For many, having a song as a ringtone was a necessity. From the early 2000s to the early 2010s, one’s ringtone represented their musical taste and cultural awareness. A flip-phone wasn’t really a flip phone without a good ringtone. But today, custom ringtones are few and far between as default tones are the go-to. The death of ringtones signals a change in how people interact with music.

Story by Kennedy Williams

The first decade of the 21st century was the turning point in music. Cassette tapes officially became obsolete as many music listeners reached for portable CD players. These CD players allowed listeners to tune in while on the go and forever changed the way they listened to music. The CD marked the beginning of the digital era. While computers and MP3s gained popularity in the ‘90s, CDs streamlined digital music. With CDs, listeners had the ability to skip songs, an action that was impossible with cassette tapes.

CDs were also useful for downloading music. Although streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music simplify music access today, downloading music was not so easy in the 2000s. Digital file sharing networks like Napster and LimeWire offered primitive opportunities to access and download music online. When dial-up internet was the only option, Napster allowed users to tap into each other’s hard drives and share music. LimeWire came onto the scene next, and helped sharing music online spread like wildfire. Gone were the days when young music lovers had to save up allowance money to buy albums. But there was one problem with Napster and LimeWire. They allowed users to download music for free, violating copyright infringement laws.

It is within this cultural context that ringtones rose to prominence. As listeners clung to the ability to listen to music while being mobile, ringtone sales skyrocketed. A study by CNN reports that ringtone sales were at their height in 2008 as annual downloads were close to 2 billion. During this era, established artists recorded snippets of their songs, perfect for the duration of ringtones that were often less than a minute.

Photos courtesy of The FADER and Buzzfeed

Not every song could be used as a ringtone. The song had to be catchy with wordplay that was worthy of being heard by those nearby. Ringtones allowed one-hit-wonders to shine. “Ringtone Rap,” a subgenre of hip-hop, was created to distinguish and label the types of songs frequently used as ringtones. Think Soulja Boy’s “Crank That,” MIMS’ “This Is Why I’m Hot” or Chamillionaire’s “Ridin’ Dirty.” Other popular choices at the time were Fergie’s “Fergalicious,” Beyonce “Check On It” and Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats.”

Ringtones were a necessary complement to Motorola Razrs, Sidekicks, and Nokia 3310s. But before one could commit a song to signaling when one was calling, they had to find the right song. Here’s where countdown TV shows come in. Racing home from school to watch shows like MTV’s “TRL” and BET’s “106 and Park” was a must. These shows indicated what songs should be one’s next ringtone. But the rise of the internet disrupted everything. Listeners now looked to the internet for what was “cool” instead of watching music video countdown shows.

Years passed and teachers began to require students to turn off their cellphones and make them invisible in class, rendering ringtones silent.

The death of ringtones marks a transition in how people use their phones. The rise and success of streaming services made ringtones obsolete. Rather than experiencing fleeting moments of joy with ringtones, people could listen to the full song. Shifts in the capabilities of phones also lead ringtones to their demise. Thousands of apps allow users to play games on their phones, listen to music, create music and stay organized. These apps overshadowed the entertainment one got when selecting their newest ringtone. Becoming a texting-centric society killed the necessity of having a ringtone.

Ringtones might still make a comeback. Early 2000s nostalgia is at an all time high. Just look at the comebacks of Juicy Couture or Tamagotchis. Until ringtone jams return, enjoy this playlist of hits.