Is the death of the CD looming?

[The_Q]

Like Saladbar said....he went to Impulse and things were out of stock. I have been there with that place. I would go to the web site and see all this new stuff in stock. Drive all the way up there to see none of it left. After a few times I just stopped going there.

LOL Diabolik come on. All personal biases aside. You do realize two things are working against your favor in the above comment.

1. Suppy and Demand
2. Phone First

I cannot tell you how many times I've gone to Best Buy to get Cd's and DVD's and came home empty handed. Did I cry about it? No. It doesn't take a genius to realize that new releases sell quickly.

 

[J. Golden]

Amen, mine is over 9,000 and counting. i live and die by my sword. Jeremy and Justin are on my list of people who get to go through it all. haha.

Thank you Sir.
You know it would work out well for Justin since I already have a good amount of those CDs. HAHA
But we rather keep you around Matt... So you can acquire more that is
I will just be leaving mine behind when I move, to much to move with me.

 

[General Zod]

Honestly, yes. I think labels (or what passes for labels) will eventually do away with album covers.

Couldn't possibly disagree more.

First, do you think consumers want to look through a simple text listing of new CDs?

Second, how do you think record companies will continue to sell music by "artists" like Brittany Spears without an image of her dressed in a skimpy outfit on the cover.

Finally, consumers want visual cues and an image for association. There's a reason the picture on the front of an album eventually evolved into "cover art".

Cover art, in one form or another, will always (IMONSHO) exist.

 

[Pelata]

Amen, mine is over 9,000 and counting. i live and die by my sword. Jeremy and Justin are on my list of people who get to go through it all. haha.

I'll go ahead and give you a list of stuff I like so you can be collecting it, putting it in a box that says "Give to Shawn when I kick it...", and making sure your house doesn't burn down again...

 

[Up&Away]

For me, it's just a matter of realizing that I didn't need to hold a "product". Music is intangible and I learned to enjoy it as such. Putting it on a physical meduim was the way of getting it to the masses. Which turned into a marketing stroke of genius that everybody bought into. And, many are still buying into apparently. They feel they have to hold something in order to completely enjoy it. I finally understood that I enjoyed music for what it was, not for what companies were "adding" onto or making it into. Music has come full circle and is now intangible again with the advent of digital.

 

[skyrefuge]

I am shocked that more and more people say they stopped buying CD's in general and jsut download....legally and illegally when many record label owners and distros post here.

Huh? How in the world is buying music something we should be ashamed of? Record labels and artists should be seeing *more* money from those of us who buy electronically; if anyone should feel ashamed, it's CD buyers! (though of course no one who pays for music in any form should feel ashamed).

As far as distros/retailers go: eh. I'm a fan of music. I buy music because I like to listen to music, not because I'm a fan of middle-men and like to give them my money. If middle-men are needed to get music from an artist's mind to my ears, then I will gladly pay them their fair share. But if they aren't, I'm not going to continue giving my money to them out of some sense of historical obligation.

The whole idea of rare tracks and out of print stuff would be gone. Once it is digital and out in the web...the rarity is lost.

heh...what kind of bizarro world do you live in where the removal of scarcity is a BAD thing? If food could be replicated and downloaded freely, would you be against that too, because it might end hunger? It's not like artists ever saw any benefit from scarcity; rarity-induced high prices only ever helped middle-men, and hurt music fans.

While I am not one who is scared of format change

Maybe not "scared", but you do a remarkable job of seeing everything familiar to you as a positive, and everything unfamiliar as a negative. Reminds me of your Grampa Diabolik (who was actually slightly *less* curmudgeonly than you!) Let's go the archive and see what he was posting here in 1986:

These kids these days and their "Compact Discs"! It's so unfortunate that they're going to live their whole lives without feeling the joy of having their music interrupted every 20 minutes, and the pleasure that comes with getting up to flip over the record. They'll never know the happiness that comes from the knowledge that more you listen to your records, the worse and worse they sound. God, I love that. And how can they possibly respect and value music if they're able to listen to it in a *moving automobile*?!? That's so sad! And the next generation? I bet they'll never get the opportunity to waste hours and hours of their lives digging around for music they want to listen to, and then they certainly won't have the chance to pay ridiculous prices for it. All I can say is I hope I'm dead before those dark days come!

Yep, you're pretty much a chip off the old block!

Neil

 

[Diabolik]

Huh? How in the world is buying music something we should be ashamed of? Record labels and artists should be seeing *more* money from those of us who buy electronically; if anyone should feel ashamed, it's CD buyers! (though of course no one who pays for music in any form should feel ashamed).

As far as distros/retailers go: eh. I'm a fan of music. I buy music because I like to listen to music, not because I'm a fan of middle-men and like to give them my money. If middle-men are needed to get music from an artist's mind to my ears, then I will gladly pay them their fair share. But if they aren't, I'm not going to continue giving my money to them out of some sense of historical obligation.



heh...what kind of bizarro world do you live in where the removal of scarcity is a BAD thing? If food could be replicated and downloaded freely, would you be against that too, because it might end hunger? It's not like artists ever saw any benefit from scarcity; rarity-induced high prices only ever helped middle-men, and hurt music fans.



