djThunderfunk said:

For people WHO DO BUY THINGS, yes, CDs are still top choice.

EyeHatechu said:

Exactly my point...People DO buy CDs...I want the final product to be tangible and in my hands.

Agreed!

Absolutely not,

nevertheless, I buy news ones re masterised by himself

djThunderfunk said:

EyeHatechu said:

Exactly my point...People DO buy CDs...I want the final product to be tangible and in my hands.

Agreed!

But... once those tangible goods are in your hands, will they replace the CDs you've listened to for 20+ years?

Cinny said:

...Once they have been replaced in the catalog by the planned reissues?

Maybe you have so much faith in the WB reissue licensing deal that you have already started getting rid of those Prince CDs?

NO.

Cinny said:

Cinny said:

But... once those tangible goods are in your hands, will they replace the CDs you've listened to for 20+ years?

My natural inclination would be to give the old versions to friends. But given how flat they sound, it probably wouldn't be that great of an introduction.

eyewishuheaven said:

Cinny said:

But... once those tangible goods are in your hands, will they replace the CDs you've listened to for 20+ years?

My natural inclination would be to give the old versions to friends. But given how flat they sound, it probably wouldn't be that great of an introduction.

Exactly "eh, here's a flat sounding copy of Lovesexy, untracked"

djThunderfunk said:

V10LETBLUES said:

EyeHatechu said: No one buys CDs ant more. Why make something there s no market for is the better question.

According to Billboard:

For the year 2013, "vinyl is now 2% of album sales in the U.S; digital albums comprise 40.6% and the CD is 57.2% and cassettes and DVDs 0.2%."

http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/digital-and-mobile/5855162/digital-music-sales-decrease-for-first-time-in-2013

More people bought CDs than digital albums in 2013. And that says what?

But that doesn't tell the complete story. Physical music sales as a whole has been in a downward spiral year after year for more than a decade. If sales are over 50%, the question is of what? 50% of losses? Even iTunes has seen a decline. So those numbers mean very little in aggregate. That's the kind of tunnel-vision that has killed the likes of Smith-Corona, Xerox and Blackberry and no one wants to go down like that.

The only bright spot is streaming. Spottify and other music streaming companies are the only ones seeing growth. That's partly why Apple bought Beats and Google followed suit and bought their own streaming business also.

..and sure there is someone out in the boondocks still selling 8 tracks, just as there are still companies selling parts for old cars. These are specialty items where there is no real money for anyone but small time players. Certainly not for the majors.

The nail in the coffin for the CD is that all car manufactures have publicly stated that they will not offer CD players in their cars after 2015. ...because people in general have their music on their iPods, iPhones and the cloud. Young people today in general do not buy oldfangled CD players. And when cars eliminate them as standard in place of modern equipment you clearly see the writing on the wall. IN BOLD LETTERS.

[Edited 7/5/14 19:04pm]

EyeHatechu said:

Of course CD sales shrink every year, but to say no one buys CDs is clearly wrong. Come on now.

sexton said:

Of course CD sales shrink every year, but to say no one buys CDs is clearly wrong. Come on now.

By a HUGE margin people are streaming music instead. That is something that the numbers do not tell. And yes, it was an exageration, but it is clearly an all but dead medium.

V10LETBLUES said:

but it is clearly an all but dead medium.

Another exaggeration.

sexton said:

V10LETBLUES said:

but it is clearly an all but dead medium.

Another exaggeration.

Nope

V10LETBLUES said:

sexton said:

Another exaggeration.

Nope

Yep

MIRvmn said:

V10LETBLUES said:

djThunderfunk said:

According to Billboard:

For the year 2013, "vinyl is now 2% of album sales in the U.S; digital albums comprise 40.6% and the CD is 57.2% and cassettes and DVDs 0.2%."

http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/digital-and-mobile/5855162/digital-music-sales-decrease-for-first-time-in-2013

More people bought CDs than digital albums in 2013. And that says what?

But that doesn't tell the complete story. Physical music sales as a whole has been in a downward spiral year after year for more than a decade. If sales are over 50%, the question is of what? 50% of losses? Even iTunes has seen a decline. So those numbers mean very little in aggregate. That's the kind of tunnel-vision that has killed the likes of Smith-Corona, Xerox and Blackberry and no one wants to go down like that.

The only bright spot is streaming. Spottify and other music streaming companies are the only ones seeing growth. That's partly why Apple bought Beats and Google followed suit and bought their own streaming business also.

..and sure there is someone out in the boondocks still selling 8 tracks, just as there are still companies selling parts for old cars. These are specialty items where there is no real money for anyone but small time players. Certainly not for the majors.

