Digital music sales top physical sales for the first time in history in Off Topic Discussions Forum

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Digital music sales top physical sales for the first time in history

Author	Comment
Gorilla At Large	Digital music sales top physical sales for the first time in history	Lead	[-]
Jan 5 12 6:36 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	"Long...Live...Physical Media" or are "The Times a definitely a changin"? It looks like digital music downloads have finally surpassed the purchase of the physical CD for the first time in history according to the below article: http://money.cnn.com/2012...ales/index.htm?hpt=hp_t1 I can't remember the last time I purchased an actual CD or album. I still buy physical DVDs, but all music I now exclusively download to my Ipad or Ipod (I just downloaded a ton of Beatles from Itunes over Christmas, but never would have bought them again as a CD). Does anyone here on the board still buy a CD/album or do you obtain most of your music from a digital download source? Last Edited By: Gorilla At Large Jan 5 12 6:45 PM. Edited 10 times.
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Geezermonster		#1	[-]
Jan 5 12 7:13 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	This is an interesting topic. I ran smack dab into it as I was trying to buy a George Winston CD for Wifey as a Christmas present. I realized that there was nowhere in my immediate area that I could just walk in and buy a CD anymore. Yes, Target & WalMart still carry them, but they usually don't have the kind of music that we're into. I ended up buying the CD from Amazon. Last year our old CD player literally burned up. I investigated buying am MP3 player then, but we just weren't ready for the jump. I realize that I will have to do that someday, but our computer is none too reliable and contemplating learning another new technology is a bit daunting right now. Thinking about the recorded technology of my lifetime, I still have 78s, 45s, LPs, cassette tapes, reel-to-reel tapes, and I used to have an 8-track player in one of my old cars. Now we have CDs which will be superseded shortly by -- what? I'm thinking I'll wait a couple of years to see what new technology comes down the road before I switch totally to digital.
Wich2		#2	[-]
Jan 5 12 8:04 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	>Digital music sales top physical sales for the first time in history< Welp, it IS 2012, after all! >I still have 78s, 45s, LPs, cassette tapes, reel-to-reel tapes ... Now we have CDs< No cylinders, Geez? Just kidding, I have all the above as well. >which will be superseded shortly by -- what? I'm thinking I'll wait a couple of years to see what new technology comes down the road before I switch totally to digital< The format has already been here for a while: transferable data files. -Craig
David Sechrest		#3	[-]
Jan 5 12 8:12 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Now we have CDs which will be superseded shortly by Not a physical medium, but Hi-Res, 96/24 music files, similar to this: https://www.hdtracks.com/ Vinyl also gained share (again!) in 2011 as well. Last Edited By: David Sechrest Jan 5 12 8:16 PM. Edited 2 times.
David Sechrest		#4	[-]
Jan 5 12 8:36 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Sorry, I keep getting booted off the 'net. It was not my intent to imply that hi-res (96/24; 192/24) will replace CD's. It will be nothing more than a niche market for some of us audiophiles out here. But, it will give us audiophiles an option to purchase non-compressed tunes in a non-physical manner...
north		#5	[-]
Jan 5 12 8:38 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The last CD I bought was the remastered Beatles 1. I have the original release also from 2004. I bought the remastered one because I'm a completist. I am going to buy Coldplay's new CD. I'll probably get it also on vinyl. I will also get Starr's new CD and vinyl in Jan. And McCartney's new CD and vinyl due out in Feb. This could possibly be the last of CD issues. I have never bought anything digital. I have a 60 gig IPod. It's completely full with music from all the CD's I have bought. Vinyl is making a resurgence. Maybe CD's will also become a niche type thing as time goes by. Digital will definitely control it all over the coming years. Walmart and Target CD areas have shrunk to half the size. Best Buy still has a large CD section. There is also still a few independent record/CD stores around. All things must pass.
Koukol 5		#6	[-]
Jan 5 12 9:09 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I buy more CDS than DVDS. Like DVDS they are going by the way of the Dodo. I have so many unopened CDs that are selling for BIG bucks now.(but I want to keep them) I can't stand the compression from an MP3 file or the radio. btw~what does "HD" mean in Audio?
Wich2		#7	[-]
Jan 5 12 9:41 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	>All things must pass.< Amen, north (and George!)
rvoyttbots		#8	[-]
Jan 5 12 9:44 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I won`t buy CDs anymore. I just don`t want more stuff lying around.
Ghostwriter		#9	[-]
Jan 5 12 9:55 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I still buy CDs (and even the occasional remastered 180 gram LP of a favorite title and artist) but at age 50 I already have most of what I want, so I buy fewer CDs these days. There's only one really good indie CD/LP/DVD shop still standing near where I live, and I try to support it by buying from there as much as I can. Unlike most indie shops I've visited, this one has a lot of floor space (stacked floor to ceiling with product) but I don't know how they pay the rent. There are few young people there when I visit, mostly small groups of 50+ year old geezers like myself combing through the racks. Last Edited By: Ghostwriter Jan 5 12 9:58 PM. Edited 1 times.
Rakshasa		#10	[-]
Jan 5 12 10:23 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I only buy a CD if it isn't available as a download or if it is cheaper than buying a download. Also, if it's a favorite artist of mine and it contains exclusive material (i.e bonus tracks), I will buy the CD. Otherwise, I buy digital music exclusively. Links To All The Classic Monster Stills I've Posted: http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/topic/30758
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David Sechrest		#11	[-]
Jan 5 12 10:27 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Koukol, HD stands for High Definition. One would think that Blu-ray would replace CDs. The format has been accepted for quite a few years now, plus there's the capability of hi-res with the format. SACD and DVD-A sure didn't go very far. I find it funny in a way: Here our technology has surpassed our wildest dreams, yet most people aren't interested in sound quality. Give most people a 128k or 256k sound file and they're happy. But I guess in a portable society, quality isn't that important. To answer Geezer's question, downloading will most likely replace the CD. IMO of course...
