News

Saturday Deluxe / 10 February 2018

By Paul Sinclair

Comments

109

Best Buy ditch CDs

Bad news for our friend and humble servant, the CD. Best Buy in America has announced that it will stop selling them from July this year.

The retailer used to be a dominant force in music retail in the US, but the breadth of their range has been declining for a long time. Like Walmart and Target, they would sometimes do ‘exclusive’ versions of albums –  a good example being Duran Duran‘s 2011 physical version of All You Need Is Now which featured a couple of exclusive bonus tracks. The chain will still sell vinyl for a least a couple of years, but these will be sold next to turntables, similar to Urban Outfitters. Target themselves, while not abandoning the CD, have told their suppliers they will only continue to take them on a ‘consignment’ basis, which means they don’t take the hit for unsold inventory.

Quincy Jones

The must read interview this week – apart from my own with Roxy Music‘s Andy Mackay – is David Marchese’s conversation with Quincy Jones over at Vulture.com. It’s rather astonishing, with Jones not holding back on his opinions: Michael Jackson was “greedy” and “stole a lot of stuff” (i.e. songs), The Beatles were “the worst musicians in the world” and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sings and plays like Hendrix. Apparently.

Head over to Vulture.com and prepare to be astonished.

SDE ChartWatch

Simple Minds enter the UK album chart at number four with Walk Between Worlds. Great result for the band who score their highest charting album since Good News From The Next World peaked at number two back in 1995. I’d love to know how many fans bought multiple copies via the official store.

Also, despite the complaints over the cost price, Universal may feel vindicated when they saw the reissue of Roxy Music‘s debut enter the chart at number 48. Apparently it sold a little more than 2000 units, which on the face of it sounds quite modest, but if we assume those figures are largely made up of the super deluxe edition, then that equates to close to a quarter of a million pounds in retail value sold by the end of week one.

Wedding anniversary

Duran Duran‘s The Wedding Album is 25 years old! Check back to SDE tomorrow for an in-depth feature: Remembering The Wedding Album which examines the success of the record and puts it into some context within the band’s career.

SuperDeluxeEdition.com helps fans around the world discover physical music and discuss releases. To keep the site free, SDE participates in various affiliate programs, including Amazon and earns from qualifying purchases.

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109 Comments

109 thoughts on “Saturday Deluxe / 10 February 2018”

  1. Well….here’s the the thing I’ve noticed: if people want physical music, they opt for vinyl. If they want digital, they go for iTunes / Google Play.

    It IS possible to like and get digital music, that ISN’T streaming.

    My computer is my “main stereo. I rip CDs to it”, and they just mostly sit on the shelves afterwards. Because of that, I hardly get CDs anymore. Also, around the late 2000s – early 2010s, CDs have been so badly packaged it’s silly. No, I don’t want my disc to SLIDE out of something, thank you very much.I get the whole eco-friendliness thing, but come on: cases are supposed to protect discs, not damage them JUST by taking them out and putting them back in. I’ve opted to get which albums I’ve wanted via iTunes (say what you want about Apple, I’ve had an iPod in 2007, and have stuck with the brand ever since. For me, it works). Plus, usually (but not always) a digital album release happens before the CD counterpart, and the cost is easier on the wallet.

    oh, and I’ve got vinyl as well, though purchases on THAT are usually reserved for my fav FAV music (much like how and why some book buyers get hardback as well as paperback). So…I choose my battle.s For instance, I wouldn’t get Mothership by Led Zep through iTunes: I’ve got the vinyl edition.

    I hope my comments offered some insight as to what type of music listener I am, and why.

  2. I haven’t read through all the comments (and ignoring any debates about Vinyl vs. CD) there’s something about CD vs. Streaming/ downloading that people don’t mention: streamed music can disappear at the whim of the rights holder. (Equally downloaded music certainly used to have licence issues and, of the less than 20 downloads I’ve made, at least 3 have since ceased to play due to licence restrictions.)

    Imagine in 5-10 years time – everybody’s dumped their CDs, vinyl, and cassettes and relies solely on streaming – and then, for example, Kate Bush finds God, she decides all her back catalogue is tainted or evil, then removes them from all streaming services…. there’d just be the first 3 albums left available. Or perhaps Bryan Ferry manages to massively offend UMC and to punish him they remove all Roxy Music and Ferry tracks.