Maybe not "scared", but you do a remarkable job of seeing everything familiar to you as a positive, and everything unfamiliar as a negative. Reminds me of your Grampa Diabolik (who was actually slightly *less* curmudgeonly than you!) Let's go the archive and see what he was posting here in 1986:



Yep, you're pretty much a chip off the old block!

Neil

nice to see you have lots of free time. I guess without having to go through CD's to listen to your music you can sit on the internet playing "Mr. Know-It-All".

The thing I mentioned about rarity is something that a collector or a big fan of something could only understand. Half the fun of getting a physical copy for me is the thrill of the hunt. I love finding that rare disc some where. There is still a small handful of disc that I am searching for and this is what makes it cool when you do finally get it. Lots of my CD's have a story to them on how I got them or something happened that day. When I look at it, it is just more than a disc.

 

[TychoCelchu]

Is this a practical concern for you? Can you tell the difference between 256kbps VBR AAC and 256kbps CBR AAC?

There's one thing I don't really know about variable bit rates. Is the number associated the TOP rate in the variation, or is it a center mean rate? If it's the top rate, then that means at any given time the file I'm playing will be 256 kbps or slightly less. But if it's a center mean, then the file could also be delivering slightly higher if the music data requires it.

256 kbps is the point at which my ears stop caring about the difference between the file and a CD - meaning it's also the lowest value that I'm willing to pay for. So to answer your question (which might have been rhetorical) the difference between 256 constant and 256 variable DOES matter to me, however 256 is the maximum level at which it matters. At 320 (for example), I stop caring about the difference between variable and constant.

 

[Diabolik]

LOL Diabolik come on. All personal biases aside. You do realize two things are working against your favor in the above comment.

1. Suppy and Demand
2. Phone First

I cannot tell you how many times I've gone to Best Buy to get Cd's and DVD's and came home empty handed. Did I cry about it? No. It doesn't take a genius to realize that new releases sell quickly.

I should never have to call a store every time before I go there. They could have simply updated thier web site saying..."Out of Stock". It seemed that most of the time they would put stuff up there that wasnt even in yet.

 

[TwizstedJesus]

Its amazing how these topics turn into war.

 

[TwizstedJesus]

nice to see you have lots of free time. I guess without having to go through CD's to listen to your music you can sit on the internet playing "Mr. Know-It-All".

The thing I mentioned about rarity is something that a collector or a big fan of something could only understand. Half the fun of getting a physical copy for me is the thrill of the hunt. I love finding that rare disc some where. There is still a small handful of disc that I am searching for and this is what makes it cool when you do finally get it. Lots of my CD's have a story to them on how I got them or something happened that day. When I look at it, it is just more than a disc.

Diabolik you nailed it. This thread has rubbed me the wrong way since people started taking words out of context to massage the comments into something that they can work with. A digital download is never going to have "value" to me compared to a cd. Bottom line. While I'm not an autograph seeker, some people get a thrill out of it. It has nothing to do with impressing your friends! Dumb fucking statements like that ruin the comraderie that we on this board share. It makes people view each other as assholes. We all have opinions & we will all disagree on one thing or another. It doesn't make one party right and the other wrong, it just is what it is.

 

[templeofmax]

I have to have he CD. There is nothing like collecting and getting the real thing!!!! MP3s are okay for my ipod when I exercise or when I am in the computer, but nothing beats putting up that Cd in the stereo, seeing the booklet, reading the lyrics, looking at the pics, liner noes, etc.

 

[templeofmax]

I don't think we'll see CDs go bye for a very long time.

There are lots of people in their late 40's and up that aren't hip to the internet and downloading music let alone paying for it online. They have CD players and will continue to buy CDs.

I won't stop buying CDs. I think it'll be a damn shame if they ever fade away. I don't make a "connection" to an album until I hold it in my hands. I never truely feel like I own a downloaded album (I've yet to buy an internet album). I think it comes down to the fact that because I bought and now hold an album in my hands, I invest and spend time with the album so I make sure I get my moneys worth.

Sure I could pay for an internet album, but it's just not the same to me. No artwork or liner notes and lyrics...just doesn't seem fun.

AMEN TO THAT!!!

 

[Diabolik]

curious to see how long it takes for someone to make a store in the mall like "Build A Bear" for digital downloads. You go in and make your own collection for a fee. It would be a hit. Bring your I-Pod in and for a price have axcess to 1,000,000's of songs. It would be all the rage for the kids to go to the mall to experience record buying in a new age.

