By Brittany Karford
A ringing phone interrupted the silence during a religion class test, but according to Lindsey Davis, a junior from Boise, Idaho, majoring in accounting, it was not just any ring, it was ?Big Pimpin?,? by rap artist Jay-Z.
Some students snickered, while others were irritated, Davis recalled. But like it or not, the music industry isn?t complaining.
?Ringtones create another opportunity for consumers to enjoy the great music made by our artists,? said David Ring, vice president of business development and business affairs for Universal Music Group eLabs, in a press release for Verizon Wireless.
Ringtones hit big in the U.S. last year, generating an estimated $375 million in revenue in 2004, according to IDC, an information technology firm. Worldwide, cell phone users spent $3.1 billion on ringtones, according to Consect, a mobile market research and consulting firm.
Increasing popularity of ringtones offer an additional profit for the record industry, making up for lost earnings from Internet downloading. Wireless service providers also benefit from ringtones with increased cell phone sales, as the rush to offer better-sounding phones with crisper speakers ensues.
?Ringtones have added a new dimension to the wireless market,? said Robert Kelley, public relations director for Verizon Wireless.
Ringtones, synthesized melodies that are programmed to play when a cell phone rings, allow users to personalize their cell phones.
? makes you stand out,? said Mallory Wilson, a freshman from Houston, Texas, majoring in elementary education, who has near 10 different ringtones.
According to Riley Edwards, a senior from Alberta, Canada, majoring in neuroscience, the theme song to the TV show, ?Hockey Night in Canada,? is the greatest ringtone ever known to man. It is his personalized ringtone for his cell phone.
?I can immediately weed out all the Canadians at a party simply by receiving a phone call,? Edwards said.
Ringtones have begun to evolve into an art form all their own. The latest are ?bling tones,? which are cell phone ringtones created by hip-hop artists, specifically recorded for cell phones. Bling tones are only available at Sprint Communications.
Hip-hop is the most popular music genre for ringtones, according to Billboard magazine, which now includes a top ten ringtones chart in its weekly lists of the most popular songs. Last month in the Billboard Music Awards, ?In Da Club?, by rapper 50 Cent, was named the winner of the first ever Ringtone of the Year Award.
Personalizing wireless phones doesn?t end with ringtones. The latest feature is voice greetings recorded by artists, provided by Warner Brothers Records. Anyone can have members of the punk band Green Day tell callers that they have their mother on the cell phone, or have Snoop Dogg tell callers to leave a message.
Ringbacks is also another trend in personalizing wireless phones. Instead of hearing the usual dial tone while waiting for someone to pick, a ringback will play as you are waiting. The concept is similar to hearing music while being on hold. The ringback can also be personalized.
?Ringbacks are for innovative people, people who have a love of music,? Kelley said.
Ringbacks are only available in California right now, but watch for them to roll out nationally later this year.
Ringtone prices range from 50 cents to $4, depending on the service provider and the quality of the song. Voice greetings start at $4, and ringback pricing is yet to come.