The music industry continues to struggle as it looks for ways to close the technological gap that has seen CD sales continue to slide.
This is a natural industry switch to the newer, more flexible format as its predecessor continues to disappear. Vinyl made an appearance in the 1950s and remained solid until the early 1980s, when cassettes became the format of the era. Cassettes were eventually phased out by CDs, but lingered for years to come. New cars are less likely to include CD/cassette in favor of CD/MP3.
I’m just 24 years old, but I’ve purchased just a select few CDs since high school. Since then, I’ve tested peer-to-peer downloads in the earlier days, legal MP3 downloads, and online radio/streaming services.
Around three years ago, Nielsen SoundScan research indicated 90 percent of music sold was on CDs, while digital downloads came in at 10 percent. However, recent 2010 SoundScan figures reveal a significant change that is expected to continue into the future — CD sales accounted for 79 percent, while digital downloads slotted in at 20 percent.
Despite the decline in CD sales, there is no correlation towards a decline in music demand. In fact, Apple iTunes leads the market and reached 10 billion music downloads last February — and additional competitors continue to expand into the growing market as quickly as possible.
To combat the downward sales trend of music CDs, Universal Music has set a $10 sales cap on all music CDs. The record studio now aims to sell CDs between $6 and $10, but the lower prices also hasn’t helped stop the sales slide.
I don’t foresee music CDs — even though they’re vanishing from store shelves — to disappear any time soon. There are still enough loyal followers who enjoy CDs alongside music downloads, especially since some musicians see larger CD sales than newer, younger artists.
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23 Comments
if album is the same price on cd as it is on itunes, i'll buy the cd and rip, just cause I feel I get something extra with the physical product.
sad thing is, after I rip it, it sits on the shelf untouched..
I transport the flac's to my portable media player, everything in the house is networks, so I can stream the flacs on the home stereo.
If lossless digital music were cheaper and well in FLAC (and not apples format) I'd probably buy it. But for the same price I get a cd, case and artwork as a bonus.
sad thing is, after I rip it, it sits on the shelf untouched..
I transport the flac's to my portable media player, everything in the house is networks, so I can stream the flacs on the home stereo.If lossless digital music were cheaper and well in FLAC (and not apples format) I'd probably buy it. But for the same price I get a cd, case and artwork as a bonus.
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| If lossless digital music were cheaper and well in FLAC (and not apples format) I'd probably buy it |
I still use alot of cds to listen to in my car. Although it has mp3 capabilities, DJ mixes have that 2 second gap problem as an mp3, so I burn it as a normal audio cd.
I have used compression to burn about 250 songs onto one cd, just so I dont have to keep changing out cds during a long drive, but the quality isnt the best. It would be nice if auto manufacturers would adopt more dvd capabilities. I could burn more, and better quality music onto one disc.
I dont like the idea of having a memory stick hanging out of my dashboard.
I have used compression to burn about 250 songs onto one cd, just so I dont have to keep changing out cds during a long drive, but the quality isnt the best. It would be nice if auto manufacturers would adopt more dvd capabilities. I could burn more, and better quality music onto one disc.
I dont like the idea of having a memory stick hanging out of my dashboard.
Since music is mastered so poorly now days, who cares? It's not worth buying CDs and definately not downloads. I stopped buying music altogether because the crappy sound quality. (OK. I do buy older titles that are not remastered.) Music released recently sounds worse than what FM radio does to decent sounding CDs with all of the compression used. It keeps getting louder and louder. In a couple of years people will just be listening to square waves.
As mentioned before, until FLAC downloads are priced better than CDs I'll always buy the CD and rip. It's reassuring to have that pristine backup. I probably average 5 or 6 a month...
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| As mentioned before, until FLAC downloads are priced better than CDs I'll always buy the CD and rip. It's reassuring to have that pristine backup |
That said, the tunes/albums I purchase from Amazon or iTunes sound just fine to my non-batty ears..Especially since they go straight to my iPod..But like MerlinWerks, I rip my CDs to flac, and put the originals away...
I think people are missing the key reason why CD's are better. Very few of them have any form of copy protection. Those that do are much easier to bypass than any DRM protected file from iTunes.
CD's rule. I have a high end NAD CD player. Nothing compares, except vinyl or an even higher-end CD player.
As mentioned above I also prefer to own the original in its best quality (CD) and rip it to the formats I need.
