Is the death of the CD looming?

[Corsair]

CD ONLY WAY! ME AM HATE THING THAT DIFFERENT!

*Note: I still buy CDs and prefer them over digital. However, once I buy an album, it gets ripped to the hard drive, no less than 320kbps MP3; FLAC, if the production is good enough. I do think this sentiment that downloads as this horrible, mean awful soulless thing, is slightly ridiculous. Relax. You are very likely to still be able to purachse physical albums, album art isn't disappearing; if anything it's starting to make a comeback. Downloading an album isn't going to murder your children, pour sugar in your gas tank, jaywalk, or speak ill of your mother. It also isn't going to preclude anyone from socializing out mom's basement: There are still concerts. Oh and I met my fiancee, who I am now living with via the internet. If that offends you, perturbs you, or if you somehow feel that makes our relationship less meaningful, then you can fuck your little old way right off. All this negativity and bitchmoaning is eyeroll inducing. There's a new kid in town and he's taking up some of the hoary old dinosaur's clout... Cry me a river, and forgive me if I don't grieve with you.

 

[AngraRULES]

I DO have a turntable!

Of course. Also, you and your teeth don't sleep together.

 

[Diabolik]

It is funny how those who are for digital download have to bring up the fact people are scared of change and moving to new tech. It is far from the truth. There are some who like a format and stick with it. it is what works for them. Why should you do something you dont like just because popular majority does. Would you eat something everyday that you didnt care for just because there may be a group who says their way is better. The answer will always be "no".

The fact is that most people are not going to change thier stance because of what is post here. There is lots of good arguements on both sides. I think that CD's and physical formats will be around for a long time. If there is money to be made....the labels will go with it. They may not make as much product as they did or do now, but those formats will be around.

Another fact is that we have seen the slow death of the record store slowly creep across this country. More and more shops seem to be closing. A decade ago in Chicago on Broadway from Fullerton to Belmont there was Record and Cd shops all over the place. From used shops to specialty. Now there are just a small handful left. I do think it will be odd that there will be generations of people that wont know what it is like to go to a store to pick stuff out yourself asides on a computer and just clicking when you want something. Like Tribunal Records said in his post. We are slowly becoming less and less relying on human skills. Look at the young generation who text all the time....thier spelling has declined. It has even been researched. People are less and less focused on the surroundings around them and focused on thier tweets and texts. I work in the downtown loop in Chicago. Walking to work I constantly see people reading stuff on thier Iphones or texting and not even watching where they are going. They are in thier own little world. We are going to be in a world full of accident prone people soon.

I have said this more than once on this board. When going to shows I see so many people texting and not even watching the band that I wonder why they even came. I think most almost come just to post or tweet that they are there.

My favorite comment so far which ties into the above is by my personal favorite poster Neil.

he says......
This is the forum for ProgPower USA, a long-running metal festival that WOULD NOT EXIST if not for the ability of the Internet to bring a group of people with a niche interest together in real life. Moreover, half the people who attend the festival barely even go for the music anymore, they go for the *personal contact* with the lifelong friends that they have made there, friends they never would have even met without the Internet!

interesting.......

makes you wonder if this was true why has attendance been down and not sellouts like in years past? Is it because people see this fest now as a event that is for a select few who post on this forum and is thier annual social gathering or is it a fest centered around great music? Neil pretty much points out that half go there just for the social aspect. I am sure they are fans of the music but more and more I see people saying this. Not knocking the fest.....this goes for any type of event. Local shows have turned into this too. People come to see freinds and barely watch the bands. It is almost just a meet up point.

I think TribunalRecords said it best....

with the digital age we are "more connected" but unfortunately in a world that is rapidly becoming completely disconnected from itself.

...couldnt say it better myself. While I love talking to people online and posting on forums...nothing is ever going to beat out real life conversation. One day when I get freinds I hope it is all it is cracked up to be.

 

[J-Dubya 777]

As fasr as the social aspect goes, I went to PP 1.0 to see some bands I never had a chance to see, and had gotten into the previous couple of years. I was planning on attending a Euro fest, and then this Prog Power thing turned into an annual event. I met a bunch of "online" friends, and most of them still attend the festival every year. It's a double bonus, not only do you get to see bands you normally wouldn't, but I'm in Atlanta with a bunch of people I consider dear friends niow. I would have never bailed on the fest because I didn't like the lineup. To this day, I still find new bands from Glenn's bookings, as well as this forum. It's my only "vacation" of the year, and being on the crew makes it the most fun working vacation I could ever dream of. I enjoy giving back to the fest whatever I can.

