Best Buy to stop selling CD's 6/1/18

[IndyMLVC]

https://consequenceofsound.net/2018/...ter-this-year/

A technologically obsolete medium that self-destructs over time? No wonder only 89 million CDs were purchased in all of 2017. Back in 2001, that number peaked at 800 million and many of those copies were sold by retail giants like Best Buy and Target. But as interest in physical discs has waned, so too has the amount of space these stores dedicate to such inventory. Soon enough, Best Buy will cease selling CDs altogether, while Target will ask record labels to front the costs, according to a new report from Billboard.

Come June 1st, Best Buy will no longer offer CDs in its retail stores. Physical music is only generating around $40 million in annual revenue for the company and executives would rather dedicate the floor space to more lucrative items, Billboard notes. Best Buy will continue to sell vinyl for at least the next two years, but titles will now be merchandised with turntables.

Meanwhile, Target is reportedly pressuring record companies into signing consignment agreements. Under such a scenario, the label would be required to purchase back any unsold inventory. Though Target only stocks 100 titles at any given time, it’s still responsible for a sizable chunk of sales. For example, last year Target moved 500,000 copies of Taylor Swift’s latest, Reputation. Even still, one major label has already turned down Target’s demands, while two others are undecided, according to Billboard.

[Gator66]

Originally Posted by IndyMLVC

https://consequenceofsound.net/2018/...ter-this-year/

Not surprising. While I still use physical cd's, it's only burned copies of purchased digital music. I don't think I've purchased a cd in-store in 3 or 4 years.

BTW....I really, really miss the good old days of browsing/buying in an actual record store (80's and before).

[Alister_M]

"Self destructs over time?" Uhh ok, maybe if you play Frisbee with them...

[bipbop13]

pathetic. Not that I bought many CD's from them. Just one less place for physical audio media.

[bandit29]

CD selection there has been pathetic for a few years. Now it's a disorganized mess in a very small section of the store.

I buy online or go to the music shop near my work.

[Nice Guy Eddie]

Originally Posted by bipbop13

Just one less place for physical audio media.

It's pretty awesome IMO, now there'll be even more room for washing machines, refrigerators and Star Wars toys.

[Zecter]

Originally Posted by Nice Guy Eddie

It's pretty awesome IMO, now there'll be even more room for washing machines, refrigerators and Star Wars toys.

Clearly they're making room for the brand new Stranger Things section.

[Petey Parker]

The CD section is pretty much a non-existent tiny shelf near the appliances at my local store. A huge change from when the music section occupied almost the entire front of the store.

[Promo_Cop]

Anyone who stills says physical media is not dying... wake up.

[Alister_M]

Originally Posted by Promo_Cop

Anyone who stills says physical media is not dying... wake up.

It's becoming an optional medium for people who actually care about quality. The ignorant masses can keep their streaming and lossy compression.

[bandit29]

Originally Posted by Alister_M

It's becoming an optional medium for people who actually care about quality. The ignorant masses can keep their streaming and lossy compression.

The only time I stream is outside in the summer when I'm drinking and grilling.

The Sony 5 disc changer from the mid 90s still gets regular use. It sat at the in-laws unused for years. Works great.

[Alister_M]

Originally Posted by bandit29

The only time I stream is outside in the summer when I'm drinking and grilling.

The Sony 5 disc changer from the mid 90s still gets regular use. It sat at the in-laws unused for years. Works great.

I just have a 14GB memory card in my phone. 320kbps mp3s are good enough for portable speakers outdoors. That way I can run the player while still Facebooking/texting/whatever

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by Alister_M

It's becoming an optional medium for people who actually care about quality. The ignorant masses can keep their streaming and lossy compression.

You do realize that downloadable lossless audio is a thing, right?

http://www.hdtracks.com/

https://bandcamp.com/

https://www.beatport.com/

http://tidal.com/us

[Alister_M]

Originally Posted by Steelmaker

You do realize that downloadable lossless audio is a thing, right?

Sure, if you can be bothered shelling out for all that extra storage space. I just like CDs, I like physical media in general, it's far more "real" than scrolling through a menu on my phone (which also happens to be a collosal pain in the ass when you have a large library). It's okay if I'm using my portable speaker at work or some random place, but at home or in the car, CDs rule.


Besides, data is far too easily lost through hardware failure or just good old corruption. I can see how someone living in a shoebox apartment would prefer it as a way to save space, but I don't have that issue so I don't need to make that compromise.

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by Alister_M

Sure, if you can be bothered shelling out for all that extra storage space. I just like CDs, I like physical media in general, it's far more "real" than scrolling through a menu on my phone (which also happens to be a collosal pain in the ass when you have a large library). It's okay if I'm using my portable speaker at work or some random place, but at home or in the car, CDs rule.


Besides, data is far too easily lost through hardware failure or just good old corruption. I can see how someone living in a shoebox apartment would prefer it as a way to save space, but I don't have that issue so I don't need to make that compromise.

Fair enough. You just seemed to insinuate that the only options were either lossless physical media or lossy/compressed digital. Not the case at all. You don't have to buy physical to get high quality music.

[thecooldud]

Originally Posted by Promo_Cop

Anyone who stills says physical media is not dying... wake up.

It's the high street that's dying, thanks to the internet. This really has little to nothing to do with physical media. I very rarely even use JB to buy DVDs or Blu rays, because they're cheaper to get online, and the internet always has things in stock somewhere.

[Moviefan2k4]

This is nuts; I much prefer CDs over any digital-exclusive format. The reason is simple: I don't trust companies to one day decide they should have control over my collection that I paid for, and start erasing files from my account on a whim. I'm the same way with books; give me a real one any day versus some tablet-only nonsense.

[Strilo]

I mean I buy 95% of my physical media on Amazon anyway, so...

[drb999]

Originally Posted by Strilo

I mean I buy 95% of my physical media on Amazon anyway, so...

Same for me. Most of the CDs I've bought were from Amazon. I think that the only CDs I've gotten from the physical Best Buy store in the past few years are the Star Wars soundtracks. The BB cd section is such a mess that it's impossible to find anything. No real loss here.

Question this is just in store, right? They will still sell them online? i do occasionally get CDs on like from BB.

[JamesOttoSweetHeart]

I prefer physical albums because then you have something for the singer to sign should you ever get to meet them.

God bless you always!!!

Holly