There is no DRM on iTunes anymore Grim..
redk9258 maybe your equipment isn't up to snuff but alot of modern music is wonderfully mastered...
As mentioned above I also prefer to own the original in its best quality (CD) and rip it to the formats I need.
There is no DRM on iTunes anymore Grim..
redk9258 maybe your equipment isn't up to snuff but alot of modern music is wonderfully mastered...
The CD vs Vinyl comparisons or what is bessst, has been discussed ad nauseam..And of course none of us share ears, equipment, or listening environments..So what sounds wonderfull to someone's ears, may sound like sh*t to someone else..
To each their own, err ears..
To each their own, err ears..
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Originally Posted by ivid
CD's rule. I have a high end NAD CD player. Nothing compares, except vinyl or an even higher-end CD player.
As mentioned above I also prefer to own the original in its best quality (CD) and rip it to the formats I need. There is no DRM on iTunes anymore Grim.. redk9258 maybe your equipment isn't up to snuff but alot of modern music is wonderfully mastered... |
"Remastered" CDs suck because of how much compression is used. Now on the other hand, CDs put out by Mobile Fidelity and other labels like them sound great because they try to preserve the original sound of the master tape.
BTW, I have several hundred LPs and I'll take the sound of a properly mastered CD over LP any day. However I do prefer a clean LP over a poorly mastered CD.
Your all goofy
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Originally Posted by Fuzzimcnearney
Your all goofy
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Has anybody through it's partly the economy that hurt the sales some?
Yes, ecconomy has had an effect on more recent sales, but once the recording industry realizes the people who actually have the money to buy their product don't like their "Formula" groups that couldn't write their own music to save their lives maybe sales will go back up. Those kids who love their "Formula" groups don't have the money, the adults who really don't like the crap the big labels are pushing are the ones with the money.
I agree there Drum ,another thing that hurts these music people is the price of concerts I for one cannot aford to go to any.
screamin' & cryin' bout the blues
screamin' & cryin' bout the blues
The main reason for a large drop in sales is the quality of the performer. In the 60's - 70's so much good music was available I didn't have enough money to buy it all. I used to buy 2-3 albums most weeks, today that's how many I now buy in a year. Record company's greed has brought about this state of affairs and they have the audacity to blame pirating. There is almost nothing out there pirated worth downloading in my opinion.
My top 5 reasons for declining CD sales:
1) Lack of a decent new music. Rock is now formuliac and a mockery of its former self. I'm not a Hip Hop fan but its been around long enough I imagine its getting there or only a matter of time.
2) CD's have been around a long time. People build their collections years ago. Now they only need to buy new stuff they like. Without a new physical format how do you get people to buy their collections over (aka vinyl, 8track, cassette, cd).
3) Mixing Quality has gone to the gutter. Modern mixing now cranks up all the different frequencies which limits quality. Anything mixed past the end of 90s is pretty weak.
4) Digital Downloads - Now that record companies are pushing crap. People don't have to buy the whole album. So instead of sell an entire album at 12.99, they sell one song for a buck.
5) Online Piracy.
1) Lack of a decent new music. Rock is now formuliac and a mockery of its former self. I'm not a Hip Hop fan but its been around long enough I imagine its getting there or only a matter of time.
2) CD's have been around a long time. People build their collections years ago. Now they only need to buy new stuff they like. Without a new physical format how do you get people to buy their collections over (aka vinyl, 8track, cassette, cd).
3) Mixing Quality has gone to the gutter. Modern mixing now cranks up all the different frequencies which limits quality. Anything mixed past the end of 90s is pretty weak.
4) Digital Downloads - Now that record companies are pushing crap. People don't have to buy the whole album. So instead of sell an entire album at 12.99, they sell one song for a buck.
5) Online Piracy.
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| Vinyl made an appearance in the 1950s and remained solid until the early 1980s, when cassettes became the format of the era. Cassettes were eventually phased out by CDs, but lingered for years to come. |
Vinyl is still alive (and probably growing). I think cassette is alot more dead than vinyl. Cassette really serves no purpose. Sound quality is subpar, they get chewed up, can't skip tracks. Basically the same with VHS. It was crazy insane how quickly people adopted DVD and had no problem ditching VHS. Even my grandparents got on that bandwagon.
I'm theres people who have some stuff left on cassette/vhs, but theres no real longevity in the technology.