Oh, You'll never see me texting at a show. Any show. That shit drives me nuts too.....:hotjump:

 

[TribunalRecords]

One day when I get freinds I hope it is all it is cracked up to be.

hahaha, i think i might be tearing up a bit from laughter. hahaha.

 

[TribunalRecords]

also i would like the clarify about my post and going to "hang out." yes, sometimes i may only care about half of the bands on the bill, but i try and check out every band and the half that do i care about i usually LOVE! i am still angered at the demons who besieged my apartment with fire and forced me to miss the reunion of CONCEPTION, one of my favorite bands. still waiting for glenn to offer me a DVD of the performance. *winkwinknudgenudgeknowwhatimeansaynomore*

 

[AngraRULES]

Oh, You'll never see me texting at a show. Any show.

Definitely not at ProgPower, since Glenn would probably kick you in the nuts if he caught you doing that while at work.

 

[nomisofsiman]

It is funny how those who are for digital download have to bring up the fact people are scared of change and moving to new tech. It is far from the truth. There are some who like a format and stick with it. it is what works for them. Why should you do something you dont like just because popular majority does. Would you eat something everyday that you didnt care for just because there may be a group who says their way is better. The answer will always be "no".

The fact is that most people are not going to change thier stance because of what is post here. There is lots of good arguements on both sides. I think that CD's and physical formats will be around for a long time. If there is money to be made....the labels will go with it. They may not make as much product as they did or do now, but those formats will be around.

Another fact is that we have seen the slow death of the record store slowly creep across this country. More and more shops seem to be closing. A decade ago in Chicago on Broadway from Fullerton to Belmont there was Record and Cd shops all over the place. From used shops to specialty. Now there are just a small handful left. I do think it will be odd that there will be generations of people that wont know what it is like to go to a store to pick stuff out yourself asides on a computer and just clicking when you want something. Like Tribunal Records said in his post. We are slowly becoming less and less relying on human skills. Look at the young generation who text all the time....thier spelling has declined. It has even been researched. People are less and less focused on the surroundings around them and focused on thier tweets and texts. I work in the downtown loop in Chicago. Walking to work I constantly see people reading stuff on thier Iphones or texting and not even watching where they are going. They are in thier own little world. We are going to be in a world full of accident prone people soon.

I have said this more than once on this board. When going to shows I see so many people texting and not even watching the band that I wonder why they even came. I think most almost come just to post or tweet that they are there.

My favorite comment so far which ties into the above is by my personal favorite poster Neil.

he says......
This is the forum for ProgPower USA, a long-running metal festival that WOULD NOT EXIST if not for the ability of the Internet to bring a group of people with a niche interest together in real life. Moreover, half the people who attend the festival barely even go for the music anymore, they go for the *personal contact* with the lifelong friends that they have made there, friends they never would have even met without the Internet!

interesting.......

makes you wonder if this was true why has attendance been down and not sellouts like in years past? Is it because people see this fest now as a event that is for a select few who post on this forum and is thier annual social gathering or is it a fest centered around great music? Neil pretty much points out that half go there just for the social aspect. I am sure they are fans of the music but more and more I see people saying this. Not knocking the fest.....this goes for any type of event. Local shows have turned into this too. People come to see freinds and barely watch the bands. It is almost just a meet up point.

I think TribunalRecords said it best....

with the digital age we are "more connected" but unfortunately in a world that is rapidly becoming completely disconnected from itself.

...couldnt say it better myself. While I love talking to people online and posting on forums...nothing is ever going to beat out real life conversation. One day when I get freinds I hope it is all it is cracked up to be.

Agree totally with this post. Technology is just destroying us as a race in my opinion. I've written about that topic time and time again. Haha. Despite me being younger than some on this forum, I am with you on that as I absolutely despise the texting phenomenon especially at shows. It's just plain rude.

 

[skyrefuge]

The fact is that most people are not going to change thier stance because of what is post here.

If I had a dollar for everyone who once said "I'll never listen to those cookie monster bands!" and is now a huge Opeth fan, I'd be a rich man. Maybe nothing said here will cause minds to change, but minds will change.