The nail in the coffin for the CD is that all car manufactures have publicly stated that they will not offer CD players in their cars after 2015. ...because people in general have their music on their iPods, iPhones and the cloud. Young people today in general do not buy oldfangled CD players. And when cars eliminate them as standard in place of modern equipment you clearly see the writing on the wall. IN BOLD LETTERS.

[Edited 7/5/14 19:04pm]

You crack me up. First with the "CDs sound like crap but MP3s sound fine" thing. Called you out, so you switch to "No one buys CDs anymore". Proved that wrong, so now you're jumping track with your arguments once again.

I get it now. You just like to say shit for the sake of argument with no regard for facts, continually switching gears when schooled. Have fun with that, I'm out...

djThunderfunk said:

V10LETBLUES said:

But that doesn't tell the complete story. Physical music sales as a whole has been in a downward spiral year after year for more than a decade. If sales are over 50%, the question is of what? 50% of losses? Even iTunes has seen a decline. So those numbers mean very little in aggregate. That's the kind of tunnel-vision that has killed the likes of Smith-Corona, Xerox and Blackberry and no one wants to go down like that.

The only bright spot is streaming. Spottify and other music streaming companies are the only ones seeing growth. That's partly why Apple bought Beats and Google followed suit and bought their own streaming business also.

..and sure there is someone out in the boondocks still selling 8 tracks, just as there are still companies selling parts for old cars. These are specialty items where there is no real money for anyone but small time players. Certainly not for the majors.

The nail in the coffin for the CD is that all car manufactures have publicly stated that they will not offer CD players in their cars after 2015. ...because people in general have their music on their iPods, iPhones and the cloud. Young people today in general do not buy oldfangled CD players. And when cars eliminate them as standard in place of modern equipment you clearly see the writing on the wall. IN BOLD LETTERS.

[Edited 7/5/14 19:04pm]

You crack me up. First with the "CDs sound like crap but MP3s sound fine" thing. Called you out, so you switch to "No one buys CDs anymore". Proved that wrong, so now you're jumping track with your arguments once again.

I get it now. You just like to say shit for the sake of argument with no regard for facts, continually switching gears when schooled. Have fun with that, I'm out...

You are the one schooled you just dont know it. Oblivious much?

V10LETBLUES said:

djThunderfunk said:

You crack me up. First with the "CDs sound like crap but MP3s sound fine" thing. Called you out, so you switch to "No one buys CDs anymore". Proved that wrong, so now you're jumping track with your arguments once again.

I get it now. You just like to say shit for the sake of argument with no regard for facts, continually switching gears when schooled. Have fun with that, I'm out...

You are the one schooled you just dont know it. Oblivious much?

Right. That's why you keep changing your point every time you're proven wrong... because that's how you're schooling me.

Yep. Guess I am oblivious, then.

[Edited 7/5/14 21:32pm]

djThunderfunk said:

V10LETBLUES said:

You are the one schooled you just dont know it. Oblivious much?

Right. That's why you keep changing your point every time you're proven wrong... because that's how you're schooling me.

Yep. Guess I am oblivious, then.

[Edited 7/5/14 21:32pm]

Yeah right. Come back here and appologise when you get a grip. Maybe read up on the topic too before you open your mouth

[Edited 7/5/14 21:45pm]

V10LETBLUES said:

djThunderfunk said:

Right. That's why you keep changing your point every time you're proven wrong... because that's how you're schooling me.

Yep. Guess I am oblivious, then.

[Edited 7/5/14 21:32pm]

Yeah right. Come back here and appologise when you get a grip. Maybe read up on the topic too before you open your mouth

[Edited 7/5/14 21:45pm]

I don't think you understand how this works. You actually have to prove a point to school someone.

I proved you wrong twice. You changed track both times.

You are either slow witted or you are a troll. I don't care which. Have fun with that.

[Edited 7/5/14 21:51pm]

^

Well if you live in a bubble you will always be right huh? Iif you can't see the obvious all around you, why not do a simple Google search? You were schooled yet you still can't understand. Awww

http://stcommunities.straitstimes.com/music/2013/09/24/end-cd-era

BY IGNATIUS LOW

ignatius@sph.com.sg

It seems to be the season for saying goodbye.

Two weeks ago, we said goodbye to Nokia mobile phones after the Finnish telecoms giant sold the business to Microsoft.

This week, a different sort of player made its exit – one much closer to home but, for me at least, no less loved.

After struggling the past few years with huge changes to the music industry that have decimated its business, local music retailer Gramophone finally pulled down its shutters for the last time last Wednesday.

