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Despite details leaking out about its potentially game-changing Total Music plan, this week Universal has shown it hasn't shaken off dumb ideas entirely...

Starting 29 October, the world's largest record label will begin selling singles on USB memory sticks for £4.99 - a £2 premium compared to the standard price for CD singles. The (rather daft) hope is that the more modern packing will appeal more to today's 'youffs' and lead to a resurgence in sales.

Brian Rose, Commercial Director at Universal UK, said: "This is aimed at the younger, 12 to 24 year olds, who no longer believe that the CD is as cool as it used to be".

Tell you what Brian, paying £5 for a single isn't as cool as it used to be!?! Furthermore, what is the life-cycle of this approach... how many USB sticks will any repeat buyer want or need?

Sadly however this utterly misguided plan isn't a one off. EMI and Warner are also jumping on the USB drive bandwagon since an agreement has been struck with the Official Charts Company to include the medium in all chart sales, meaning it will count towards those important Top 40s.

Quite why anyone in their right mind would use this is beyond me considering you can buy a DRM-free single for under £1 online and a 1GB memory key for little over a fiver, but stupidity diversity is the spice of life I guess...

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Universal Music

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