I do think it will be odd that there will be generations of people that wont know what it is like to go to a store to pick stuff out yourself asides on a computer and just clicking when you want something.

Then you must think it equally odd that you yourself are part of a generation where you don't know what it's like to ride a horse to visit your family, don't know what it's like to put your milk in a hole in the earth to keep it cool, or don't know what it's like to only be able to hear music when a live person is there playing it in front of you. Frankly, I'm surprised that you can even carry on living, having missed out on those experiences (and thousands of others) that were a way of life in previous generations!

Things change! All the time! And mostly for the better! Sometimes glasses that look half empty are actually half full!

We are slowly becoming less and less relying on human skills. Look at the young generation who text all the time....thier spelling has declined. It has even been researched.

haha! Spelling is a "human skill"? Think about what you're saying for a second. What is spelling, and why was it invented? It was so people could communicate without being face-to-face! Real-life conversation is your holy grail of communication, yet you can't stand watching the deterioration of a tool designed solely to help people *avoid* real-life conversation?! This is like a soldier getting pissed off that his enemies' guns are becoming less and less accurate!

When the postal service and the Sears mail-order catalog was invented, enabling people to buy things without making face-to-face transactions, the great-grandfathers of the Glass-Half-Empty Crew here surely said that it would bring about the downfall of our society. When the telephone became popular, the grandfathers of the Glass-Half-Empty Crew (who somehow survived the unholy catalog age!) knew that humanity was now *really* nearing its end, as people would be able to conduct both business AND personal communications with people outside their personal neighborhood, and without seeing them. If they were still alive, they would surely see you guys, who happily use mail-order and telephones AND the Internet, as satanic demon-spawn. But you know better than those old dudes; mail-order and the telephone are really no big thing; it's the Internet (and texting!) that are totally going to end it for mankind.

When going to shows I see so many people texting....
[At] Local shows...People come to see freinds and barely watch the bands. It is almost just a meet up point.
While I love talking to people online and posting on forums...nothing is ever going to beat out real life conversation.

Ok, so, let me see if I've got this straight: people communicating is great, unless it's via text message, which is bad, because somehow that's not real communication, especially at concerts, and meeting face-to-face is good, except at concerts, where it's bad?

Agree totally with this post. Technology is just destroying us as a race in my opinion.

ha, c'mon people, can you try to step back just a smidge and get a *little* perspective?

Check it out, I just found the results of the PPUSA Forum poll question,

"What do you think will bring about the end of the human race?":

35% - The Internet
31% - mp3s
30% - Texting
2% - Global nuclear war
1% - Depletion of Earth's natural resources
1% - An asteroid
0% - Bioterrorism

Yep, sounds about right!

Neil

 

[TribunalRecords]

If I had a dollar for everyone who once said "I'll never listen to those cookie monster bands!" and is now a huge Opeth fan, I'd be a rich man. Maybe nothing said here will cause minds to change, but minds will change.

A f'n MEN, brother! haha, it's classic. although i was the same the first time i heard Napalm Death in the 80's but i grew into it.

 

[TwizstedJesus]

CD ONLY WAY! ME AM HATE THING THAT DIFFERENT!

*Note: I still buy CDs and prefer them over digital. However, once I buy an album, it gets ripped to the hard drive, no less than 320kbps MP3; FLAC, if the production is good enough. I do think this sentiment that downloads as this horrible, mean awful soulless thing, is slightly ridiculous. Relax. You are very likely to still be able to purachse physical albums, album art isn't disappearing; if anything it's starting to make a comeback. Downloading an album isn't going to murder your children, pour sugar in your gas tank, jaywalk, or speak ill of your mother. It also isn't going to preclude anyone from socializing out mom's basement: There are still concerts. Oh and I met my fiancee, who I am now living with via the internet. If that offends you, perturbs you, or if you somehow feel that makes our relationship less meaningful, then you can fuck your little old way right off. All this negativity and bitchmoaning is eyeroll inducing. There's a new kid in town and he's taking up some of the hoary old dinosaur's clout... Cry me a river, and forgive me if I don't grieve with you.

