Are CDs destined to the same fate as cassettes?

[Contratrombone64]

Sybarite ... can I ask you a question please? In the U.K. what is the cost for a full priced classical CD (eg Deutsche Gram.). Here, it's about $35 (Australian).

[Sybarite]

Sybarite ... can I ask you a question please? In the U.K. what is the cost for a full priced classical CD (eg Deutsche Gram.). Here, it's about $35 (Australian).

Hi.

The last full-price, new release that I bought was just before Christmas and was Monteverdi's Vespers (a double CD) which was around £15, if I recall correctly. That is a DG production and is currently £13.99 from Amazon UK.

That is the sort of range that I would expect to pay for a new release – and not even a double disc.

[ArtsWom]

I enjoy downloading music and have signed up to one of these subscription sites to force me into finding new music and getting new albums. However, even with the album covers on my iPod nothing will compare to having a large CD collection that you know will last - last longer in fact now you only have to take them out the case once!

[Fretless]

I very much like having the physical CD, holding the case, holding and looking at the booklet and artwork as I listen, reading the lyrics in the printed font/art--it's all part of the aesthetic experience along with the music, to me. I also like having full albums--I'm not a downloader of single songs.

Plus, downloading is still dodgy, as others have mentioned, and differing qualities of bit rates/file types along with hard drives that crash......I'll never only have my music on computers and .mp3 players, unless I'm forced to. But I also come from the age of vinyl and still have most of mine. I'm a collector of the physical object. I'd like to think it's similar to books--people will always like having a book in their hands, and not read something like War and Peace on a computer screen.

[rojo]

How about that; the CD is now 25 years old. My, how time flies. Did you think it would predominate for this long?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6950845.stm

I thought this was interesting, from the article-

The two companies began work on the format in 1979 and targeted a disc which could hold an hour of audio. The capacity was extended to 74 minutes, however, to accommodate a complete performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony, forcing the disk to be made slightly larger."

And rightly so, I say!

[Violinschlüssel]

I true-heartedly hope that CDs will never disappear. It's been sad enough witnessing to CDs wiping off vinyl records: I don't think I could stand another revolution in this music field.
I don't know about the rest of you, but where I live it's become simply impossible to find music cassettes. CDs have made them get retired too.
Besides, I've never downloaded music from the net and I strongly doubt I'll ever do. I like... well, things I can touch. So, please, don't take CDs away from me!

[ArtsWom]

While I'm sure this must have been discussed elsewhere in this forum, I think this story should rekindle this debate a little.....

Radiohead release download-only, pay-what-you-like album...

Interestingly, the band are releasing a boxed set containing vinyl and CD for £40 come December. I don't think I'll be paying that, but then again I'm not the biggest Radiohead fan. If it was for a band I truly loved though, then I think I will be attracted...

Will CDs all eventually become collectors editions and cost a hefty amount? Or is this only something that key artists can get away with?

[pnoom]

Radiohead will release the cd in single cd form (for regular price) in early 08. But, having heard the album, it's not really worth it.

I don't think cds will die, since, from my experience, the people who exist outside of the popular music bubble prefer cds to downloads. I know I do.