    Obviously pretty far-fetched except… in April 2016 Radiohead pulled a vast chunk of their back catalogue from streaming services. Have all those tracks returned?

    Streaming services fundamentally change the power balance between company/ artist and consumer: effectively returning to an almost pre-Modern idea of being allowed to enjoy the music for as long as the artist or company feel you are fit, proper or worthy to do so.

    Streaming is like a CD or LP that the copyright holder is allowed to enter your home and take back at any time they like.

    (Although I’m not sure I’d be too unhappy if Kate Bush came round my home! Mr. Yorke might be a bit of a downer – perhaps a good strong cupper and chocolate biscuit might cheer him.)

  3. I agree with the other SDE bloggers assertion that the recording industry is trying to force the phase-out of compact discs. The industry did the same thing with vinyl records back in the early 80’s, leaving the consumer no choice, but to buy CDs or cassettes. Now, with younger people more interested in the portability of their music using smart phones and mp3 players, I believe the physical product being released is aimed at older music fans in their 40’s and 50’s who prefer to listen to their music at home on superior sound equipment. Additionally, this older demographic is loyal to recording artists they grew up with, are willing to dedicate their undivided attention to an album played at home on superior playback equipment and, most importantly, have the means (or at least the willingness) to invest in SDE box sets and remastered vinyl. I feel sorry for new artists trying to get established in the market place and build a wide fan base, since it appears record executives are becoming more unwilling to promote them. Sadly, this paradigm shift is resulting in many new talented musicians and performers ending up as a one-time ‘flash in the pan’, if their lucky to even get that.

  6. I don’t own a CD player, vinyl and streaming only.
    Streaming for playlists and checking out new music, vinyl my main purchase and listening format.
    All working well until last weeks Roxy Music SDE, nothing to play the discs on :-(
    Apart from that I don’t miss not having a CD player and haven’t bought CDs in years.

  7. Here in Belgium and France, we still have FNAC and Media Markt stocking a large selection of CD’s and not only the most popular or commercial titles. Media Markt in downtown Brussels now has a larger area for vinyl than for CD’s which is remarkable knowing that Media Markt is mostly a white goods/computer store. It also comes down to the guys behind the counter who have a good musical knowledge. Trend is towards independent shops selling a mix of new and second hand records with a focus on vinyl but also selling CD’s. With the declining numbers (minus 18.5% in the US and minus 20% in the UK last year), CD’s from major labels will disappear by 2020/2021 but I believe that CD’s from smaller labels might still be released if pressing plants still run. I’m also in favour of indie labels and artist selling directly from their web sites and earning more money than by selling through Amazon.

  8. Not sure I understand on what you’re basing your assumption of 2000 sales for Roxy being majority superdeluxe? What about the vinyl? And the 2CD version was going for £12.99 in many places on release week, surely that would have tempted a hefty amount of people? Especially those in store, who could physically see the nice quality 2CD packaging, and might have presumed they were getting some new, “definitive” remaster to boot, as the packaging says nothing about the fact the main album 1999 CD master is what’s inside.

  9. I really worry that the “death of the CD” is more of a self-fulfilling prophecy than it is an actual, organic event. The line keeps being repeated again and again–“no one wants CDs”– so stores cut back on their floor space for them. But when I stand in line at stores or shop in these sections, I don’t see the evidence to back it up that “no one wants CDs.” In fact, I tend to see quite a few people who are frustrated that they can’t find the CDs they are looking for.

    While it would seem that CD sales are down in the US, most indicators are that people in non-urban areas prefer physical media. But those are the places that are least likely to have independent record stores, and so buyers rely in large chains. but the chains are cutting out their shelf space. At the same time, many rural areas don’t have access to high-speed internet, so streaming music isn’t a very viable option. So what are you supposed to do if you don’t live in a major metropolitan area? (Hello Amazon.)

    I would rather buy my music in a brick-and-mortar store. But the closest independent retailer is over an hour’s drive from my house. In town, I have my choice of Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, and FYE. The manager at FYE has told me repeatedly that she keeps asking for more stock for CDs and DVDs/Blu Rays because she can’t keep up with demand, but the corporate headquarters tells her there’s no point since there’s no market for it. She actually has numbers proving them wrong, and they still won’t send her the stock.

