Universal aims to raise true worth of CD.

Major will ramp up its release of Deluxe Editions of brand new albums in a bid to boost sales this Christmas

Universal is turning to its Deluxe Editions format for an ambitious plan to boost the value of CD albums at retail this Christmas.

Buoyed by the success of expanded albums by the likes of Take That and Amy Winehouse this year, the major plans to flood the market with Deluxe Editions of brand new albums in the fourth quarter.

These will retail at a higher price than standard editions, which will also be made available, and will include additional and enhanced content specifically tailored for each individual artist.

"We are going to bring them back at Christmas and want to lead the market with it," says Universal chairman/CEO David Joseph. His company has yet to reveal exactly which artists' new albums will be released in this format, but its fourth-quarter schedule includes new titles from the likes of Keane, The Killers, Razorlight, Snow Patrol, U2 and Take That.

"We're entering into a world of paperback and hardback," says Joseph, who wants to reverse the trend of falling album prices and lift the perceived value of music in consumers' eyes.

"With the hardback editions, as long as you've got the right acts people will be prepared to pay more for added content. The content, the music, the photographs, the lyrics, the packaging, whatever, needs to be completely bespoke to the artist, so what is right for Duffy and Snow Patrol and ...