Where Are The U.S. Singles?

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Nov 25, 2099 Source: Billboard Submitted By: Amy Bonaria Where Are The U.S. Singles? Hi Keith, I was just wondering why is it that some artists choose not to release their singles commercially in the United States? Backstreet Boys, for example, have not released their current single "Larger Than Life" for Americans to buy. Several visits to CDnow have indicated that this single (and many more from other artists) has been released commercially in several European countries, but not here in America. This is a complete mystery to me, since I'm sure many more No. 1 hits could be produced if more artists released their singles commercially. What is your opinion on this matter? Amy Bonaria bhank5@worldnet.att.net Hello Amy, Your question is not uncommon. Record labels choose not to release certain songs as commercial singles for various reasons. Most commonly, record companies would much rather have you purchase the full-length album as opposed to a much less-expensive single. "Larger Than Life" would have certainly climbed higher on The Billboard Hot 100 if there had been a retail version in U.S. stores, but since there wasn't, the track peaked at No. 25. In Europe, singles are a much more popular format than in the U.S., and thus, more titles are issued as singles. Comment on this item. Next Item: The Last Word on "Crushed" Prev Item: Boy Crazy