I remember visiting its store in the basement mall of Raffles Place MRT station nearly every weekend at one point, on Saturday afternoons, when it would be the only shop open in the mall, pumping out music that echoed around in the relative stillness.

The store had unique sliding CD shelves three or four layers deep that could be pulled aside, revealing further hidden gems behind them. It was also, I believe, the first serious marketplace for second-hand CDs and DVDs.

But Gramophone also had a special place in my heart because its owner and founder, Edmund Loh, married one of my close friends from junior college and university.

Success eventually brought new shareholders and a fresh infusion of capital. The company expanded and, at one point, had as many as nine stores, making it one of the largest music retailers in Singapore.

So many Singaporeans took home the store’s orange bags with a slogan that reminded people: “Without music life would be a mistake.”

Yet the industry was starting to change. Prompt and fuss-free deliveries from overseas retailers such as Amazon meant that savvy customers could get cheaper prices and a much broader range of titles.

Then, in the last few years, what started as a gradual decline in the industry suddenly turned into a freefall.

Music and movies became available online, and as broadband Internet connections became faster and faster, films and television programmes could be downloaded in minutes and music albums even quicker – in seconds.

Gramophone started cutting back its operations, closing stores until it was eventually left with just one – a sprawling music wonderland it had opened in The Cathay Mall.

In its final weeks and months, walking occasionally through the store – usually while waiting for a movie to begin – was a depressing experience.

Loud music would be playing as usual and the space near the entrance would be lined with the latest releases from the trendiest singers and bands of the moment.

But walk a little deeper into the store and you would see long aisles stacked with racks and racks of unsold cut-price CDs.

If local names such as Valentine, Supreme and Da Da ruled the era of vinyl records in Singapore, then Gramophone – together with Chua Joo Huat, Sembawang and That CD Shop – were their local counterparts in the compact disc era that followed.

To me, Gramophone’s closure now is the clearest sign yet that the CD era is well and truly over. And sadly, this is a goodbye that will be somewhat final.

The CD format will probably never be revived, ironically because of its relative perfection.

For the vinyl record is now enjoying a comeback among audiophiles and purists who love its “warmer” analogue sound that is partly a result of distortions created by scratches on the plastic and vibrations produced by turntables.

Meanwhile, a smaller but growing group of enthusiasts is reviving the humble cassette, attracted to the “flat” sound it produced and the charming imperfections in the hissing and warping of magnetic tape.

The CD, on the other hand, was just a piece of plastic to contain the digital bits and bytes that were the true innovation. These bytes allowed for an almost 100 per cent accurate reproduction of any sound that was digitally recorded.

Once technology allowed for the direct transfer of those bytes quickly and efficiently to whatever device was being used to listen to them, the “middleman” – CDs – would technically become irrelevant forever.

That day has now come. Now, even the most expensive audio systems to be used at home are being sold without CD players.

I have a six-disc CD changer in the car but I haven’t used it much in the three years I have had it, because I can plug my iPod with its library of 10,000 songs into the stereo. In fact, I have completely stopped buying CDs altogether.

As a result, my collection of about 4,000 CDs, still lovingly displayed in shelves in my front hall, has turned into a museum of sorts – an exhibit that chronicles my obsession with music for 25 years, from late 1987 when I bought my first CD (Sting’s Nothing Like The Sun) to last year when I bought my last (probably The xx’s Coexist).

I don’t know if I will miss CDs.

The artwork and sleeve notes on their tiny booklets were a let-down from that which adorned the beautiful large-format vinyl records that preceded them.

And, at least initially, the cold hard and impersonal plastic jewel cases that contained the discs also limited options for creative packaging.

And they didn’t smell of anything. In contrast, walking into a vinyl record store was always a slightly giddying olfactory experience that sent your pulse racing with excitement.

Yet CDs revolutionised music buying in their own quiet way.

Thanks to CDs, for instance, more music buyers could sample more music at listening posts, instead of asking shop assistants to play them on the store turntable.

Twisting my neck for hours to look through racks of horizontally-arranged CD spines, and the temporary blindness from looking at such small font are health hazards that I will no doubt fondly reminisce about in time to come.

The day the news of Gramophone’s closure was carried in the papers, there was another story about a special feature that will mark the coming Deepavali light-up in Little India.

The streets, it seems, will be adorned with thousands of shiny CDs – a chilling testament to how things have changed.

SoulAlive said:

when a remaster is done correctly,the sound can be incredible! You'll hear certain things in the music that you never noticed before.

