The Digital-Only Sequel

Mac Slocum
April 7, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Listen

A sequel to a successful film soundtrack isn't a new idea, but the team behind "Juno" is tweaking the concept: the film's second soundtrack -- "Juno B-Sides" -- will only be released in digital format.It's an interesting move: ride a wave of popularity in a low-risk digital format. If the album doesn't sell, the backers don't have to deal with a warehouse full of "Juno B-Sides" CDs/coasters.

In a roundabout way, a digital-only release is a hybrid concept that plugs into the efficiencies of a long-tail mindset and the Web 2.0 beta ethos. Basically: the low cost of digital distribution gives companies the confidence to release an ancillary product (or any product, for that matter).

If you extend this thinking to book publishing, digital-only releases could be the domain of updated book chapters, fan fiction or "inspired-by" material, and editor's picks that relate to a book's core themes. It could also be a test-bed for weird or esoteric products (i.e. is there a market for "Juno in Esperanto"? Probably not ... but you get the idea).