RSSThe Last CD I Ever Bought
Jul 12
A few weeks ago, I bought what I declared to be my last compact disc ever! It felt like a pivotal moment for me as a music consumer because I finally declared myself free of the physical and embraced the digital wholly.
I am a voracious music consumer; live shows, compact discs, digital tracks, even the occasional tour t-shirt. Philosophically, I’ve never balked at paying for music, but I still look for the value in what I’m buying. The value of the music is itself inherent but the music industry has long tried to convince consumers to value the packaging at least as much. Compact discs used to be works of art (as were music videos at one time) when cds were valued as an enhancement of the music experience.
Digital sales wiped out the presentation aspect of cds (even if downloads do come with the album artwork) in exchange for a cheaper price point. It created a new model for music distribution that eroded the artistic value of the compact disc and at the same time, provided an easier mode for sharing the music without paying for it (remember the days of mixtapes?) The net effect? The value of music is being judged solely on how good it is.
In way, it’s a great thing, and I think the artists themselves would agree. The problem though is that the music industry on a whole hasn’t figured how to continue to be profitable and still embrace the new era of change. And ironically, though compact disc sales are slumping, digital sales, despite modest growth, still only represent 5% of music sales annually. So how are consumers getting their music?
It’s a question that the record companies have been grappling unsuccessfully with for at least half a decade. Remember when the RIAA -- Recording Industry Association of America -- was suing consumers for piracy? A the time, the move sounded like a bad joke; and it stank of a desperation tactic. Worse, the lawsuits had zero impact on music piracy and did little more than confirm what everyone had already agreed upon in the first place: the record companies (and in some cases, the musicians) owned the music. The consumers had no problem owning up to it; they just weren’t paying for it anymore.
More recently, pile on the overpricing of concert tours, and it’s worth asking: how are consumers getting their music fix?
There are some obvious answers. Pandora is still free, as is radio (both internet and more traditional airwaves). Music file sharing is still happening. Artists are more cognizant of how giving away free music can be a useful promotional tool (not for nothing, but the record company has been slow to figure it out). But does it have to be free to get people to listen?
I’m no more sure of the answer than the record companies, so I can only look at my own experience as a music consumer. I will only buy a compact disc for an album that I’ve already heard. If I know I like the music, I’m more than willing to pay for the disc itself (and that has been true for years, not just recently). I actually rarely buy complete digital albums (occasionally if I deem the “bonus tracks” worth buying the whole album, I’ll go for it) so most of my music consumption is individual digital tracks. So in fact, my consumption habits fairly accurately reflect the overall consumer trends of the music industry. My digital purchases: maybe 10% of my overall purchases. My compact disc purchases: down (way down) from 10 years ago. And the rest of my music consumption are tracks I come across in the course of my day to day, either shared from friends or heard on the radio or offered free directly from the artist.
Despite my intention to stop buying cds, the truth is, my habits haven’t changed. If I know the music, buying the compact disc is worth it to me. Otherwise, I am perfectly comfortable seeking out individual digital tracks, either free or purchased as the opportunity presents itself.
I recognize that the music industry is facing a lot of pressure from consumers like me because not that long ago, I was the type of person supporting the existing business model. But that model is busted and I just don’t see what is going to replace it. The truth is, despite a few music purchases here and there, I’m just not buying it anymore. And from what I can tell, neither is anyone else.
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Andrew Marx is the author of Thank You is Implied: The Annotated Smart ReMarx, a collection of essays from his 17-year writing career, annotated with new commentary, anecdotes and the occasional apology.
