Rhino Records has introduced a new digital music format, the Digital 45, designed to translate the 60-year old 45 single format into the iTunes age. Rhino plans to release a series of digital "singles" through Apple's iTunes store and other retailers. 

These Digital 45's are made up of:

• The original single
• The B-side song
• Original artwork

Rhino is releasing 60 Digital 45's on iTunes, with plans to release 25 bundles per month to participating digital retailers. Digital 45's sold on iTunes will include a PDF file with the original sleeve or label art.

Rhino's David Dor explains their reasoning behind the new digital format:

You have a single track people are interested in and a greatest hits people are interested in. But there are going to be customers maybe interested in something in the middle. We look at this as the evolution of satisfying all the different consumers in the world. It's my goal to eventually address all of those different holes that exist out there where you could put a product. You have a single track. Now you have a 45 equivalent. You've got a single album, double album, boxset. We want to find ways to address all those different consumers.

For those old enough to have grown up with vinyl, 45's may have some nostalgiac appeal. 45's let you buy the singles that you wanted, and often had a nice surprise on the "B-side".

When you can preview any song you want before you buy it, though, does the idea of a "B-side" offer anything but nostalgia value?

Link

• Billboard interview with David Dor

James Lewin
Twitter @podcasting_news