"If you’ve been one of the bovine millions being herded through the malls during the holiday season, you’ve heard a sound that can’t quite be drowned out by Bing Crosby’s warbling: the CD’s death rattle. Don’t think it’s just you. For the final weeks of 2005, album sales are down 10% from a year ago, which, as we all know, was even less fruitful that preceding years. During the crucial Thanksgiving week, the Wall Street Journal reports that the top 10 albums sold 40% fewer copies than the top 10 albums the same week in 2004."
Do you agree or disagree with this article? On one hand I won't deny that CDs are a seemingly dated media format in the age of digital media. However, given the disparate (and annoying) DRM solutions that exist, I prefer CDs as a standard whenever available. I've downloaded a king's ransom in music from iTunes, but those were only tracks that I wouldn't otherwise have purchased in CD form. When selecting music from my favorite bands, I ALWAYS go for the CD. Anyone else feel the same way?
I don't know if the US is ahead of the curve compared to the UK, or if they have used different statistics, but the news I'd been hearing this year was that CD sales were on the increase.
I'm firmly in favour of buying CDs rather than online. I may end up getting albums that are a mix of good & bad tracks, but at least I'll be able to play them in my car, on my computer and on my Hi-MD player. Buying tracks online does not give me that flexibility and I don't have the time to create CDs for the car. I'd rather just bung 6 CDs into the autochanger and be done with it.
But then, maybe I'm too old :-). Maybe online buying of music is for a younger generation.
I agree, CD's are by far the best solution avaliable. You get the highest quality audio that you can rip to whatever compression you like, as many times as you like and move it around however it pleases you. And you get a high quality backup to put in your archive as a bonus.
I still can't believe that the online music stores expect me to buy a compressed track, DRM'ed up the wazoo for roughly the same price as on physical media.
If I'm ever to buy online it will be when I can buy the rights to a song, meaning when I can redownload or stream it whenever, from wherever an unlimited number of times.
I... I... have sinned. I buy my stuff online (compression doesn't bother me too much as I can't hear the difference 98 percent of the time) but then I found a rather interesting trick with my Audigy sound card and have DRM free music.
One can argue that I bought my copy and 'Fair Rights' usage is in play... but I won't go to a subscription service as that crosses my ethical tollerance.
I agree as well. CD's are still the best way to go. I download some random tracks from time to time when I want just the song.
I like that with real discs you can get the enhanced cds and dual-sided cd and dvd combos and cool art work. When you shell out the money you also have something physical to show for it. I love reading the cd inserts.
I've never found a 'Limited Edition' mp3 and I don't expect there to be such a thing. Mp3s just don't eminate the same coolness factor as cds.
It depends on what I'm looking for. I did the music subscription thing for a while, but it was such a hassle I gave up and went back to buying CDs. But now with all the stupid DRM'd CDs out now even that is becoming a hassle. The 160 kbps WMA's from MSN Music sound great, so I don't mind buying from them (through gift certificates) because I burn and re-rip to get a 256 kbps MP3 that works everywhere.
Jason, you've mentioned a couple of times about buying them through gift certificates. Does this change something in the process? Is there a special advantage to buying a GC to buy them with over just buying directly?
Is there a special advantage to buying a GC to buy them with over just buying directly?
Sure. I can actually buy the songs. ;-) MSN Music isn't available in Canada, and no amount of IP-trickery on my part has allowed me to buy music from it. But with a gift certificate, I can purchase the music just like you Americans. ;-)
But then, maybe I'm too old :-). Maybe online buying of music is for a younger generation.
Depends on how new the music is I'm interested in and how many songs off a given CD I really like (which seems to be fewer all the time). As for being able to play the music I buy online . . . I can play it in virtually every type of player I have. I can download and burn CD's for my cars in much less time it would take to drive somewhere and buy the CD.
I am also more into the physical CD's.. I am the type that likes to have the printed cover, the lyrics etc . Then when I have the real CD I always rip it to MP3 anyway, but it is the feeling of having the 'real thing' that I like.. But I turned 40 last year so that might explain things
I can easily be convinced to buy individual tracks from a download service, but not full albums so far. I mean, paying 75-80% of the physical album, then having to burn it yourself to a anonymous silver disc, writing the title on it with a marker... That is no fun to have in your music collection.
What surprises me is that no one is offering you to buy the digital album and if you then want the physical album, you just pay the difference. You have already payed for the marketing, rights etc once. So why pay for it twice?
Has The CD Played Its Last Tune?
Linear Mode
