CD...Time Tooo Saaay Goodbyyye.

[ImKeN]

Times are changing.

 

https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8097929/best-buy-to-pull-cds-target-threatens-to-pay-labels-for-cds-only-when

[Rudi]

Im still stuck with some minidiscs

[Just1L]

If you really want to get somewhere you should offer CDs, Vinyl, Digital Downloads & Streaming. Some people will never buy another physical product again because they simply don't want to pay money. That will always be there, always has been. There still are people out there though that are willing to purchase Vinyl and CDs. Even my 14 year old has purchased CDs and Vinyl in the past year. To pretend the only way is online and digital is not only laughably weak, it's just not true. What's really happening is now more than ever, an artist has the chance to cut out the middle man selling their stuff. If you have fans that really like your stuff, they'd buy physical products. If you have fans that only want to listen to your music if it's free or part of an Unlimited Music for $9.99, they aren't really fans.

 

It really all comes down to what you want and what is best for you. Would you rather have a million listeners and $3,000 or 30,000 listeners and $200,000. Can you afford everything you need without needing money from music? Would you rather work and do music on the side, or would you rather music become your "work." A lot of people don't like to admit money is actually important.

 

The last thought is that it's not the actual CD going away that is important,. It's the revenue going away, and not being replaced with an equal, that's important. Similar to the way schools almost ditched cursive, and did for a few years. The actual need to write a page in cursive isn't the most important, but the learning process of actually learning how to write in cursive is lost and not replaced with an equally strong learning method. 

[Richard Tracey]

1 hour ago, Just1L said:

If you really want to get somewhere you should offer CDs, Vinyl, Digital Downloads & Streaming. Some people will never buy another physical product again because they simply don't want to pay money. That will always be there, always has been. There still are people out there though that are willing to purchase Vinyl and CDs. Even my 14 year old has purchased CDs and Vinyl in the past year. To pretend the only way is online and digital is not only laughably weak, it's just not true. What's really happening is now more than ever, an artist has the chance to cut out the middle man selling their stuff. If you have fans that really like your stuff, they'd buy physical products. If you have fans that only want to listen to your music if it's free or part of an Unlimited Music for $9.99, they aren't really fans.

 

It really all comes down to what you want and what is best for you. Would you rather have a million listeners and $3,000 or 30,000 listeners and $200,000. Can you afford everything you need without needing money from music? Would you rather work and do music on the side, or would you rather music become your "work." A lot of people don't like to admit money is actually important.

 

The last thought is that it's not the actual CD going away that is important,. It's the revenue going away, and not being replaced with an equal, that's important. Similar to the way schools almost ditched cursive, and did for a few years. The actual need to write a page in cursive isn't the most important, but the learning process of actually learning how to write in cursive is lost and not replaced with an equally strong learning method. 

 

Randy I agree that I think there is a turn towards a physical product again, but for an indie artist to offer that can be hard initially. You would have to get pre-order or crowdfunding amounts of money. Apparently the costs involved in producing a physical product are not cost-effective, especially if you are starting out. Small amounts of product do not see much revenue - you need to produce quite a lot before it starts making it worth while. I read something about indie’s producing vinyl and that they would be out of pocket. That is the overheads involved. It really is sad.

[Just1L]

11 minutes ago, Richard Tracey said:

 

Randy I agree that I think there is a turn towards a physical product again, but for an indie artist to offer that can be hard initially. You would have to get pre-order or crowdfunding amounts of money. Apparently the costs involved in producing a physical product are not cost-effective, especially if you are starting out. Small amounts of product do not see much revenue - you need to produce quite a lot before it starts making it worth while. I read something about indie’s producing vinyl and that they would be out of pocket. That is the overheads involved. It really is sad.

 

Yeah, the costs to get going do suck. I was really hoping to do Vinyl for my upcoming tunes but, like you mentioned, way too expensive. Just like opening a business, it takes money to get things going. It's hard making it in the music business. I view doing a CD, or Vinyl or other, not simply as a way to make money, but it also shows a commitment to what you believe in. Anyone at all can get a soundcloud page and post their songs.

[Richard Tracey]

9 minutes ago, Just1L said:

 

Yeah, the costs to get going do suck. I was really hoping to do Vinyl for my upcoming tunes but, like you mentioned, way too expensive. Just like opening a business, it takes money to get things going. It's hard making it in the music business. I view doing a CD, or Vinyl or other, not simply as a way to make money, but it also shows a commitment to what you believe in. Anyone at all can get a soundcloud page and post their songs.

 

‘That’s why the pledge thing is good, but you need to have something for people to hear to make them want to front up some money. That would give you the funding to start it off.

[Just1L]

19 minutes ago, Richard Tracey said:

 

‘That’s why the pledge thing is good, but you need to have something for people to hear to make them want to front up some money. That would give you the funding to start it off.

 

It's made me alter my path. Originally I wanted to do a 12-15 song full CD getting at least 100 made. Now I'm going to have 50 made with 5 songs, or EP. If nothing else I will have something to send off to those I plan to send to, that request CDs. It is a great learning process on all the things you need to do to get a CD out. And it will allow me to test the waters without overspending and ending up with boxes of CDs. All total it should end up costing me around $650. Not cheap by any means, but saving up that amount is doable. It does help a little that I'm doing my own artwork. Every little bit helps.

 

 

[wecouldbeheroes]

On 6.2.2018 at 7:32 PM, Just1L said:

 

Yeah, the costs to get going do suck. I was really hoping to do Vinyl for my upcoming tunes but, like you mentioned, way too expensive. Just like opening a business, it takes money to get things going. It's hard making it in the music business. I view doing a CD, or Vinyl or other, not simply as a way to make money, but it also shows a commitment to what you believe in. Anyone at all can get a soundcloud page and post their songs.

 

I agree that creating a physical copy of music is a lot about symbolic commitment-- and the joy of having something tangible-- these days. Another thing I love about it is the visual part of it-- getting to see the cover art and the design of the stapled booklet inside the CD or the insert in the vinyl jacket. It's great when lyrics or artist statements are included in there too. It just feels so much more complete...