Smash hits: from monophonic ringtones to modern real tune downloads, mobile has played an ever more sophisticated role in the music industry, to the extent that some now think it could replace the single

New Media Age, September, 2003 by Yinka Adegoke

When Michael Nash, senior VP of new media at Warner Music, stood up at a recent mobile music conference in Helsinki and declared that the ringtone is the new single, the most interesting thing about the response from his peers was the vigorous nods of agreement.

It was as if Nash had spelt out something they had all been thinking for some time. And talking with senior mobile and music figures gives a strong sense that the two industries are looking together at the way forward in this fledgling space, with good reason.

It's hardly news to say either industry hasn't had good press recently. In the case of the mobile industry, it has been the looming burden of overpayment for the 3G licences in 2001. In the UK alone they cost the four operators 22.5bn [pound...