Physical media to be discontinued by major labels in 2012

[Ugly Goblin Boy]

http://www.side-line.com/news_comments. ... 6980_0_2_0

What do you think? I think it's been a long time coming... Most stores don't have what I want so I either have to download or buy on-line, which is way more convenient. HMV pulled out of North America for the most part, CDPlus is a dead chain, Music World is dead... The only stores I know that are open nowadays are only open because they sell concert tix & merch. I suppose this will make this stuff more valuable? Hard to say, obviously no one really wants it anymore.

I'm not so naive to think that niches won't pay copious amounts of money for something they want, but overall this could be an end of an era.

http://www.side-line.com/news_comments. ... 6980_0_2_0

[Mad Bastard]

Hmm, I've always preferred getting something physical as opposed to some files on a PC somewhere. I want the artwork and packaging! I guess I could live with vinyls with download codes, but this still sucks in my opinion. Not exactly surprising if true though.

[Coops]

Its the way of things sadly. You never heard them complaining about it on the Enterprise though.

[payback3000]

loads of smaller bands are making reocrds and CD's to order. See 65 Days Of Static recent fan funder Silent Running Re Score project for example...

'In July 2011, the band announced their intention to fund a studio recording of the Silent Running soundtrack by raising $7500 through the crowd-funding website Indie Gogo. By the end of the funding period they had actually raised over $27,000. Silent Running was released in mid-November 2011 as a numbered, limited edition vinyl LP to those Indie Gogo funders who had paid for this option, and as a digital download from the band's website.'

For good music on smaller or indie labels I think there wil still be a market...

[Mad Bastard]

If this graph is accurate then it looks like CDs are still too valuable for smaller artists, if they do as much as they can themselves. The royalties for streaming is ridiculous:

[Ugly Goblin Boy]

That chart is amazingly sad:)

[jason]

[daryltaylor]

I think it will be a sad day when you cant actually buy a physical copy of a single or cd album , can understand record companies wanting to make as much money as possible but i'll probably download albums instead of buying them if this happens. I like to have a copy i can look at and read the notes while listening to it. Think some of the smaller labels will actually benifit by making cd's and vinyl still and charging a reasonable price for them.

[negative8ball]

[Stubborn Puppet]

It's always going to be a physical copy for me. I suppose if there is absolutely no way to get a physical medium then I'll buy the music I want, but I won't be willing to pay jack sh*t for it. I'd pay $8 max for a digital only album, whereas I'd still pay $20 for the same thing on CD or Vinyl.