Golden Age Of CDs ?

I think the "Golden Age" relative to CDs subsided in the late 1990s.

 

Nah, I do think that we got some nice remasters by that point of time but we are seeing a nice selection of boxed sets for a variety of smaller artist finally being released since most of the majors have been mined.

Glad to see
Be Bop Deluxe
Bobbi Gentry
Michael Nesmith
Tim Buckley

among others getting some love.

 

early/mid 90s

 

Are you sure? I thought vinyls sold 20 million last year compared to CD's 70 million (in the US).

 

...or the rise of Loudness Wars.

 

Close. 8 million compared to 34.8 million according to this article

CD Sales Are Not Dying, But They Are Heading Towards Niche Status Like Vinyl: Analysis



My favorite comment;
“When 90 percent of the most popular music [hip-hop] in America doesn't show up on CD, of course sales will be down. Duh.”

All sales are down thanks to streaming including digital downloads which took a large hit as well.

 

Yep.I had a collection of a couple of hundred from the 90s.I started the download and burn around 2001.I was in heaven and my new cd buying dropped to almost nothing overnight.Started buying a lot of new around 2015 again

 

Wish the Beatles Sgt Pepper/White Album 50th Anniversaries had the option of jewel cases or JPN obi mini LP styled CDs.

 

I read that CDs sold around 70 million last year in the states, that seems like a huge discrrpancy.

I agree it will probably become niche status but not almost completely die out like cassettes did circa 2003.

 

Oh and popular hip hop albums DO show up on CD, it just takes a few weeks to months after the digital release.

Travis Scott, Drake, Cardi B, Lil Wayne, Future, and more all have their most recent albums available on CD

Edit: I realize they touched on that. I hope 2019 will see more same day releases of CDs.

 

Stats? I find that hard to believe.
I thought downloads were more popular?

 

i just read the article and the 34 million figure he quoted was halfway through the year.

And no, most downloaders have moved on to streaming. Physical is now bigger than digital downloads (but much smaller than streaming).

 

Well I’ve never downloaded or streamed paid a monthly bill for music service. See a few young kids usually guys buying new vinyl.

 

You may be right about the number being half of what was sold for that given year.

I'm just quoting the article (which quoted the buyer at one of the major brick and mortar stores). I have no idea if and when Hip-Hop arrives on CD. It's not my genre. I find it odd though that they would wait weeks to months after the digital release. It does suggest that sales are being driven by the downloads and less the CDs though as per the discussion in the article.

 

I think some things that can be done to keep CD sales alive:

Slash prices on back catalog albums
Make CDs available the same day as the digital release
Include extras with the CD itself

 

Well as you pointed out digital downloads for Hip Hop doesn't offer that option (again I have no idea) but most CDs I've purchased (and vinyl) has had the same release date. I don't think that the industry wants to keep the CD alive anymore than they want you to own music.

They used to do the bonus tracks on CDs vs. vinyl (and now do the opposite for vinyl vs. CD in some cases) which has gone to downloads.

 

So what would it be for the year then, only 35 million or so? And is it possible that they're missing out on certain methods of CD purchasing such as Amazon? I still think 35 million is kind of low even for 2019. Target and Walmart don't get an excess of CDs anymore because the labels only get paid for each CD actually sold, and any online CD sales I have to imagine would not be inflated.

Regarding release day, it is the streams driving most of the "sales".

 

Extras: packaging: mastering: amicable price.

 

I would think they want the CD to be alive because it's more of a money maker (proportionately) than streaming. Spotify costs 10 dollars per month and you can listen to unlimited music, if you're a serious music listener and prefer CDs then you would spend way more than that per month.

 

Not being contrary but, according to the article, digital downloads fell further than both CDs and vinyl. I suspect that's due to the fact that those who were downloading converted to streaming. The folks that are still buying physical copies are probably still dedicated to it because it is physical.

 

Serous listener ? You would probably have a couple of thousand CDs to begin with. Then there’s also vinyl.

 

See I would think it's the opposite because you have to put more money into manufacturing. Streaming, the majors are still getting the majority of the cut. Eventually, I'm sure we will see a large rise in the cost in streaming costs (I don't know how they can sustain the model forever). I'm not an expert on all this stuff mind you but the majors have always wanted to control and make their catalogs more like renting rather than owning.

 

Shopping for CDs between 1993 and 2003 was the most fun I ever had with any kind of commerce.

 

Hate renting myself. The old blockbuster days of watching videos was one thing. Having your very own artifact is way more satisfying.

 

This article caught my eye--

‘We’ve got more money swirling around’: how streaming saved the music industry