Now here is exactly why I agreed to lay this topic to rest. Personal opinions are one thing, but personal assaults are completely fucked up and ridiculous! I don't recall stating that CDs were going away, I believe that the consensus here is that it will become a niche market. Comments about the internet...taken totally out of context again. This was a statement about the disconnection with the "real world", people who spend their lives in their little cave, only connecting through the internet instead of interacting face to face. Who cares where you met your fiancee, nobody targeted you. If the shoe fits, wear it! If you hover in your little cave and socially interact with a PC screen, then you will take this personally. I don't rightly give a fuck! Since when did an opinion on a message board become negative and bitchmoaning? It's an opinion, nothing more, nothing less.

I personally will not support a MP3 file or FLAC or whatever. That doesn't mean that I am against YOU supporting it. Its a personal choice. Same with using the internet to meet people IF you have opportunities to meet in the "real world". The "grumpy old man nonsense" theory is a bold and, frankly, retarded statement.

My wife and I have been to every Progpower since IV (with the exception of the Therion year), and if I had to total the amount of people who I go to see on a year to year basis as compared to "the music" I'd place that number at less than 5. I go solely for the music. I don't even bother to stay in midtown anymore, due to rising costs. I am there to see the bands. If I make a few friends along the way, great! If not, oh well.

See you in the dealers room! Boy, I sure hope nobody has setup an internet kiosk where you can purchase your music and hook your iPod right up to grab it.I'll feel like a total asshat carrying my bag of cds around that I can't even listen to until I get back home on Monday. At least I will still feel connected with my past.

 

[J-Dubya 777]

Definitely not at ProgPower, since Glenn would probably kick you in the nuts if he caught you doing that while at work.

Yes and no.... I just personally don't text, hardly ever, if at all. My phone pretty much sucks for it. I was mad it had a camera on it! If I could only get one with a rotary dial on it! I'm sure there's an app for that.....

When I said it drove me nuts, I was speaking from being at a show in the audience. At Prog Power, it's nearly impossible to talk on the phone during band sets, if the crew has to communicate and aren't nearby, there's a good chance it'll be by text in certain situations. Oh, and I do too sleep with my own teeth!

 

[batmura]

People will ALWAYS want a physical copy of the music they like. Hence, CDs won't disappear any time soon.

 

[Up&Away]

People will ALWAYS want a physical copy of the music they like. Hence, CDs won't disappear any time soon.

Some people but not all. Alot of us quit buying into the marketing ploy.

 

[TwizstedJesus]

Some people but not all. Alot of us quit buying into the marketing ploy.

LMAO! Marketing Ploy!!! What the hell is an MP3? Its a marketing ploy to make money off of music without having to pay a middle man, pay the store, production costs for the actual cd etc...It's straight greed by the person or persons. No different than a cd, just modernized with PC's and MP3's and all that jazz.

 

[Savage Pumpkin]

Some people but not all. Alot of us quit buying into the marketing ploy.

LOL. that's the funniest comment I've heard in a long time. You better look in the mirror pal. If you think you are exempt from it you are sorely wrong.

 

[5150]

Interesting topic. My random thoughts and ramblings. Excuse the length (I had to vent):

It’s unlikely CDs will ever die … at least in my lifetime. Notice that every new disc format (DVD and Blu-Ray) are still backward compatible with audio CDs. There will always be a big enough market share of people to justify their continued existence. Even if they eventually become rare and expensive.

Note that vinyl is still not dead. Affordable CDs have been around for almost thirty years and yet they haven’t killed the prior format. CDs are vastly superior in many ways, but there are (and will always be) those that prefer the “warm sound” of a analog vinyl format. In some ways, vinyl has even made resurgence. Some bands even take pride in offering their “new” albums in this format . I meet a young twenty something at a concert last year. He was an avid collector of new vinyl albums. To him, the collectability of the vinyl for his favorite bands (new and old bands) far outweighed the CD and MP3 formats. I was shocked but also happy to see such a rare young fanatic for vinyl.

Me personally, I have a large vinyl collection that sits in storage. I was glad to see the advent of CDs. Towards the end, vinyl was inexpensive but also some of the worst sounding and flawed products for music. Cheap vinyl which was so thin and warped it was painful to listen to with all the pops and cracks. Today’s records are a much higher quality product, starting with a high grain vinyl stock. But it hasn’t convinced me to return to vinyl … especially with the high prices.

I read recently that European labels feel they have to produce special editions of CDs with bonus material and/or DVDs to sell the CDs. While American labels have determined that Americans only value price. I fall under the former. While price is a consideration, I’ll take content over a cheap price.

