For the First Time in Years, CDs and Vinyl Outsold Digital

[boscy]

March 23, 2018

For the First Time in Years, CDs and Vinyl Outsold Digital Music Downloads

For the first time since 2011, CDs and vinyl have eclipsed digital downloads in terms of recorded music sales.

[Choco]

Makes sense. Digital downloads are becoming more irrelevant every day. Once you have an internet connection there aren't a lot of reasons to go for the more expensive format (downloads), over streaming.

[Gary]

CDs are not growing, this is still declining

Vinyl is the only physical format on the rise because well, after bottoming out a few years ago, it had no where to go but up

[getoffmylawn]

I've actually bought more CD's the past year than I have since around 2008. I just prefer the sound quality, so if I enjoy something that I'm streaming I go out and buy it.

[jenglisbe]

Who’s still buying CDs? “The Walmart customer,” says Glass, adding that sales are still strong in “country, greatest-hits, soundtracks and baby records.” In the country world, Chris Stapleton’s second LP sold an impressive 373,000 physical releases last year. CDs are also doing fine in some international markets – in Japan, where streaming has been slow to take off, 72 percent of last year’s music sales were physical.

www.rollingstone.com/music/news/owning-music-buying-vinyl-cds-downloads-streaming-w521504

[House Lannister]

I think it might be similar to why people still buy DVDs and Blu-Ray instead of relying on streaming.

There's something about owning a CD or album that you can't replicate online.

[forg]

Japan makes their CD a true fan merchandise, it's not just plain CD.

[🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲]

Jun 16, 2018 20:13:19 GMT -5 forg said:

Japan makes their CD a true fan merchandise, it's not just plain CD.

Very true. I like the OBI strips that come with the CD packaging.

[forg]

Also, the fandom of the idol groups and JPop stars are very devoted and the record labels and management have wisely used the physical media to capitalize on that

[bat1990]

I don't miss CDs. Vinyl and Japanese imports hold more weight and more of an experience and the convenience of streaming takes the cake.

If I really want to support an artist, I buy a digital copy of an album to give them some extra coinz.

[SHOOTER]

My CD collection is too extensive for me to stop now plus my BOSE stereo isn't wireless so I play CDs frequently and if I'm going to pay $9.99+ for a full project, I want the full package.

[Push The Button]

I still buy CDs for those artists I am live or die fans of. They're just collectors items at this point.

[owenlovesmusic]

I used to collect CDs. Back around 8 years ago before streaming took over. Have hundreds now that I haven't touched in years. I do collect Vinyl records though. I love the sound quality and its fun to collect them.

[Naos]

I'd prefer a CD. I stream a lot moreso for financial convenience, but I like to get a physical CD once in a while. Like someone said, even if the content is similar, there's just something about it. And this is coming from someone who essentially grew up with streaming platforms. I like the album art, which becomes little and tiny on my phone. I like possibly the art on the CD. Japanese imports I get often add a bit more and I do like that. Downloads are so boring. Click of a button, there you go! At least when I go listen to YouTube I get a video.

[owenlovesmusic]

Are vinyls at an all time high for sales?

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

As a percentage of market share?

[Deleted]

Jul 1, 2018 23:33:22 GMT -5 owenlovesmusic said:

Are vinyls at an all time high for sales?

Not even close.  Remember, vinyl was to the 60s/70s what the CD was to the 90s.  However, vinyl records are selling at their highest level since the CD dominated 25 years ago.  And vinyl sales are 7x what they were 10 years ago.

Still, I also read that vinyl is currently only 2.5% of total consumption.  

[Deleted]

Jul 2, 2018 7:38:29 GMT -5 YourFaveIsAFlop said:

As a percentage of market share?

It's based on revenue from vinyl vs. digital downloads.

[His Holiness]

As someone who travels and indeed moves a lot (and someone who doesn't have a record player or even a CD drive on my laptop), I don't buy physical CDs any more. I still like owning music and that's why I still buy digital music.