    On the anecdotal level, I talk to people all the time–not just fellow fanatics–who want physical copies, but it’s getting harder to find the players, and cars have begun phasing out CD decks. It feels like the industry really wants to push downloads on us, whether we want them or not–and why not? There’s no overhead for manufacture in that case. You upload it to a server, and it’s the same cost whether it sells ten copies or ten million–and all the more profit for corporate pricks who figure they can groom the market to buy whatever they want them to if it means more money in their pockets.

  10. Interesting article.
    I’m not at all concerned with bestBuy no longer carrying CDs as they were never my go-to shop. I’m more upset to learn of local, independent music suppliers closing than these big chains that dabble in music retail. If Urban Outfitters stop selling vinyl, it also wouldn’t phase me one bit.
    I believe the issue ultimately stems from the fact that the music industry no longer support any truly creative and uniquely talented artists.
    The industry sign and support those who are strategically formulated to a specific demographic and the majority of “product” that we are given represents the ultimate low end of music produced … and who would want to buy that? Download that one song from that flash in the pan artist and be gone with the physical product because the artist simply doesn’t have anything worthy of a purchase.
    Apart from already established acts that I have supported for years, I can’t recall that last time I purchased an album from a “new” artist. These super deluxe editions are pretty much what keeps the physical product afloat.
    On a side note, I used to work for HMV and I can honestly say that our “Top 30” wall (located near the entrance) was not at all an accurate representation as to the top selling CDs. The first 10 in the list would be specially marked down in price and placed there by companies who made a deal with HMV and decided to push a particular act to recoup their losses… so your average consumer walks over to check out the wall and says “wtf is this and why is it #1? never heard of it before but at $12.99 I will check it out” and then it sells. Not all the CDs that were flying off the shelves were on the Top 30 wall. It was all simply a ploy and marketing scheme.

  11. Dissapointing but not unexpected with Best Buy. As others have said, their CD section has been reduced multiple times over the last 5 years or so. While I didn’t rely on them for all my CD purchases, they would often have new releases on sale for a good price (most recently Liam Gallagher). Time was, they would stock new releases from such labels as Yep Roc and Matador…..now nothing like that at all. I’m fortunate that I have two GREAT independent record stores near my job and home, in which I frequent at least once a week.

  12. JB Hi-Fi here in Australia still has a really decent and sizable CD section divided into Alternative, Dance, Urban, Soundtrack, Various Artists, Jazz, 50s & 60s, and Pop. They don’t always get in the deluxe editions or individual releases I want but its clearly doing very well so I don’t think the CD is quite done yet.

  15. Agreed with the comments concerning the Roxy Music Deluxe box set. Pure greed and robbery by Universal and taking advantage of the hard core music fan. A great example of value for money on these deluxe reissues would be the way Robert Fripp has controlled the rights to all of the King Crimson material. Amazing Box sets that set an example when it becomes all about value for money as well as the focus on the music.

  16. I was saddened to see that Best Buy will stop selling CDs this summer. It’s my preferred way of listening to music.

    But word of advice for those millennium hipsters. Don’t expect vinyl to be around much longer either.

    It’s a niche product as well with more people streaming & listening to their iPhones than will ever buy a vinyl album.

  17. On the Quincy interview, what session was he at that Ringo was replaced by a session drummer?
    We know George Martin replaced him with Andy White on Love Me Do but I’ve never heard or read about him being replaced again , except by one of the Beatles .

        2. It does say.. there are some notes at the side which pop-up – “Jones arranged a version of “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing” for Starr’s 1970 solo debut album Sentimental Journey, which was produced by the Beatles’ frequent collaborator George Martin. The song, and album, are more than a bit gloopy.”

    2. The session(that Quincy Jones refers to) where Ringo was replaced by a sessionman was a session for Ringo’s early 1970’s album of standards, “Sentimental Journey”,specifically “Love is a Many Splendoured Thing”, for which Quincy Jones did the arrangement. The only Beatles recordings where drummers other than Ringo were used were “Love Me Do”(Version 2 from the “Please Please Me” album) & “Please Please Me”(Anthology version), both of which featured Andy White, “P.S. I Love You”(Andy White on wood blocks & Ringo on marracas) and four “White Album” selections which feature Paul McCartney on drums (“Back in The USSR”, “Dear Prudence”,”Martha My Dear” & “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?”)