Vinyl is different. Audiophiles and Collectors love the stuff. Vinyl is the best you can get in analog music, and many argue its better then CD.
I rather think cd won't completely die out. I just counter argue your cassette/vhs notion. I don't think many things are even made on those formats anymore, so there dead. There was news last year the last company that made video tapes was stopping. Vinyl will always live on though
I'm theres people who have some stuff left on cassette/vhs, but theres no real longevity in the technology.
Vinyl is different. Audiophiles and Collectors love the stuff. Vinyl is the best you can get in analog music, and many argue its better then CD.
I rather think cd won't completely die out. I just counter argue your cassette/vhs notion. I don't think many things are even made on those formats anymore, so there dead. There was news last year the last company that made video tapes was stopping. Vinyl will always live on though
There's only one explanation (although many here were pretty good, all of you were absolutely incorrect). The single and only reason CD sales have declined...(drum roll)....It's the bloody PIRATES!
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Originally Posted by Circlestrafe
There's only one explanation (although many here were pretty good, all of you were absolutely incorrect). The single and only reason CD sales have declined...(drum roll)....It's the bloody PIRATES!
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The crap that the producers are trying to get us to buy isn't making it.
There is no doubt that there is a small loss to pirates but it is not significant in my opinion.
I buy what I like but recently, (the last 20 years ), there is a very poor selection of good music available from new talent.
Until we get a new stream of good song writers and talented performers the situation will continue to deteriorate.
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Originally Posted by Circlestrafe
There's only one explanation (although many here were pretty good, all of you were absolutely incorrect). The single and only reason CD sales have declined...(drum roll)....It's the bloody PIRATES!
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Not!!...your actually wrong and spouting the MPAA/RIAA propaganda again....typical. The Music industry is putting out "TRASH" music all the good music have been done and now they are milking the music rather then create any good music "FACT".... The industry did this to themselves and have nothing but their own greed and stupidity of not moving to the internet to take advantage of the new markets and now they cry fowl and unfair when they did it to themselves...
I've thought about this a bit and while I think it's a combination of the aforementioned I too think that there is a lack or talent out there. Gone are the days when you could throw on an album and listen to it start to end over and over.
Seems like everything nowadays, especially mainstream music, is about collaborations with the current flavor of the month. Whatever is popular and stands to make the most $$.
This week it's Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, next week it's Eminem and Lil Wayne. With the advent of iTunes, etc, making it possible to just buy singles artists seem to be putting a lot more filler on their albums now. Granted, some of these guys are talented but it seems like most write about topics of very little substance. Hip hop for example, while I do enjoy some of it now (I grew up liking rock), is usually all about partying, tapping some booty, how much money and bling you've got, driving in your Lambo or whatever, all materialistic crap, nothing that adds value or tells a valuable story.
The other side of this argument is that maybe it also has something to do with us getting older. A lot of what made a certain LP so great to us was the memories of our youth that's associated with said album...the song that was playing on the stereo that first time we got to first base, the first time we got drunk at a house party, etc etc (you get my drift). There are a few albums I love from the 70s and 80s but when I really sit down and think about it, they weren't that great. It's the memories of good times that I associate with that music. That said, I still think there was more good content available back then.
Anyhow, enough of my rambling, just wanted to voice my thoughts. :-)
Seems like everything nowadays, especially mainstream music, is about collaborations with the current flavor of the month. Whatever is popular and stands to make the most $$.
This week it's Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, next week it's Eminem and Lil Wayne. With the advent of iTunes, etc, making it possible to just buy singles artists seem to be putting a lot more filler on their albums now. Granted, some of these guys are talented but it seems like most write about topics of very little substance. Hip hop for example, while I do enjoy some of it now (I grew up liking rock), is usually all about partying, tapping some booty, how much money and bling you've got, driving in your Lambo or whatever, all materialistic crap, nothing that adds value or tells a valuable story.
The other side of this argument is that maybe it also has something to do with us getting older. A lot of what made a certain LP so great to us was the memories of our youth that's associated with said album...the song that was playing on the stereo that first time we got to first base, the first time we got drunk at a house party, etc etc (you get my drift). There are a few albums I love from the 70s and 80s but when I really sit down and think about it, they weren't that great. It's the memories of good times that I associate with that music. That said, I still think there was more good content available back then.
Anyhow, enough of my rambling, just wanted to voice my thoughts. :-)
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