CDs are Still Worthwhile for Musicians

https://flypaper.soundfly.com/produce/is-it-still-worth-it-print-sell-physical-cds/

The author cites some interesting statistics and concludes that musicians should still print and sell CDs.

 

For those of us that want to own our music rather than just stream it, it's certainly worth artists producing a CD. The demand is shrinking but it's still significant in the rock market...........

 

My friend at the Blues Cruise says that even with a significantly older demographic, even their most popular artists are barely selling any CDs on the boat. When somebody like Taj Mahal barely sells 20 copies their most recent title, even when they're right there to sign it... it's over.

 

If they want me to buy their music, they need to have physical media ... otherwise I'm not interested

 

I few weeks ago a had an engineer out to install a new TV satellite box. He glanced around my many CD laden shelves and said, "There's really no need for these any more, is there?" I felt like I'd lined my walls with 78rpm records.

The engineer was about 30, but I was still slightly stung that the CD has become so under valued...

At the moment every new album I buy is available on CD. There are still loads of reissues/fancy box sets etc being released on the format as well. I have nothing to worry about at present, but I'm so on board for the CD revolution... You know, when everyone chucks out their vinyl (again) and replaces them with the CD version.

 

Is he being streamed much? Or is his lack of physical sales merely reflective of a lack of interest more generally?

 

I hope he did a great job otherwise I might have been tempted to ask him to leave had it been my place!

Yes, there's no need for CDs or vinyl for most people but then many don't have cars either. I have and need a car for everyday use. The same applies to my CD/BD player and turntable.

By the way, 78s are still very much needed if you want the best SQ for pre-50s music. I know, I've got several thousand of them, of which less than 5% are available to stream!

 

I think it depends on volume. For a small band easier to shift 300-500 LPs than 500-1000 CDs. There's still the problem of the initial set-up costs which often encourage people to press 1000 CDs and then never sell them. It's hard to get a low run of CDs that's cost effective.

 

People I know and work with / for are in a position of having to choose between cd and vinyl because cashflow (impacted greatly by fan fatigue with pledge / Kickstarter type campaigns) wont always allow them to have both available on the day of release.

With some genres there is still a very strong argument for having a cd available on a new release, especially to sell off stage. Folk and Country for sure. Prog too though vinyl has probably snuck ahead of cd as its preferred merch item.

Confusingly there are also some publications that will still only review from a retail cd.

Personally I will buy vinyl with a download before I buy a cd but am perfectly happy with a cd if that is all there is. I'll buy an album download in extremis only and streaming is only really useful to me as a listening post. The idea of having a "collection" on Spotify is more or less anathema to me. There are too many genres I love where sleeve art, credits and recording dates etc really matter. This seems to be a common complaint and I wouldn't dream of switching unless they sort out some basics in terms of lyrics, credits, release dates and (with classical) managing to consistently distinguish between recording artist and a composer (!). The way Spotify is presented just screams "details don't matter". Well, they matter to me and to most people who make this stuff!

 

What if it were a USB stick or a key to a cloud service download? Would you deprive yourself purposely of music you may like just because it's not on a CD or LP?

I do understand the fetish aspect btw...I have my own blind spots in that area. But if the download is the only option (and eventually many artists will probably only offer that option) and I like the music then I guess I'm taking the download. Don't particularly care if there's no resale value.

Streaming only I haven't quite figured out yet, although there's always the analog hole.

 

I'm not interested in resale value, I just like to have my music with me.
There is so much music, that if I can't buy new releases, I'll buy second hand older music... Still plenty to catch up on ... and in reality I don't NEED any more music than I have. It's just something I enjoy.
I am happy for others to stream, I'm not of a mindset of my way or the highway, I just don't like streaming. If I did decide at some point, ok I'll stream. It would mean completely restructuring my house and buying a whole load of new equipment and a new computer. My computer is 8 years old and in this day and age, it's out of date lol ... but it does what I need to do

 

It’s so easy, when an artist only offers streaming, I stop listen to his music.