Geezermonster		#12	[-]
Jan 5 12 11:26 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Wich2 wrote: >Digital music sales top physical sales for the first time in history< Welp, it IS 2012, after all! >I still have 78s, 45s, LPs, cassette tapes, reel-to-reel tapes ... Now we have CDs< No cylinders, Geez? Just kidding, I have all the above as well. >which will be superseded shortly by -- what? I'm thinking I'll wait a couple of years to see what new technology comes down the road before I switch totally to digital< The format has already been here for a while: transferable data files. -Craig Craig, Don't laugh about those cylinders! I have a friend who does have an Edison cylinder phonograph complete with a cylinder collection. It actually produces pretty good sound! I forgot to mention player piano rolls. A local museum here has a beautiful player piano with hundreds of rolls, including ones "recorded" by Rachmaninoff and Gershwin.
Wich2		#13	[-]
Jan 6 12 12:29 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Oh, no knock against that medium meant, Geez! (And as I mentioned, I've got all the others you cited - and 8mm, Laser, VHS, & DVD.) In fact, I've always thought it'd be cool to have an Edison machine.
Ollie Pope		#14	[-]
Jan 6 12 1:38 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'll buy a CD if it's a Morgan and Stromberg re-recording of Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein
Spoiler II		#15	[-]
Jan 6 12 4:13 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Digital music sales??? What happened to all those infernal teenagers and young people who download music for free?
Joe Karlosi		#16	[-]
Jan 6 12 6:55 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	All I know is, I'm looking forward to buying Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr's brand new CD albums this year. Maybe someone ought to inform them that CDs are dead? (These days there is even a chance they'll also be issued on old fashioned Vinyl records -- if so, I'll snap them up too). I will be the first to eat my crow with egg dripping down my face at the same time if the day ever arrives where I can no longer find a CD or cannot play the collection I already own. There are few young people there when I visit, mostly small groups of 50+ year old geezers like myself combing through the racks. The young people are probably busy crate- digging in the Used Vinyl stores, which is where I see them. "Guy named Squeamy got thrown from the fifth floor. He's deader'n a mackerel." Last Edited By: Joe Karlosi Jan 6 12 7:03 AM. Edited 2 times.
Joe Karlosi		#17	[-]
Jan 6 12 6:58 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Geezermonster wrote: This is an interesting topic. I ran smack dab into it as I was trying to buy a George Winston CD for Wifey as a Christmas present. I realized that there was nowhere in my immediate area that I could just walk in and buy a CD anymore. Yes, Target & WalMart still carry them, but they usually don't have the kind of music that we're into. I ended up buying the CD from Amazon. Right, that's what I was gonna say -- unfortunately, you have to go online to buy many of those things today. I think a lot of people misinterpret that as consumers having no interest in the format anymore when it's just a decision the stores or companies have made. It gives the faux impression "there are no more CDs", or "nobody wants to buy 'em anymore". "Guy named Squeamy got thrown from the fifth floor. He's deader'n a mackerel."
Joe Karlosi		#18	[-]
Jan 6 12 6:59 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	David Sechrest wrote: Vinyl also gained share (again!) in 2011 as well. Welp, it is 2011-2012, after all! "Guy named Squeamy got thrown from the fifth floor. He's deader'n a mackerel." Last Edited By: Joe Karlosi Jan 6 12 7:05 AM. Edited 1 times.
Michael Elliott		#19	[-]
Jan 6 12 10:51 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Joe, why do you always take things to the extreme? Digital sales are higher. They are more popular. They are the future. That doesn't mean that they're going to throw CDs into jails and burn them. It doesn't mean the government is going to blow up CD makers. I'd doesn't mean that you're going to have to find dealers in the dark streets of NYC to buy a physical disc.
Anne Pilgrim		#20	[-]
Jan 6 12 11:41 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Joe Karlosi wrote: Geezermonster wrote: This is an interesting topic. I ran smack dab into it as I was trying to buy a George Winston CD for Wifey as a Christmas present. I realized that there was nowhere in my immediate area that I could just walk in and buy a CD anymore. Yes, Target & WalMart still carry them, but they usually don't have the kind of music that we're into. I ended up buying the CD from Amazon. Right, that's what I was gonna say -- unfortunately, you have to go online to buy many of those things today. I think a lot of people misinterpret that as consumers having no interest in the format anymore when it's just a decision the stores or companies have made. It gives the faux impression "there are no more CDs", or "nobody wants to buy 'em anymore". You are so amazingly wrong about this statement, Joe. I've worked in this industry in the past and the shelf/floor real estate for displaying compact discs and other product is dictated by what sells and what does not. Most stores are scaling back on physical compact discs because they do not sell well. You find them on-line on Amazon.com because of overstocked items that were produced that have not flown off the shelves and the stores are no longer willing to keep them in their inventory. Amazon's stockpile is not unlimited and will eventually run out. That does not mean you will no longer see any compact discs produced or be available, but compact discs are just not being mas produced because the demand from the consumer is not there. Despite the fact that you are not willing to believe it, the sales of music in stores is not dictated by the stores, but by the consumer. The reason it is hard to find a mass produced CD player is because consumers stopped buying them, so the natural evolution of the product and any thing associated with it becomes collateral damage. Last Edited By: Anne Pilgrim Jan 6 12 11:52 AM. Edited 7 times.
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