Noel Gallagher has given his take on today's new global release date for albums, saying: "Unfortunately, it won't make shit albums any better, will it?"
The IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) revealed the news in a statement on their website earlier in the year, in a decision which they say was made "following consultation with artists, musicians unions, record companies and retailers."
Before today, release days varied from country to country, which the IFPI said caused frustration for consumers when music fans in other parts of the world could access new releases before them.
The move hasn't been universally welcomed though - Beggar's Group founder Martin Millis told Music Week that a Friday release day would eliminate "one of the trading week’s two peaks, and the ability to re-stock and rectify errors before the week’s second peak."
He added, "I fear their consultation has been a charade, and the market leaders were always going to push this through. I fear this move will also lead to a market in which the mainstream dominates, and the niche, which can be tomorrow’s mainstream, is further marginalised. I fear it will further cement the dominance of the few – and that that is exactly what it is intended to do."
In a new interview with NME, Noel Gallagher has weighed in on the change in policy, saying, "Fucking hell, the world's gone fucking mad on it. Some fucker has focus grouped that in a room somewhere to maximise some amount of record sales: 'If we have it on a Friday, then by the time it gets to Monday we'll already have sold a million albums - if one is Taylor Swift, presumably."
He added, "Unfortunately it won't make shit albums any better, will it? They'll still sound shit on a fucking Friday."
Today (10 July) marks the first ever global release day. Albums released today include Years & Years' Communion, Four Tet's Morning/Evening and Prides' The Way Back Up.
Next week sees Noel Gallagher headline Latitude Festival, which takes place at Henham Park in Suffolk from 16-19 July. For tickets and more information, visit here.
