Thumbplay News

Ne-Yo, Black Eyed Peas Lead Hip Hop and R&B Artists Poised to Own Summer Sales; Motorola V3 leads handsets downloading content

NEW YORK - July 11, 2006 - Thumbplay Inc., the leading online retailer of mobile entertainment content, today announced the launch of its weekly ringtone charts program, the industry's most comprehensive ringtone popularity tracking tool. Issued each Tuesday, Thumbplay's Top Tones is based on download activity from Thumbplay's community of mobile content consumers. Along with the top ringtones, Thumbplay will also release which handsets are downloading the most mobile content. In addition, each month the company will release themed charts with the most popular ringtones, wallpapers and games relating to pop-culture events that shape mobile sales. The inaugural chart explores Sizzling Summer Hits, the top content downloads for summer. This week's charts are posted at Thumbplay Charts

Thumbplay recently announced that Hitwise, the world's leading online competitive intelligence service, found Thumbplay.com to be the leading online website in the Entertainment - Mobile Phones category for the week ending June 24. For the entire month of June, Thumbplay remained the leading non-carrier mobile entertainment site. In the most recently tracked week, ending July 9, Thumbplay was again the most-visited mobile entertainment site.

"Thumbplay is the clear leader in mobile entertainment content, so we understand what is hot in the market" said Are Traasdahl, CEO of Thumbplay. "Our weekly and monthly charts will not only keep the industry up-to-date on the latest trends, but will also help consumers discover new and popular content".

Thumbplay features thousands of ringtones in more than 40 genres that can be ordered online and delivered 'over the air' directly to consumers' phones. The company's website, www.thumbplay.com, boasts a vibrant community of users who subscribe to Thumbplay's monthly service or buy items a la carte. Each week, consumers download more than 1,600 unique ringtones from Thumbplay's vast selection, the top 10 of which are featured in Thumbplay's Top Tones. From the current hits, to TV show themes to back catalog favorites from the 60s, 70s and 80s, Thumbplay's members are finding the right tones to personalize their phones.

Thumbplay will allow third party news and entertainment sites and publications to post the weekly Top Tones directly to their sites

Thumbplay's Top Ten Tones
Week of July 3 - July 10
Ne-Yo's "So Sick" has a healthy grip on the number one spot for the second week in a row with the Black Eyed Peas following in second place with "Pump It". Chamillionaire's "Ridin" is cruising up the charts to a close third this week, while Hip Hop & R&B continue to be among the most popular ringtone downloads.

Also, each week Thumbplay tracks the top mobile handsets consumers are using to download mobile content. Motorola's V3 has a strong lead on the pack, followed by handsets from LG, Nokia and Samsung.

Top Tones
1. Ne-Yo - So Sick
2. Black Eyed Peas - Pump it
3. Chamillionaire -Ridin
4. Mary J. Blige - Be Without You
5. D4L - Laffy Taffy
6. Jamie Foxx - Unpredictable
7. Ray J - One Wish
8. Nelly - Grillz
9. Kanye West - Gold Digger
10. Bow Wow - Fresh Azimiz

Top Handsets
1. Motorola V3
2. LG C2000
3. Nokia 6010
4. Samsung X495
5. LG PM225

Sizzling Summer Hits
Each month Thumbplay looks at a pop-culture event that is shaping sales of mobile content. Every year a few songs emerge as the 'songs of summer'. Whether it's a perennial favorite like Alice Cooper's "School's Out for Summer" or Will Smith's "Miami", the summer is always ripe for a new hit. Based on early sales and expert predictions, below are some of the hottest songs and games for Summer '06:

Songs
1. Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland - Promiscuous
2. Rupert Holmes - Escape (Pina Colada Song)
3. Shakira - Hips Don't Lie
4. Nick Lachey - What's Left Of Me
5. Beach Boys - California Girls

Games
1. Blade Trinity
2. Golden Tee Advanced
3. Bikini Machine
4. Garfield in Dreamland
5. Operation by Hasbro

About Thumbplay
Thumbplay, Inc. is the leading online retailer of mobile entertainment content. The company aggregates, promotes and delivers mobile content directly to members via Thumbplay.com. The site offers ringtones, wallpapers, games and text-based services through a membership-based, community experience. Thumbplay, headquartered in New York, was founded by CEO Are Traasdahl and Executive Vice President, Marketing Evan Schwartz.

Labels: press-release

posted by Thumbplay at 1:47 PM