Cellphoners continue to prefer hip-hop tunes

Hip-hop tunes continue to dominate the U.S. ringtone market, according to new information from content provider 9 Squared.
Rap tunes accounted for eight of the top ten ringtones sold by the MonsterMob Group Co. subsidiary last year, with Chamillionaire’s “Ridin'” earning honors as the year’s top seller. Urban singer Mary J. Blige owned the fifth-best seller, while Hinder-the only alternative band to crack the top ten-had the second-best seller with “Lips of an Angel.”
9 Squared aggregates ringtones for several U.S. carriers in addition to offering clips directly to consumers through Internet storefronts.
“While we saw a number of our competitors struggle in 2006, 9 Squared’s business grew significantly, which has propelled (us) into the position as the largest independent distributor of ringtones in the United States,” said CEO Brian Casazza.
Casazza is likely referring to ringtone rival InfoSpace Inc., which lost its Cingular Wireless L.L.C. ringtone business when the carrier decided to make ringtone deals directly with record labels, as well as other providers who have seen revenues plateau as users learn to create their own mobile music clips.