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Topic: Are Compact Discs(CD's) being discontinued by retailers? (Read 15762 times) previous topic - next topic
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Are Compact Discs(CD's) being discontinued by retailers?

Reply #25 –
Quote from: Axon on
New artists are competing against music from 50 years ago. New pressings are competing against original masterings from 20 years ago. This sort of thing has simply never happened before in the music industry, for various reasons (either the formats naturally wore out over a few years, or the new formats were clearly superior, or people simply were more trendy and bought into the latest genre at a far greater pace).


I wonder if the industry has gone past diminishing returns in product differentiation. If I think back through a historical period of time to when I were a lad, it was pretty clear which bands you had to buy if you were in any way keeping up. These days, there is such a proliferation of genres that the market is split into small tribes. At first, I guess, this sold more CDs, but maybe now it's reducing the perceived urgency to buy the latest album.

Are Compact Discs(CD's) being discontinued by retailers?

Reply #26 –
Here's an interesting point of view from Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind which may be a major factor in the decline of CDs. With the advent of digital downloads, the single is now the dominating sales instead of full albums. I'm sure a LOT of people think this way. Most artists don't have the talent and creativity to fill a CD with good songs anyway.

I myself think that albums are the way to go. I would've never discovered half the music I love if I just collected singles.

Are Compact Discs(CD's) being discontinued by retailers?

Reply #27 –
I don't know about brick and mortar retailers, but I can certainly attest that the number of e-tailers carrying CDs has dropped precipitously.
EAC>1)fb2k>LAME3.99 -V 0 --vbr-new>WMP12 2)MAC-Extra High

Are Compact Discs(CD's) being discontinued by retailers?

Reply #28 –
Well my local zavvi and HMV certainly haven't dropped the number of CDs they have. Tho zavvi does noticably carry vinyl now.

Are Compact Discs(CD's) being discontinued by retailers?

Reply #29 –
This is really a double-edged sword to me. I almost never play the CDs themselves anymore; I'm currently engaged in ripping all the music I want to listen to into FLAC (possibly TAK in the future once Picard releases 0.11) for archival storage/playing on my desktop, then transcoding to AAC for my iPod.

On the one hand, it's very convenient for me to buy as a CD so I can go over to my music rack in my closet to rip to a file, in case something happens to my hard drive used for storage.

On the other hand, holy crap that's a lot of physical media laying around.

Are Compact Discs(CD's) being discontinued by retailers?

Reply #30 –
A very real reason for me to buy CDs is so that I have something extra to pass down to my kids. That's happened for two generations in my family (and fortunately, very little of it has been sold off) - and it's a fantastic thing. That said, of course, it's a little presumptuous to assume that my future kids will like any of the music I listen to - but eh, at least I try. And much of what I'm buying is common practice period reportory that will literally never get old.

Are Compact Discs(CD's) being discontinued by retailers?

Reply #32 –
Quote from: Axon on
A very real reason for me to buy CDs is so that I have something extra to pass down to my kids. That's happened for two generations in my family (and fortunately, very little of it has been sold off) - and it's a fantastic thing.


If they have something they can play them with, that is.  I wonder if mp3s will be easier to pass on because you don't have to worry about having the right hardware. I have cassette tapes from my youth, but nothing to easily play them on.

Are Compact Discs(CD's) being discontinued by retailers?

Reply #33 –
Quote
Here's an interesting point of view from Stephen Jenkins of Third Eye Blind which may be a major factor in the decline of CDs. With the advent of digital downloads, the single is now the dominating sales instead of full albums. I'm sure a LOT of people think this way. Most artists don't have the talent and creativity to fill a CD with good songs anyway.


I get into arguments with my friend's about this all of the time. I don't feel as if the artist is well represented by one single. If you are a true music fan you are going to either buy or download the entire album and listen to the artists creative work good or bad. This is what dictates the American Radio and the top 40. It's a disgrace.  I don't want to listen to the same old radio singles over and over again. What the hell is the point of discovering new music anyway if you have a carbon copy of something that you heard on the radio? 
budding I.T professional

Are Compact Discs(CD's) being discontinued by retailers?

Reply #34 –
Most people think the artist should serve the listener, not the other way around. That's pretty much been the rule for what, 3000 years now? He who pays the piper calls the tune.

Are Compact Discs(CD's) being discontinued by retailers?

Reply #35 –
Quote
I get into arguments with my friend's about this all of the time. I don't feel as if the artist is well represented by one single.
  I hope these are "friendly arguments".  There's not much point in arguing about such things.  Different people have different tastes in music, different reproduction-quality requiremants, and different ways of playing/enjoying music.  IMHO, it's always best to give the consumer a choice.  (I mostly buy CDs, but sometimes I'll buy a single-download.  And, I have quite a few CDs that are not the "original album", but are greatest hits or various artist compilations.)

I was working with a guy last year who told me that when he likes a song, he'll put it on "repeat" and listen to it over-and-over.  I laughed and said, "Like a teenager?"  So, I kind-of teased him a little bit, but I didn't try to talk him out of doing it...  It's fine with me, as long as he doesn't make me listen to it ofer-and-over!   

Are Compact Discs(CD's) being discontinued by retailers?

Reply #36 –
Quote
I hope these are "friendly arguments". There's not much point in arguing about such things. Different people have different tastes in music, different reproduction-quality requiremants, and different ways of playing/enjoying music. IMHO, it's always best to give the consumer a choice. (I mostly buy CDs, but sometimes I'll buy a single-download. And, I have quite a few CDs that are not the "original album", but are greatest hits or various artist compilations.)


I understand your needs to serve the consumer in that regard and I agree with you. Yes they are friendly arguments (They aren't riddled with political or philosophical doctrines thankfully)  . One my friends and I see eye to eye to put things into perspective for you. He feels the artists best work is represented by what's released on their record and it's one way of potentially discovering new music you may have not known you liked before or in the past from them. My other friend and I do not see eye to eye. He only listens to songs that are on the radio and does not bother to listen to any of the other offerings from the artist. I was listening to a different song on the record of an artist he was familiar with due to hearing their radio single in his car and he didn't even know it was them!  .  Whoever says boldly "Most artists don't have the talent and creativity to fill a CD with good songs anyway" is the most naive comment I ever heard. No offense considering most people have probably not even listened to the artists other material to begin with!  Your right we do all have different tastes in music, but don't tell me you like or dislike the artist from the one song you heard on the radio from them!   

Quote
I was working with a guy last year who told me that when he likes a song, he'll put it on "repeat" and listen to it over-and-over. I laughed and said, "Like a teenager?" So, I kind-of teased him a little bit, but I didn't try to talk him out of doing it... It's fine with me, as long as he doesn't make me listen to it ofer-and-over!


Right! that's my point.
budding I.T professional
 

Are Compact Discs(CD's) being discontinued by retailers?

Reply #37 –
Quote from: probedb on
Well my local zavvi and HMV certainly haven't dropped the number of CDs they have.
I think it depends on the timescale you're looking at. 20 years ago they didn't sell as many videos, magazines, T-shirts, computer games etc as they do now. They've really diversified.

Cheers,
David.