Why are CDs so cheap!!!

This bargain bonanza seems pretty unique to the U.S. by the sounds of it.

 

Not just that, but it would seem that the more mainstream titles are cheap, but try scoring archival Dylan, Grateful Dead, King Crimson, Soft Machine or Zappa releases for next to nothing and good luck with that. In the past 2-3 years, I've found perhaps two CDs for $5 or less that were worth my time.

 

I think your assessment is wrong. For the general public cd’s have essentially become worthless. At least in Northern Europe everyone is using a streaming service like Spotify, which for 10 euro a month provides substantial benefit over a general cd collection of 100 - 200 cd’s. Convenience, portability, direct acces to a very vast music collection, playlists and suggestions etc. I have used Spotify on my fairly high-end setup and even at a 320 bitrate there really is nothing to complain about from an audiophile perspective.

Continuing the hobby of collecting and comparing masterings will of course come to a hold when converting to streaming. But the public is not as stupid as you paint them out to be. I think in this day and age it’s the collectors spending 100 USD a month or more on their hobby that should regularly question their motives....

 

The basic answer to the OP's question is - CDs are UNHIP. Physical digital media are redundant (at best) and irrelevant (in an download world) at.......well, REALITY. Still, "target" CDs are way cooler than downloads. Cheers!
-------- Chris

 

The thrift stores in the U.S. in my area have $1.00 CDs you will get 90s Soundtracks and assorted Country Artists. The usual Enya, Melissa Etheridge, Mellencamp, Babs, and Garth Brooks.. etc. High profile acts are scarce or non existent. Some people here say they are hauling bag fulls of CDs home and boasting how cheap these things are don't say what they are buying. At least in my area your not buying high profile acts for a buck. A CD Warehouse in my area still prices discs from $6.99- 9.99 +.

 

Another misconception, nobody is downloading:

https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2018/07/10/music-downloads-extinct/

 

I'm not. Your argument is refuted.

 

You may regret that statement, although to be fair you did say `Northern Europe`.
Here in the UK I do not know anyone over the age of say 35 who is `seriously` into music, who uses a streaming service as their main source of content. And before everyone jumps on that statement, I said that `I` do not know anyone.
Also, and not wishing to open a whole new debate, 320 bitrate is not even close to audiophile.

 

People in this forum probably do not even represent a procent point of the music industry as a whole and by being a member you typically would have a strong bias towards physical media. But the general public has moved on from physical media or will do so in the nearby future. As is witnessed ao by the collapsed prices for used cd’s and dvd’s.

Statements here that the general public are stupid for buying into streaming with unlimited music at their disposal for just 10 usd a month, are amusing. If this option would have been available 30 years ago than a market for cd’s would probably never have existed.

Furtermore 90% of the music consumers would not be able to distinguish between 320 and lossless even if their lives would depend on it. Or you can pay 5 usd a month more for lossless.

 

There are normally people looking at the CD's in charity shops when I visit. Can't all be Hoffman members!

 

Still low prices means low demand/excess supply

 

All the above $2-6 around here

I think it comes down to the strength of the store and the volume they are doing.

Some stores realize it is better for cash flow to turn these titles over regularly whilst others hold on at higher prices, same with vinyl.

 

Larger market, some bands total sales are greater than a given country's total yearly cd/vinyl sales.

It might be worth your while to visit the US. Just like Japanese buyers visiting the US, and US buyers visiting Japan.

 

Inexpensive music any way you can get it is a good thing.

 

One observation regarding charity shops: the good stuff goes fast, and it is not just me buying. What you are left with is CDs that are commonly found in many charity shops.

 

No kidding. You should have seen the dismissive looks I got when I recently went to a vinyl sale, only to end up digging through an array of CDs he had as well (I was the only one doing so, mind you). I got 24 titles for $10 bucks. Gawd, I hope they stay unhip.

 

Correction: "ALL CDs are way cooler than downloads."

 

Physical media is now basically worthless. It bothers me, because those thousands of CDs and DVS I have are basically worth nothing now, but since I bought them to enjoy and not as an "investment", such is life.

 

It seems that almost everyone got the same 15 CDs for a dollar when they joined Columbia House back in the 90s. And they are all scattered throughout the country’s Goodwill stores.

 

A brickwalled CD has little value these days. One might as well glue cork to the back & repurpose it as a drink coaster.

Conversely, a well mastered rare pressing of a highly desired title on CD ...especially in nice condition... has infinite value potential. Streaming has little impact on the collector market, that's baked-in.


Cat

 

Just purchased about 70 CDs for a buck each (including many multi-disc sets still priced at $1) at my local Goodwill 2 days ago. Lots of jazz, many blue note discs, at least 15 Miles Davis albums including some multi disc sets. Everything in perfect condition. All sorts of deluxe editions (Jethro Tull, Zappa, Marvin Gaye). I had to go look for a shopping cart. I was so blown away by what I was finding my hands were starting to shake. The thing was, according to the price tag they had all been donated earlier that day. Pure luck. I was at the right place at the right time. Never had a CD shopping experience like it. Normally I'd be lucky to find 2 or 3 interesting discs. I felt a bit sad later. It occured to me that some poor guy had probably died and his family unloaded his collection. I have a hard time imagining anyone getting rid of a collection like this voluntarily.

 

Especially when so much of the new vinyl out there (new or repress) is SO badly done?

 

the question is....

"Why were the CDs so expensive?"

 

The most I forked out for a CD in January was £9.72. Most of my purchases ranged between £3.89 and £6.66. Happy dayz like. February hasn't finished yet. I'm lovin' it. I still buy a load of records though.

 

I would have agreed with you as recently as a year ago, but I've noticed a tidal shift in the past 3-6 months. It's now a buyer's market for CDs. If you aren't demanding absolute stone-mint condition CDs, there's been noticeable downward pressure on CD prices in the past year.

It's apparent to me that some portion of the big-time CD collectors are beginning to move their inventory and leaving the format behind. I see far more rare CD bootlegs come up for sale these days than even 2-3 years ago. Those were always some of the toughest CDs to get since they were never produced in large numbers.

I collect a fairly wide range of Rock and Pop acts from the 1960s to the 1990s, hunting for CDs with largely limited production runs. There's still a base of collectors that go for various gold editions, but it appears to be shrinking with each passing year.