McFly announce new album giveaway

By Lizo Mzimba
Entertainment correspondent, BBC News

McFly have had seven UK number one singles since 2004

Pop band McFly are to give away their new album Radio:ACTIVE with the Mail on Sunday newspaper on 20 July.

Singer Tom Fletcher told the BBC it was a good way of expanding their fanbase and reaching new audiences.

He said: "We get to put it into almost three million homes, which is an incredible opportunity for us.

"Hopefully the three million people will all enjoy the music and they'll decide to see us when we go on tour." Last year, Prince did a similar thing.

He offered his latest album with the same newspaper to promote a series of concerts in the UK. It was seen as a successful strategy with the live events all selling out.

McFly's decision is seen as an equally shrewd business move, in an industry where many bands tend to make most of their money from live performances and merchandising.

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McFly give away album for free

Talent worries

Album sales, meanwhile, have been dropping in recent years.

McFly are one of the most successful British bands around with seven UK number one singles since 2004.

They have recently set up their own record label Super Records, which will give the new album a conventional CD release in September.

But some industry analysts have warned that a trend of artists releasing music for free could end up starving record companies of money they use to develop new talent.

Music consultant and former Sony executive Neil Cartwright said: "The record industry invests in new artists, and if that money disappears you're going to find it a lot more difficult if you're a young band to find support.

"That really is the danger the industry faces."