Compact Disc death foretold for 2012
Major record labels to kill format?
The major record labels are planning to kill off the CD format by the end of next year to make way for digital downloads only.
That's the claim made by music site Side-Line which says it heard whispers that the end of the CD is nigh from music industry insiders.
That said, it has failed to get any official confirmation from the labels, though that's not perhaps surprising.
The notion is that, by the end of 2012, the majors will focus entirely on downloads. The only CDs that will go on sale through 2013 and beyond will be special editions and albums from the biggest artists.
If true - we're not entirely convinced; we can't see the majors acting in such harmony - the news could spell even bigger profits for digital content suppliers Amazon and iTunes, while ruining bricks'n'mortar stores like HMV, which already struggles due to the rise in digital-download popularity.
HMV, for one, has said its future lies in selling hardware and music merchadise as packaged media - CDs, books, DVDs and games - is slowly replaced by downloads.
Eventually the format will become extinct, though whether its demise will really happen next year is open to question. Such an immediate cut-off point seems unlikely. After all, CDs are still popular - just about. ®
COMMENTS
Then I won't be buying...
As I have never purchased digital music, nor do I want to.
I want the CD, and I will rip it in the format and quality that I want...
Digital download music sounds shit, just like streamed movies look shit.
"I have never purchased digital music, nor do I want to...."
"..I want the CD, and I will rip it in the format and quality that I want."
Those analogue CDs, eh? Good times.
Drug Sales Still Booming in Music Biz
Considering that CDs are still outselling digital downloads by 2:1, that would be an "interesting" (AKA "insane") decision.
Such utter tripe
Such utter codswallop. So the CD is dieing, just like vinyl? They'll always exist, there's means to publish smaller numbers for niche / cottage labels via duplication (as opposed to replication of pressed discs in a plant) but that tipping point of 1,000 discs will always mean there's a market for CDs. Once you get into low thousands, cost per unit is so comparatively minimal (like oldskool DVDs) they'll remain a viable distribution method for some time. Unfortunately it's the warehousing aspect which incurs most cost; we could almost halve the cost of our CDs if we could minimise the warehousing aspect free, it's what sucks up most of the wholesale price and results in us getting a very small return.
CDs are just so darned cost effective when you scale... Also, do not underestimate the twofold demand through by scarcity and the (more and more) 'deluxe' sensation of having full artwork, a CD and packaging to fondle. Intangible MP3s just don't get me excited like a hotly-anticipated CD album arriving in the post. (even though I might download it beforehand)
Sauce? I work at a record label. If anything, we're increasing the amount of CDs we're pressing over the next 12 months.
the day the music (finaly) died
Well I certainly wont pay for any music in a lossy format
