead to an increase in sales.” Which is totally cool, IFPI; we love it, no need for the B.S.

In celebration, I say let’s start a thing – TGIFNRD (Thank God It’s Frickin’ New Record Day)! Hm – that looks more like the name of a new hip-hop producer. I’ll work on it.