Very true , There are great remasters (such as The Beatles or the Stones Abcko catalog or recent Elvis CDs ) that sound wonderful, and much better than previous versions

V10LETBLUES said:

^

Well if you live in a bubble you will always be right huh? Iif you can't see the obvious all around you, why not do a simple Google search? You were schooled yet you still can't understand. Awww

http://stcommunities.straitstimes.com/music/2013/09/24/end-cd-era

Yeah, and the Billboard info I posted was from a google search, too. Hmmm, it still says that CDs were 57% of music sales in 2013, no?

Why do CDs threaten you so much anyway? Go ahead and be 100% digital and don't worry that those of us that like to collect physical copies will still be able to do so for years to come. We're not trying to take your digital files away from you. I'm sure the convenience of the cloud is more fun than collecting anyway...

Beacuse I live in New Zealand which is like the ass end of the world, when it comes to distributing music by Prince, I am holding on to all mine and every other piece of music I have in a dead format (Vinyl, Tape and video cassette).

.

Its doubtful if we will get any of the remastered versions and even more doubtful if I complete them. I am also not that willing to fork out for something I have because of some new liner notes and remastered sound. I want bonus traxs and extras, before I buy.

.

Plus its likely that my computer will have a fatal crash that it won't recover from or the digital formats I have my Prince colection on will eventually no doubt become obselete and it will need to be transferred to a newer format. I have had 3 fatal crashes since 2009 and each time I have had to reload all the music on to a flashdrive or a hard drive. o its vital my CD's stay in tact. If anything I will buy more CD's of anything I don't have.

.

I need to replace some too, as until 1997, it was common that a lot of earlier and cheaper CD players would skip on CD's and the CD's affected skip on the middle to end parts despite the quality and technology of the player you have now. So replacing inferior quality CD's is a priority, plus I notice many pre 1997 CD's by trend (Chart) and Black artists we bought here were on inferior quality discs that wore out after a few hundred listens.

In fact if anything, I am buying more CD's nopw than ever for the simple reason they cheap. I mean back in the 90s a new release CD cost $30 -$37 here, and even a mid price/Catalogue one cost $18 - $25. Back in the day, a CD was 2 or 3 weeks pocket money and a good chunk of my early pay packets.

.

Now I can go to JB's hi fi and pay no more than $10 for any CD, and many cost $5 or less. When MJ died I got Off the Wall and Invicnible for $7 each, I bought new copies of Purple Rain and Lovesexy (The original untracked version) for $6.90 and $7.90 each.

.

If CD's were that cheap a long time ago, I would have bought more. Berfore I went to Europe I replaced my broken and missing copies of Whitney and Mariah's greatest hits for $10 each for 2CD sets. Plus the CD's I buy now don't skip and get worn out, as they are played only a few times, mainly as I commit them to flash drive.

.

The only CD's I need now are for Newpowersoul, Chaos and Disorder and Goldnigga and my Prince set is complete. I got For You last year for $8 and a bought a copy of The Gold Experience on Trademe (Kiwi ebay) last year for 7.95 plus $2 shipping.

.

Rather than tossing out your old CD's, I would say buy them, as they are cheap and with all these fools tossing them out or wanting the new remasters (Which will be $10 a pop in a year or so) there will be a glut of them on the market.

.

I know it looks dumb paying for them, when you can download a bootleg for pennies, but I like the original feel of the music as it was in the 80s and 90s with original slicks and knowing its a geniune article. After all many of my CD's are from the 90s, either as new albums released then (Symbol, Black (94 Re release), Come, Emancipation etc) or copies of 80s albums bought in the 90s, like SOTT.

djThunderfunk said:

V10LETBLUES said:

^

Well if you live in a bubble you will always be right huh? Iif you can't see the obvious all around you, why not do a simple Google search? You were schooled yet you still can't understand. Awww

http://stcommunities.straitstimes.com/music/2013/09/24/end-cd-era

Yeah, and the Billboard info I posted was from a google search, too. Hmmm, it still says that CDs were 57% of music sales in 2013, no?

Why do CDs threaten you so much anyway? Go ahead and be 100% digital and don't worry that those of us that like to collect physical copies will still be able to do so for years to come. We're not trying to take your digital files away from you. I'm sure the convenience of the cloud is more fun than collecting anyway...

His post about some guy who saw his favorite music store in Singapore shut down doesn't trump facts. Here are more facts showing that, yes streaming is the future--we're all agreed on that I think--but the CD format won't be dead anytime soon either:

New technology can't change the fact that physical back up is needed at some point; until current digital backup systems improve, I'm hanging on to my CDs.