CD-Audio is dead

Submitted by InsightVision.Biz on Tue, 11/08/2011 - 11:40

The public hasn't really been into music CDs for quite some time, but now it's reportedly official. 

Yes, major record labels will finally cease production of CDs next year.
This definitely doesn't feel like any big news flash, and like any lingering death, it's not surprising when it finally comes.
As SideLine reports, what's left of the major labels will abandon CDs for good by the end of 2012. 


As expected, they will shift to downloads and streaming exclusively, which is where music has been moving along anyways.
The music business is usually pretty slow to react to things, and at one point they were thinking music by subscription would save everything, so now it's obvious to everybody that the writing is clearly on the wall.
With the collapse of the huge chains stores like Tower and Virgin, Amazon will reportedly be the only (major) entity left carrying CDs, and as SideLine continues, CDs will only be made in the future for limited edition releases. 


Unsurprisingly, SideLine tried to reach EMI, Universal and Sony for comment, but all three labels declined to respond.
When CDs finally broke through in the '80's with the Beatles releases, the sound quality was indeed terrific, and we all got used to the format change from vinyl, some faster than others. 


Now CDs bring reactions of disgust from modern day music fans who grew up in the download age, and as we just reported on TG, vinyl's been making a hell of a comeback these days as well.
As underground metal label Relapse Records founder Matt Jacobson told me, "About a year ago, I thought I could see a day where it's only vinyl and digital, and it's actually happening sooner than I thought. CDs are so disposable, I have so many of them, they get in the way. The digital is great because it's convenient, and it doesn't take up twenty-five shelves of space."

source: http://www.tgdaily.com/games-and-entertainment-features/59478-report-cds...

Comments

Submitted by InsightVision.Biz on Tue, 11/08/2011 - 11:43

Really- I can see CD-A selling still quite well.

Where are these official statement from major labels?

Andrew

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Submitted by InsightVision.Biz on Tue, 11/08/2011 - 11:44

Well, I'm really looking forward to buying vinyl again.
Tom
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Submitted by InsightVision.Biz on Tue, 11/08/2011 - 11:45

At the bottom of the story.

Update: We were approached by several people working with major labels, who
indeed re-confirm that plans do exist to give up the CD.
We keep on trying to get an official confirmation, but it seems that the
matter is very controversial, especially after Side-Line brought out the
story.

Yeah. Right. It really makes no sense. It's still almost 50% of sales. One
word: Walmart.

I can't really see Classical and Jazz going all download. And there are still
significant parts of the population without decent high-speed Internet, or
even personal computers.

I also don't see record companies becoming wholly dependant on third-party
channels like iTunes or Amazon.

And it's not really something to celebrate - for quality and preservation. For
the average person CDs are the best bet in both regards. Most people have
maybe one or two shelves worth of CDs; not that much space, and easy to store
over the long run. And even 256 AAC sucks compared to CDs. As a practical
matter, for digital stores to best CD quality on the Intertubes, customers are
going to need FIOS or DOCSIS 3. Less than half the people in the US with
Internet service have faster than DSL speed.
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/verizon_halts_fios_expansions
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Average-US-Broadband-Speed-39-Mbps-10...

Again, it seems to me that promoting or celebrating the end of physical media
at this juncture is profoundly childish and irresponsible.

sm
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Submitted by InsightVision.Biz on Tue, 11/08/2011 - 11:45

Not sure if you know, but DVD was dead long time ago- it's all downloads now
:)

Andrew
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Submitted by InsightVision.Biz on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 14:50

Sounds like a Limbaugh sound bite to me. Maybe the RIAA members won't be
promoting new releases primarily in disc format, but even the superficial
abstract states that limited-editions, box sets, etc., will continue to be
marketed. And the recording industry and the RIAA are not equivalent.
Audiophile & indie labels continue to expand their catalogs. I just don't
see older generations of consumers, despite their relatively small market
share, transitioning to iPods.

More likely than the implication of this sensationalist headline is that CD
will occupy a small but enduring niche, like vinyl. Or the Macintosh during
the 1990s.

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Submitted by InsightVision.Biz on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 14:52

Scott,

you are missing the point here. Assuming the news are correct, record
companies are not abandoning CD-Audio distribution because they can't sell
discs or consumers don't want them at all, they abandon it because they can't
generate profits with it. In an ultra-fragmented market physical distribution
is simply not profitable anymore. I have seen shops taking surplus CDs from
the shelf that they don't need right now and putting them in the dumpster,
sorted only by label and counted in cubic meters. Those were counted as
returned disc, average price by estimated number, and if they needed them back
they got newly replicated ones. It's cheaper to replicate than to run the
logistics to take them back and store them properly.
And that was 12 years ago...
I am not going in to this right now but that business is really dead.

Regarding the internet we will see what we will see but DECE is up and running
(somehow), high quality audio downloads are technically no problem and there
are many distribution options for the near future. If the music industry, and
the royalty organizations, can figure it all out is another thing but the only
ones making money on CD-Audio today are indeed Walmat/Tesco/Media Markt.
Musicians, Labels, Sub-Labels, Distributors make zero.

just my 2c
Best,
Niran

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