  18. I can only speak from my small world in Calgary, Canada, but the Best Buys here are so overpriced on any CDs other than top 10, that it is insulting. Target came in and then left completely, but in their short stay, their CD prices were even higher. Both stores have/had disorganized stock, poorly displayed, and often not in any kind of order. And certainly hardly any stock, if at all, of non-hit titles. Canada has its own chain across the country now, Sunrise Records, that took over many of the abandoned HMV stores (yes, they left too). They, like HMV, are pushing movies and vinyl, but CDs seem to be an afterthought at best, though they do carry some of the more obscure releases, if inconsistently. Are store owners basing their stock levels on actual non-sale performance, or listening to the gloom and doom and creating their own lower sales? I would bet that if someone came in here with some money, and decided to replicate the stores we hear about in Europe (thanks Paul) they could make a real go of it.

    1. I’m guessing you haven’t stepped foot in a Best Buy in years if you think their CDs are overpriced, because they stopped selling CDs in Canada in 2016. I found this out on Black Friday of that year when one of the clerks laughed at me when I asked if they had the Prince singles collection.

  19. I live in Orlando FL and do all my physical CD shopping at my local thrift store for$0.99 each. Sad – There is supposed to be a decent record store approx 35 miles away on the other side of town where I usually don’t go. Never been there and I live here for 9 years.

  21. None of us will live forever, so even if CDs vanish (eventually) it just means picking over the vast second hand market and finally listening to all the stuff we bought and didn’t have quite enough time for, that should still keep us busy:) I discover plenty of ‘new’ stuff via my local charity shop, can’t go wrong at £2 a throw…

  22. I recently purchased the picture disc of the Simple Minds album and was unimpressed that there was no inner pvc sleeve to hold the disc. If you remove the shrink wrap, the playing surface is exposed and liable to be damaged if you don’t put the whole thing in an outer PVC sleeve. Might not seem a big deal to some, but something as basic as that should be a given (everyone else managed it) as I didn’t spend £25 on an ornament

  23. I live in San Jose, California. It’s about 50 miles south of San Francisco. In San Francisco, we have an Amoeba location (it was actually opened before Los Angeles) and in San Jose, we have an indie shop called Streetlight (slightly larger than, say, Sister Ray). There is a car park with 50 spots. I went today on a Saturday afternoon and couldn’t park. Why am I mentioning all of this? It can only mean great things that Best Buy, Target, etc. aren’t carrying CDs. I couldn’t care less about a mass produced Justin Timberlake album anyway. In my indie store, people still buy CDs (along with vinyl records). The resurgance of vinyl is what’s kept these stores busy, but CDs are still alive in these spots. Downloading and streaming are popular, but they’re most popular by the demographic that would buy things sold at BestBuy and Target and not at my indie shop. BestBuy would never carry the Roxy Music CD mentioned in this article. It’s Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Kendrick Lamar – and if you’re lucky Metallica. Kendrick Lamar is also massively popular in the indie shops. It’s wonderful news that these chains will stop carrying CDs because it means they’ll stop carrying music and the indie shop will have more power with the labels. My two cents.

    1. I don’t think it’s necessary to “dis” any particular artist referring to the Best Buy article, be it Justin Timberlake, Adele, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran or anybody else. These people may be successful for a reason, albeit not everyone likes them. Even if you don’t it’s not true that they are free of talent. That’s my two (Euro)-cents.

  24. Hi Paul, will there be a SDE of the “Wedding Album” by any chance? I am hoping so and if not maybe a reissue of some kind on vinyl or deluxe cd.

    I still remember the days when I used to drive over to the nearest Best Buy every Tuesday evening after work to purchase the new releases for that week, seems like a lifetime ago now. The world has changed so much and directly or indirectly we have all contributed to that in some fashion. Best Buy had a big hand in killing the “mom and pop” music stores and now Amazon has more or less done the same to them. I am not worried about them cause they will always find something else to “sell” – they never specialized in anything.