Two years ago, when I went to my local car audio shop to have a custom system installed, I was both pleasantly surprised and shocked by the standards. First, I wanted to continue to have a CD Changer in my car. I was shocked to find that CD Changers are quickly dying. It quickly narrowed down my headunits and products. On the positive side, every headunit now handles MP3s and have USB attachments. Which has made it very convenient for me to transport and listen to my music.

Which brings me to MP3s and other digital only formats. I love them for their convenience and portability. But they are not substation for the CD … in my book. Not just because they don’t sound as good as CDs, that is minor today and in some cases unnoticeable. But I still like the packaging of the whole music product. The one think I miss from vinyl, is the large cover art, fold outs and other tangible extras. Some have been reproduced in smaller scale for CDs and even in a PDF format for digital booklets. But for better or worse, it will never be the same. To me, who loved Napster for the new way to hear the album before buying, MP3s were the best new and disposable product to hit the music scene since CDs. Today, I will buy an MP3 if this the only format available or for bonus songs. But I still prefer the tangible CD.

We are now in the age of convenience trumps format. The two formats that were to replace CDs were dead on arrival. SACDs (Super Audio Compact Discs) and DVD-A (Digital Versatile Disc – Audio). Both have higher bit and sample rates. The SACD is even technically unlimited in source volume. But even SACDs creator (Sony) does not make their Blu-Ray players comparable for this format. At least not for mid-fi buyers. And so it has been with MP3s vs. CDs. The new convenient format, that by design was inferior to audio CDs, is and has been slowly killing the CD market. Likewise, I suspect that streaming movies will soon shorten the life of Blu-Ray. But once again, the convenience trumps the superior format.

Yes, I miss the record store hunt but love the convenience of the Internet and shopping. Like most of you, I once spent many hours at the local record stores. Searching the isles and thumbing through stacks of vinyl and then CDs for new or interesting music. This was the way I found out about new music. I still have fond memories of finding Quiet Riots Metal Health, or Iron Maiden’s Piece Of Mind or Dio’s Holy Diver during the first week of their releases. But at that same time, the Internet has opened up an even larger stock of CD titles and musical styles. All at my finger-tips to order and own. Not to mention a metal community of fellow fans and musicians.

Finally, in related topic, I have all but given up on old brick and mortar stores. There are just too few and they rarely have any stock. Even Best Buy is down to a few thin aisles. It’s just not worth the traffic and crowds. A recent visit to Best Buy is a perfect example. A salesman asked to help me find the titles I am looking for. Then he announces that one is not carried by his store and the other is only available online. So he offers to order them online for me. Nevermind, point made and I leave the store frustrated.

 

[Up&Away]

LMAO! Marketing Ploy!!! What the hell is an MP3? Its a marketing ploy to make money off of music without having to pay a middle man, pay the store, production costs for the actual cd etc...It's straight greed by the person or persons. No different than a cd, just modernized with PC's and MP3's and all that jazz.

The ploy l refer to is the one where the music industry made you feel like you had to "hold" the music (product) in order to enjoy it. The music industry capitalized on that and pushed the tangible product. Not just the music. Hell, in alot of cases the music is secondary. Technology made that no longer viable. But, many still feel the need to have it in their hands to get a warm and fuzzy feeling about it. The post above is an example. Alot of us have moved beyond that.

 

[TribunalRecords]

The ploy l refer to is the one where the music industry made you feel like you had to "hold" the music (product) in order to enjoy it. The music industry capitalized on that and pushed the tangible product. Not just the music. Hell, in alot of cases the music is secondary. Technology made that no longer viable. But, many still feel the need to have it in their hands to get a warm and fuzzy feeling about it. The post above is an example. Alot of us have moved beyond that.

so it's been a ploy since they started pressing vinyl? hahaha. it's never been a ploy it's called a PRODUCT. a "ploy" would be when the same album is released at the same time 5 different limited edition covers. that is a ploy.

so is selling food a ploy when they eventually decide that eating food can be just simplified into various injections? will it be labeled a ploy despite people actually enjoying making and eating meals. same principle it seems you are suggesting.

 

[Up&Away]

The ploy is in the packaging of said product. Do l have to map out everything for some people?

Music is intangible. Remember that. I understand there has to be a way to transfer it to consumers. But, when the packaging and the tangible "product" overshadows the music and makes people feel they have to "hold it" to enjoy it, therein lies the rub. You fell for it.