[Nightfall]

I've read several recent articles stating that the music corporations will stop cd production by the end of this coming year (2012). I hope that whoever created the garbage format known as MP3 either has, or will die an ugly death for his role in destroying music and it's reproduction. And the arrogant, elitist Apple minions nailed the coffin down with the creation of the iPod. Music has always been a major aspect in my life. I own over 4000 cd's and it took me many, many years, tremendous effort and cost to reach a point where I had a truly quality audio system to reproduce it in all it's majesty and wonder. And now, within a year, I will have no way to even listen to new releases from artists that I love?
 
Currently,a quick check of Amazon, or any other major music purveyor, shows that either a cd or a sonically worthless MP3 version are available. That's it. Occasional high rez recordings of new material are available from HD Tracks, but only very mainstream stuff and at $20.00 or more a pop. So let's say a new Springsteen release, or U2, or Tori Amos, or anyone comes out after the end of 2012. Since there will be no cd's available, there simply is no way to purchase an accurate, quality recording of the music? It sound unbelievable, but it's apparently going to happen.
 
So whatever music I have in hand by the end of next year is it, forever? How did we come to such a place? Unbelievable.
 
 
JC
 
 

 

[Sorensiim]

Lol, it's a hoax!

 

[wuwhere]

Definitely one.

 

[Nightfall]

This was the point of a recent Electronic House columnist's article. It was also the topic on a radio station here in Detroit in a "tech discussion" with the former music buyer for Borders book stores. In both cases, they said that this was a done deal due to the degree to which cd sales have fallen. iTunes sales, etc. I certainly didn't "want" to believe it
 
 
JC

 

[Nightfall]

and then I came across this:
 
After it virtually killed off the cassette tape and the short lived mini-disc, the compact disc may be dead within two years according to industry insiders.
According to Side Line Music Magazine, the shelf life of the CD is set to expire before 2013. The magazine reports that most major labels are planning to stop producing the little shiny discs that were all the rage in the 80′s, and replace them with streaming and digital download options. Most of these plans are set to take effect at some point in 2012, with the only CD’s still available being limited edition prints — which will only be made for major artists.
The magazine attempted to get an official statement from some of the major labels to confirm these reports but none would oblige the request. However, shortly after the initial report the magazine was approached by several employees and associates of those labels who confirmed plans to nix the CD do exist and will be executed before 2013.
The format’s popularity has decreased drastically since the rise of digital retailers such as iTunes and Amazon. Another contributing factor in the discontinuation being the drop in overall music sales due to the exponential increase of online piracy over the last decade. This move doesn’t really come as a surprise, but it is somewhat sad for those who grew up with and still utilize the format.

 

[rroseperry]

I think this is alarmism. Take a look at this link http://www.licklibrary.com/news/2011/11/2568-dwindling_cd_sales_could_spell_the_end_for_compact_discs_as_early_as_2012. People predicting the end aren't thinking about what a behemoth CD sales are, even if they're declining for mainstream music. You can't stop something like this on a dime.

 

[grokit]

TEOTWAWKI is going to happen at the end of 2012 anyways, so don't worry be happy 

 

 
And of course:

 

[nycdoi]

if we manage to convert everyone around us into audiophiles, we may save the cd

 

[sidel]

MP3 was developed for the purpose of transmitting music over a network.  I don't know why you'd feel so strongly about Brandenburg and the small role he played in making the format what it is today.
 

 

[zzephyr27]

No problems here. CD's aren't a format I'm willing to pay for anymore.
 
Buy vinyl, download included flac/320, be happy.

 

[batphink]

Nothing lasts forever.
 

 

[LizardKing1]

Op, take a deep breath:
 
CDs are not going away. At least not by 2012. And no one ever said you can't listen to your CDs, stop victimizing yourself. Do you have a CD players? Good. What about a transducer (headphones, speakers...)? That too? Good. Then you can listen to them. Apple won't tweak with electrical supplies so that only their iStuff can be powered.
 
However, CDs are being replaced by other digital means of data sharing. Read that again, please. No, I didn't say "OH NOES MP3 WILL REPLACE TEH CD!", I just said the way we share our music won't be driving up to your friend's house to hand him a CD, it will be online streaming, dropbox, that sort of thing. The music is still the same. You already listen to a digital format that unless you scratch the disc will remain exactly the same for decades. And even after the CDs you own will be eventually degraded (which would probably happen after you die), you could still *gasp* rip them into your computer! And that way your music will prevail for centuries, even millenia! Who knows, it could be used during Jesus' second coming! In all seriousness, what I'm saying is no studio will ever record in MP3, they will keep using WAV files, and lossless files will always be available. Right now MP3 is much more available than other formats, but that doesn't mean lossless won't be around.

 

[Hellbishop]

As long as the quality is as good as cds are it doesnt matter to me. Things change and usually for the better if the ones making the change want to make mucho money. I've got a ton of cds at home and space wise it really is a pain at times in my studio apartment so the miniturization of a mp3/flac etc format is a welcomed thing. I am making more purchases though of cds considering how cheap they are. Just the other day at Best Buy i brought over fifteen cds for 4.99 or less thanks to their great discounted prices not only on the holidays but through out the entire year. Its like shopping at 1970s prices at TSS and Woolworths

 

[zotjen]

I never trust any article that cites "unamed sources", which usually translates to "people who don't know what they're talking about". If music companies are planning on doing away with CDs in the near future, they need to be prepared to take an even bigger financial hit, since there are still many people who don't have the capability to buy downloaded music, as well as some who refuse to buy it because of compression, etc.

 

[Nightfall]

Quote:

While I appreciate the perspective, my concerns are solely about new music releases, and their availability, in a viable format down the road. Given the propensity of the great unwashed masses of humanity who care nothing about sound, and who have filled Apple's coffers with untold wealth through buying unbearably deficient MP3 music, and playing it on their iPods, I can easily see the music corporations taking the path of easy sales and offering only MP3 as an alternative.
 
And it's not like this is only a music issue. The shocking numbers of people happy with streaming horrendous quality video from Netflix and others,instead of even dvd quality (much less Blu Ray) all point to a societal loss of the current standards for audio and video reproduction on the horizon.
 
JC
 
 
Originally Posted by LizardKing1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 
Op, take a deep breath:
 
CDs are not going away. At least not by 2012. And no one ever said you can't listen to your CDs, stop victimizing yourself. Do you have a CD players? Good. What about a transducer (headphones, speakers...)? That too? Good. Then you can listen to them. Apple won't tweak with electrical supplies so that only their iStuff can be powered.
 
However, CDs are being replaced by other digital means of data sharing. Read that again, please. No, I didn't say "OH NOES MP3 WILL REPLACE TEH CD!", I just said the way we share our music won't be driving up to your friend's house to hand him a CD, it will be online streaming, dropbox, that sort of thing. The music is still the same. You already listen to a digital format that unless you scratch the disc will remain exactly the same for decades. And even after the CDs you own will be eventually degraded (which would probably happen after you die), you could still *gasp* rip them into your computer! And that way your music will prevail for centuries, even millenia! Who knows, it could be used during Jesus' second coming! In all seriousness, what I'm saying is no studio will ever record in MP3, they will keep using WAV files, and lossless files will always be available. Right now MP3 is much more available than other formats, but that doesn't mean lossless won't be around.