SlotMusic: Will CDs Sell Better If They Are Small And Rectangular?

The music biz and SanDisk are joining forces to launch "slotMusic," SD memory cards loaded with music. Kinda sorta like a...CD, only small and rectangular. Sony, Universal, EMI and Warner are hoping this new form of prerecorded music media will breathe life into their business.

As you can imagine, big box retail is definitely behind this. WalMart and Best Buy have signed on to sell slotMusic. And why not? Any sale they can drive BACK to retail from iTunes/Amazon/Rhapsody et al helps their bottom lines.

Here's the slotMusic sell copy from the site:

What are the benefits for consumers and music lovers?

slotMusic cards enable consumers to instantly and easily enjoy music from their favorite artists without being dependent on a PC or internet connection. Users simply insert the slotMusic card into their microSD-enabled mobile phone or MP3 player to hear the music – without passwords, downloading or digital-rights-management interfering with their personal use.

slotMusic cards will be bundled with a tiny USB sleeve ensuring seamless interoperability with all computers – Windows, Linux and Mac. The upshot is that slotMusic will enjoy an unparalleled, pre-existing install base at launch: hundreds of millions of multimedia-phones, virtually any computer with a USB connector and a growing number of in-car sound systems will be able to play slotMusic cards.

The MP3-based music tracks will be played back at up to 320 kilobytes per second (kbps), offering a high quality music experience.

What does slotMusic mean to Artists?

Musicians will find slotMusic cards offer a compelling new way to express themselves to their fans. With 1GB (gigabyte) of capacity, slotMusic cards can hold songs, as well as liner notes, album art, videos, and other creative content that an artist may choose. Consumers can also add their own content to a slotMusic card, creating a personal plug-and-play media library.
Stay tuned for more exciting news.

The artists and albums are TBA. I would imagine they'll sell OK, at least in the beginning. But I cannot help thinking that recorded media has kinda sorta run its course. While one hopes that the music biz can have a win after a lot of years of unpleasantness, it's hard for me to believe that this is it. But I have been wrong before...

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.