The end of the CD era - 2013?

Sad news...

According to this article,

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/15/music-lovers-prepare- to-say-goodbye-to-the-cd/?ncid=webmail1

the end of the CD era will probably be 2013, as all the major labels are now supposedly planning to drop the CD format altogether by that year, with the exception of a few limited edition CDs of only the superstar acts (which I guess would be acts like Lady Gaga, Beyonce, etc.)

I point this out because the name of Pat's database and books are "Top 40 Music on Compact Disc", and if this really does happen within a year or so, there will be very little news to ever post on this board anymore.

But perhaps, Pat could change the name of his database to "Top 40 Music in Digital Format".

Of course, that would mean Pat would have to include recordings in the iTunes database that might not already be in Pat's database of albums. And if Pat's not willing or interested in doing that, then I guess the database will eventually reach its "final chapter" (with just an occasional update here or there).

I'd like to hope this DOESN'T come true, but when you think of fate of the LP, the 8-track, the 45, the (pre-recorded) cassette, it's only logical that the CD format would be next.

NOTE: to get to the link I am trying to include above, you must remove the space before the word "to". For some reason, Pat's software is automatically adding it there, and no matter how I try to remove it and/or get around it, Pat's software will not allow me to fix this link without adding a space somewhere where it doesn't belong.



Edited by EdisonLite

While articles like this are sobering to those of us who still prefer purchasing our favorite music on a "permanent" physical medium like the compact disc, I think predictions of the CD's demise in 2013 are a bit premature considering that, according to a Nielsen Soundscan mid-year report, CDs still comprise 66% of all album sales and are on pace to sell a total of over 200 million units by the end of 2011. (Source: Nashville Business Journal). That's still a lot of CDs!

I've also been reading that CD sales are still far more profitable than digital downloads for the record labels and therefore I believe the compact disc will remain a viable format longer than most people think. Regardless, I've been purchasing as many CDs as my finances will allow in recent years because I've been seeing a growing number of catalog titles going out-of-print and I suspect they will continue to do so in the not-to-distant future.

No, I just checked and the article is still there. I guess you didn't notice my note on the bottom of my post. You have to remove the space before the word "to" in the link I included. Pat's software adds the space and there was no way for me to take it out afterward.

I see Pat is now including the comment "..available only as a digital
download" for tracks available only as such. Would it not mean that the
Gene Pitney tracks in mono should also be included in the database as
well?

I would want to know if key tracks are available as digital downloads. An
example is the Gene Pitney mono tracks on iTunes (such as the 45 of "I'm
Gonna Be Strong"). If that is the only way I can get it, then I will pay for
the download. Seems the world is transitioning more and more to
downloading songs/movies.

In addition, with me on an extended leave abroad, it is not so easy to
obtain CDs here, so I have to be content with listening to my MP3d
collection from my MacBook Pro, and, getting songs digitally.

Edited by davidclark

I completely agree, KentT. I doubt I'll ever convert from CDs to digital downloads until .wav files are made widely available.

What's the latest as far as availability of Apple Lossless and FLAC in full CD resolution goes?