Compact Disks to be discontinued in 2013?

[loaferman61]

Originally Posted by wolfy35

I have friends that work at music stores I asked them & they say they have been told CD's will be around for the forseable future but maybe not produced in huge numbers. They say that they expect that apart from highly promoted items or new releases they will be gradually moving towards just a single copy in store.

One of them said that they are already looking at new store layouts in preparation for installation of terminals where you can plug your mp3 device & purchase/download directly to capture the market that does not have internet connection. For me the most interesting tip was to watch out for Blu-Ray audio discs to start feeding in alongside CD's they would open up a whole new ball game in terms of audio quality & content.

I was just in Wal-Mart yesterday, the biggest retailer probably in the world and the CD section is down to one end of an aisle. Not more than a few hundred CD's total and most are new releases if there are multiple copies. Check most any CD on Amazon and see if it tells you something like "only two in stock". The retailer sees it as dead weight on the shelf and expects to only order a few more when the few they have sell. It is nothing like the 90's and the music industry failed to change with the times.
All of the uproar over Netflix here in the US was the company wanting to innovate before becoming irrelevant, they just botched the execution but the theory was sound. The movie industry is determined not to go the way of the music business, they just have not figured out how to do it. You can get dvd's that have 4 or 5 movies on them for $5 - $10 in Walmart. People are not buying as much physical product anymore.

[cujo]

Volumes will reduce as years go by, but I believe there will be a market for people who as said earlier - want to hold the cd and read the cover - for a long time to come.
Many people today seem to accept that they do not have a physical cd, but I always buy one and will continue to do so, as I am sure will many others - even though they are often more expensive than a download.

[juniper]

Originally Posted by loaferman61

I was just in Wal-Mart yesterday, the biggest retailer probably in the world and the CD section is down to one end of an aisle. Not more than a few hundred CD's total and most are new releases if there are multiple copies. Check most any CD on Amazon and see if it tells you something like "only two in stock". The retailer sees it as dead weight on the shelf and expects to only order a few more when the few they have sell. It is nothing like the 90's and the music industry failed to change with the times.
All of the uproar over Netflix here in the US was the company wanting to innovate before becoming irrelevant, they just botched the execution but the theory was sound. The movie industry is determined not to go the way of the music business, they just have not figured out how to do it. You can get dvd's that have 4 or 5 movies on them for $5 - $10 in Walmart. People are not buying as much physical product anymore.

Those are really interesting insights into the future or lack of in retail stores. When i want to buy a song or album, it would never occur to me to buy a "cd". I buy the download, it's instant and I dont have to wait for it to be mailed to me. If I want to read about the album, i can do so online but perhaps with bonus digital downloads, that reading material can be downloaded also. I dont need any more plastic cases laying around.

[chairboys]

Originally Posted by juniper

Those are really interesting insights into the future or lack of in retail stores. When i want to buy a song or album, it would never occur to me to buy a "cd". I buy the download, it's instant and I dont have to wait for it to be mailed to me. If I want to read about the album, i can do so online but perhaps with bonus digital downloads, that reading material can be downloaded also. I dont need any more plastic cases laying around.

I am one who will always buy a CD. It's what I have been brought up on!
And it is great to have a 'collection' of your own
When I have a moment to myself and fancy a listen to something, I open the door to the cupboard under the stairs and walk into my own 'record shop'.
I have a browse (if I can find a torch) and then pick out an album to play.
The whole process, in own sad way, enhances my joy of listening.
Long live the CD!!

[Julie in the rv mirror]

Originally Posted by chairboys

I am one who will always buy a CD. It's what I have been brought up on!
And it is great to have a 'collection' of your own
When I have a moment to myself and fancy a listen to something, I open the door to the cupboard under the stairs and walk into my own 'record shop'.
I have a browse (if I can find a torch) and then pick out an album to play.
The whole process, in own sad way, enhances my joy of listening.
Long live the CD!!

That's not sad at all; one of the the things I miss about vinyl albums is holding and looking at the cover and reading the liner notes while listening. Even a CD booklet isn't the same. It is part of the experience that made it more enjoyable, IMO.

[juniper]

Originally Posted by chairboys

I am one who will always buy a CD. It's what I have been brought up on!
And it is great to have a 'collection' of your own
When I have a moment to myself and fancy a listen to something, I open the door to the cupboard under the stairs and walk into my own 'record shop'.
I have a browse (if I can find a torch) and then pick out an album to play.
The whole process, in own sad way, enhances my joy of listening.
Long live the CD!!

I guess I made the transition to digital without much fanfare, I like having instant downloads, no waiting for a CD to arrive. I like that I don't have to buy an entire album, I can just buy singles from it. I do miss the inserts or reading the album info, with downloads, you never know who wrote something or who the other musicians are.

[CarylB]

Originally Posted by cujo

Volumes will reduce as years go by, but I believe there will be a market for people who as said earlier - want to hold the cd and read the cover - for a long time to come.
Many people today seem to accept that they do not have a physical cd, but I always buy one and will continue to do so, as I am sure will many others - even though they are often more expensive than a download.

Me too :) I don't have an iPod, don't particularly see the need for one for me. I like to listen to all the tracks on albums, like to sit back and hear the music fill the room, and also like Julie miss vinyl albums and holding and looking at the cover and reading the liner notes while listening.

But I still read books, read a lot of the time, and like to turn the pages as I go. Reading a book from a small machine, essentially like a mini-computer doesn't appeal to me at all. Reading is a pleasure away from the computer

Caryl

[evil nickname]

Are Major Labels About To Abandon The CD? Er, No

[chairboys]

Originally Posted by evil nickname

Are Major Labels About To Abandon The CD? Er, No

knew it was tosh all along