    I guess everyone who visits this site needs some breathing space to completely listen to their vast collections anyway :)

  25. In the same way that American hifi journalist Michael Fremer has been the main force (and public face) for the vinyl records revival, the Compact Disc format needs a similar person to lead the Compact Disc revival, and Paul Sinclair, you are the ideal man for the job. YOU ARE THE ONE!

    1. Exactly and that’s the key right there because if those big box stores see the success and expansion of those local independent shops, they themselves will expand their selection to take a piece of that pie. So shed no tears over BestBuy, Target, Walmart… ever! :)

  27. Wow, more money than sense for many on the Roxy set.I have yet to see one person quantify the content with price. I was mainly aghast at it because of the precedent it might set going forward. As a long time fan who has waited for deluxe treatment of their albums it’s shocking how it was produced. TFF and Simple Minds showed how to do these right by fans and make some money. It’s not even about having the money, I just couldn’t do it almost out of self respect. I would have bought every album by them deluxed out in the TFF style and price, now I won’t buy anything by them ever again.

  28. I suspect that while CDs of the latest acts (the ones that mainly appeal to those who stream music) may well die out, I doubt established acts with an older fan base will stop releasing them. These lucrative deluxe and super deluxe editions that this website celebrates will still be issued. The record companies would be shooting themselves in both feet (and indeed, their heads) if they stopped physical formats altogether. The likes of Sam Smith’s, Adele’s or Ed Sheeran’s latest albums might be streamable or downloadable only but we can live without their CDs, can’t we?

  29. I will always seek out physical product, and support those who provide it. I do hope blu ray audio gets another chance. As an aside, congrats to Saxon who hit the UK top 30 album chart this week for the first time since 1984! Be interesting to see where the new Judas Priest hits in March!

  31. I’ve definitely noticed a severe reduction in both quantity and attentiveness to the CD display at my local Best Buy. What was once multiple rows and excellent organization a few years ago has become a partial row and extreme disorganization now. It was like they didn’t care about CDs anymore so this announcement is absolutely no surprise to me. I order most of my CDs online now but I still get some at my local Barnes and Noble – I wouldn’t be surprised to see them follow suit in the near future. No matter as I will always love and collect CDs – I’ll just have to get them all online eventually.

    1. If Barnes and Noble spent as much money cleaning up their CD and music section as they did on the dead as a doorknob Nook, they’d be in great shape. B&N are now my go-to chain. The only other one left, FYE, has essentially become a dvd/tshirt/candy emporium. The smell from the candy is so strong it raises my blood sugar.

      Best Buy and Target used to be good, but others have noted above, their displays are now an afterthought, jumbled, and rather sad looking.

      Agreed with Philip Cohen above, we need a US CD champion.

  32. That was to be expected w Best Buy. They didn’t have any Best Buy only offerings anymore. Target going the same route I’m afraid. Their cd section is getting smaller and smaller.

    Im not bothered by my kids listening to streaming. That’s progress, things evolve. Their kids will be listening to music a different way again. What I am fearing though is that listening to high quality music output will become a thing of the past. Listening to Depeche Mode in 5.1 now. Nothing better than 5.1. but todays 5.1 offerings are extremely small. They couldn’t even bother to put a 5.1 mix in the Tango In The Night SDE! Im trying to buy some albums on Blu-Ray and SACD and you have to be careful what you buy because many are in 2.0 in stead of 5.1. I wish they would release more multichannel media.

  33. Can’t wait for the DD article! The Duran website did a great in depth article with comments from the band & other key players in the making of the album a few years back. It’s a fantastic album & a all singing all dancing reissue boxset is long overdue. 1st time I saw them live was the subsequent tour & they were brilliant!

  34. Of greater alarm to CD collectors is the news that America’s two biggest CD pressing plants are set to cease operations by mid-2018. They are CINRAM(Formerly WEA Manufacturing in Olyphant,Pennsylvania) & Sony’s DADC(Digital Audio Disc Corporation), formely CBS Records in Terre Haute,Indiana.

    1. That IS much bigger news. Although when I look at the CD purchases I still make, most of them nowadays are imports or released on independent labels in the US, and the market for those (and outlets selling them) aren’t really going anywhere quite so soon.

    1. That one has some BS in it in the GQ interview. The story about Prince, Michael Jackson & James Brown performing on the same stage. Quincy said Michael Jackson said that Prince tried to run him over in his car that night. Not true. Jill Jones who was in Purple Rain was with him that night & said it did not happen.

