Three UK wins music award; now accounts for 10.5% of UK music singles market

Link: 3G Operator Wins Music Week Awards Best Digital Music Service Category

Last week’s Music Week Awards saw 3 take the title of best Digital Music Service for the second year running. 3’s continuing commitment to providing the highest quality, best value content to its users saw it take the top spot ahead of tough competition including AOL Music and Napster.
Inset shows Mark Joseph, Director of Television and Music, 3 UK and he commented ‘The Music Week awards are some of the most credible in the Industry and for 3’s music service to be recognised was a real validation of our position in the market place. 3 now represent 10.5% of the total UK singles market and stand second only to iTunes in UK digital music sales – The Music Week award showed how the market is changing and really highlighted the potential of music on your mobile.”

Second only to iTunes? That is some achievement.

Very impressive.

However, if I was at the awards, the uncomfortable question I’d have been yelling from the back for Mark Joseph is: What about the sodding ringtones?

Have a look at this shite ridiculous issue from a blog post I made last year:

Sorry? What am I missing? I can BUY the WHOLE TRACK and download it to my handset AND my computer for £0.99. Yet you wanna stiff me for £3.49 for a realtune?

I haven’t checked recently but I’m willing to bet Three UK customers are still being rogered for £3.49 for realtunes because of some bullshit about royalties.

Anyway, this doesn’t detract much from Three’s phenomenal performance with mobile music.