 

When I go to a small venue or house concert to see a talented, up-and-coming act like The Black Feathers or the Nouveaux Honkies, I buy their CD's. It's called supporting the artists. They are trying to make a living, and fans should give back.


The Black Feathers


The Nouveax Honkies

 

Very anecdotal on my end, but I see similar things. I've seen a lot of posts here about the under 30 demographic and how young people are streaming only. But I see the exact same thing with friends and family...they moved to iTunes years ago and now they're moving to streaming.

My mom, just as an example here, is cleaning out some things in her house as she's prepping for a move in a few months. She's in her late 70's. The topic of CD's came up and she's planning to just donate the CD's she has since she never listens to them anymore. For her, an Echo w / Amazon Prime is all she needs now.

Maybe call her "Modern Grandma"?

 

I hope he's never called to your home... Lord knows what he'd say when he saw your 20k CD player.

He was a nice guy, and meant no harm. What it put me in mind of was that if I'd have been his age and seem someone's shelves piled with 78s, I'd have probably reacted exactly the same as him.

The world is moving fast. I don't understand streaming and have never heard an explanation from anyone that's convinced me they do either! I hear things like Miley Cyrus having a single that's been streamed 80m times, yet isn't on the charts and thus is considered a flop. So streaming isn't about sales... Does it just equate to bands of my youth like Slade being played millions of times on the radio? Except they had big record sales as well?


I'm going for a lie down.

 

This has to be the silliest thing I've read so far, this morning.

Do you have a switch in your brain to turn off music you like, if it isn't in a format that's acceptable to you?

 

Never mind the CD player, he'd have fainted if he'd seen my antique gramophones all working and probably sounding considerably better than anything he's ever streamed.

 

It's bizarre.
I'm not even sure if the 80m streams really count for much as most of the young people I know don't even listen to full songs ... Half the time before a song is finished they have moved on to another

 

I don't think you need to restructure your house to support streaming, and btw my main PC is going to be ten years old this year. I run Tidal on it, works just fine. Streaming is just a transport, there's no reason it couldn't fit into an existing stereo system.

But your comment on not needing new music is certainly valid, and I have seen that comment from others before. I certainly don't "need" new music be it new / new to me as I have plenty already. But it's a want and I enjoy it - no idea why that is. So if a day comes many years from now where I can only get my new music fix from streaming and I want to keep that music long-term, I'll find a way to do it.

 

My computer is in the dining area with an old uncomfortable dining chair. My music area in in the living room, with my music ... I would honestly have to restructure my house ... not rebuild, but restructure. Due to the stuff I have, my computer wouldn't fit in the living room.
I guess it would be like when folks suddenly needed the tv to be the main focus of the living room, it meant restructuring the house to some degree .... and nobody ever spoke again lol (well except to ask what is happening, or what just happened )

 

Very true, but if they have an LP to sell (with a digital code) they'll do even better these days.

 

Maybe he doesn't value music as much as you do. I think it's also considered cool to show how up to date you are with streaming and all that, and to display disdain for any technology more than five years old.

We had streaming back in 1950 only we called it radio then. But I always wanted my own records (and later my own CDs) in my own room in my own house. It's nice to hear (and look at) my own personal choices, to pick them out and handle them - and not to go tapping out what I want on an iPhone and trusting to my broadband and wi-fi to connect me to ….. what exactly?
A soulless cloud or a bank of computers or whatever? Nah!

(I really must calm down! I know - I'll pick out a nice CD!)

 

Fans that aren't spending thousands on cruises still buy CDs at shows.

 

Notwithstanding the folks here, I wonder how many music fans actually have turntable rigs. I don't. Most people still have the capacity to play a CD, even if it is just in their car.

 

You don't need to drop a desktop PC in there - honestly, you could spend $25 on an Amazon Echo and I believe it has a line-out that could connect right up to your stereo. It's the size of a hockey puck.

Would require Wifi of course but I assume you that already. If not...well then a Wifi router would also be needed.