Another factor with the "death" of CD. What else asides shirts are bands going to sell on tour???? Imagine you are in a band and you run out of shirts...well that stinks since you have no other way to make extra money now. There are lots of small factors like this that bothers me about people all excited about the death of CD's. It seems the ones that are excited are the same people that probably never leave thier house to go places so now they feel validated for not having to go out into the real world and experience things. Some of my great times in life was going out record / CD shopping with freinds ( yeah, I have some).

 

[Jasonic]

It's all about choice people.
If you were never a "collector" of music, then the physical product means little to you.

The bottom line is support the music you love, be it physical product or digital.

I agree with whoever said above that the CD format will still be viable for underground music. Fans of underground music WANT the full album more than fans of pop music (who download radio songs).

Also, underground bands need the physical product as a revenue tool, esp while touring. I mean, I doubt many people would go to a merchandise booth at a show to purchase a download code. Not much fun in that!

I still have some vinyl and I still have cassettes.
As Bob said, SO many items in my collection tell a story
(IE - Finally found some items after YEARS of searching, etc)

@ Neil - You make some valid points but fail miserably in understanding that physical VS digital is a personal choice. Sorry friend.

 

[Jasonic]

curious to see how long it takes for someone to make a store in the mall like "Build A Bear" for digital downloads. You go in and make your own collection for a fee. It would be a hit. Bring your I-Pod in and for a price have axcess to 1,000,000's of songs. It would be all the rage for the kids to go to the mall to experience record buying in a new age.

Dude, this has been in place for years.
You can even do this at places like DAVE AND BUSTERS.

You desperately need an IPOD!

 

[The_Q]

I should never have to call a store every time before I go there. They could have simply updated thier web site saying..."Out of Stock". It seemed that most of the time they would put stuff up there that wasnt even in yet.

I agree, you should never have to call a store every time before you go there. However, if you are traveling quite a ways it's a darn good idea. I do it all the time. I live in the city and shop at Woodfield at a specialty game store. I know what I am going to buy ahead of time but always call first and am thankful because sometimes the last one is on the shelf. And in defense of Impulse, you do realize that the "Out Of Stock" feature was implemented a year ago? And in defense of Impulse in my time there I never once witnessed something being put up on the website as new release unless it was in the store. And remember I have no ties to that store. I don't have an investment or share in anything. Never owned it, only worked there part time.

 

[TwizstedJesus]

The internet and the availability of buying things from home is turning this world to shit. I remember looking for cds in the store back in the day, and running into a pretty little lady that was searching for the same type of music. Long story short, we hit it off and dated for a few years. This is the same as a cd vs. digital download argument. I can hear certain people responding..."Why do you need to go out to meet people? You can sit here in your desk chair listening to your high quality mp3s and meet the girl of your dreams on Zoosk or E Harmony or something, all without leaving your basement! In turn, you're not burning gas, ruining the ozone with your exhaust fumes etc, etc...."

No wonder our world has turned to shit!

 

[Diabolik]

The internet and the availability of buying things from home is turning this world to shit. I remember looking for cds in the store back in the day, and running into a pretty little lady that was searching for the same type of music. Long story short, we hit it off and dated for a few years. This is the same as a cd vs. digital download argument. I can hear certain people responding..."Why do you need to go out to meet people? You can sit here in your desk chair listening to your high quality mp3s and meet the girl of your dreams on Zoosk or E Harmony or something, all without leaving your basement! In turn, you're not burning gas, ruining the ozone with your exhaust fumes etc, etc...."

No wonder our world has turned to shit!

You hit it nail on the head. I have met some great people that I am still freinds with at record stores. This was one of the coolest aspects of stores like Metal Haven. I loved hanging out there talking to people. Made lots of good freinds and stuff through that place.

 

[Saladbar]

I should never have to call a store every time before I go there. They could have simply updated thier web site saying..."Out of Stock". It seemed that most of the time they would put stuff up there that wasnt even in yet.

Not to mention it was near impossible to get through since the guy was on the phone all day.

curious to see how long it takes for someone to make a store in the mall like "Build A Bear" for digital downloads. You go in and make your own collection for a fee. It would be a hit. Bring your I-Pod in and for a price have axcess to 1,000,000's of songs. It would be all the rage for the kids to go to the mall to experience record buying in a new age.

This has been going on for years, perhaps you should try it.

The internet and the availability of buying things from home is turning this world to shit. I remember looking for cds in the store back in the day, and running into a pretty little lady that was searching for the same type of music. Long story short, we hit it off and dated for a few years. This is the same as a cd vs. digital download argument. I can hear certain people responding..."Why do you need to go out to meet people? You can sit here in your desk chair listening to your high quality mp3s and meet the girl of your dreams on Zoosk or E Harmony or something, all without leaving your basement! In turn, you're not burning gas, ruining the ozone with your exhaust fumes etc, etc...."

No wonder our world has turned to shit!

You hit it nail on the head. I have met some great people that I am still freinds with at record stores. This was one of the coolest aspects of stores like Metal Haven. I loved hanging out there talking to people. Made lots of good freinds and stuff through that place.

Seriously?