  36. Thank you Jakob. Your comment on Best Buy nailed it. As for Quincy Jones dissing The Beatles, all he ever did was produce Thriller, & that made his ego so large it led him to believe his opinions on music actually matter.

    But WTF do I know?, I’m just a fan..

    2. “…all he ever did was produce Thriller”

      ah, you may want to just check QJ’s wikipedia page before proclaiming your ignorance for all to read.

  39. The Quincey interview, is one of the best, interesting and informative piece I have read in not just years, but decades, he has nothing to loose, so tells it like it is. He is probably the most diversely experienced musician/producer alive to day, he has seen it all.

  40. The reality is Best Buy quit selling CD’s years ago, the selection in most stores was reduced to a couple small racks instead of the rows they used to occupy. Sorry I don’t like streaming I like something to hold and own. I used to be a regular at B.B. now rarely go, likely 90% less than when they had a real selection. Likely will rarely go now.

  41. In reality Best Buy over here quit selling CD’s years ago, the selection has been extremely limited for several years, same for Target and other mass retailers. I likely cut my visits to Best Buy by 90%, soon to be almost never.

  42. Best Buy over the last six years has shrunk their CD section 3 times – it is now about 10$ what it was in their heyday. As a buyer of older CDs I found that the small section doesn’t even get top-shelf reissues and deluxe editions like the Fleetwood Mac or Eagles albums. And if they do they never restock them.

    I used to buy 2-3 discs a week from Best Buy. I would still if they had ’em. But they haven’t served my demographic for years. Probably can’t blame ’em, but seems like us older folks are the ones who are the in-the-pocket buyers for hardcopy media.

  44. CD’s will exist as long as transports are made. Worry when they are not, because unlike turntables I doubt they can be made by smaller hi-fi makers. Most CD players / Blu-ray players are using transports made by the big boys anyway (my last Arcam was using a Sanyo transport).

      1. No, what use is a CD new or old if you have nothing to play them on? Think about the bigger picture, don’t be so naive. Electronics break, especially physically moving hardware like CD transports. Homebrew electronic experts can build DAC’s, but lasers and motors need special skills and manufacturing. Ebay will run out of second hand gear to buy eventually, and if there is no new stuff on sale then that 1000+ CD collection you have amassed is 100% worthless except as beer mats unless you have digitised it. We will be scewed, not because of pressing plants, but because we have literally nothing to play them on.

          1. We are not talking literally CD players here…. Yes some, but also games consoles, Universal players like the Oppo’s. We are talking about devices that play CD’s, and they all have transports in them. When streaming services gain more sales than UHD / BD discs, and CD sales decline further you don’t think the manufacturers will pull the plug on disc spinners? Look at car audio, how many cars now don’t include CD disc players. Game consoles too are starting to omit them. It is only a matter of time. I give it 5- 10 years max, then no more will be available. Get buying some spares for storing in the loft ;)

    1. Guess that is down to the beholder for me the first seven albums are ESSENTIAL the rest is still better than a lot of what is out there imho

  46. Are music buyers shopping at Best Buy (for music) though? I mean, I’ve been in their CD section before and since I’m not in the market for Avril Lavigne, Michael Buble, Kieth Urban, P!nk, or One Direction (no disrespect to any of those artists), there was nothing for me to buy. Their curation seemed solely aimed at the streaming market, not the CD buying market.

  47. Sad to hear about CDs being ditched from Best Buy. Coincidentally I got an email today from a new band called Loma who I am interested as Jonathan Meiburg is involved from Shearwater. They are encouraging preorders, which currently stand at about 600 worldwide and the albums out next week.
    Makes me think how unsustainable all this is. The other thing for me is like last night, I started my music session with Future Islands and the National and honestly, they are so compressed you may as well be listening to a one box type streaming system.
    Then I stuck Love’s Forever Changes on after the 50th announcement this week and it was like uncovering your ears. The music industry has certainly helped its own demise.

    1. Shearwater are my favourite “unknown” band in the world.They have produced a series of incredible albums of which their last Jet Plane And Oxbow is probably the best.I have never understood why they haven’t got to a Arcade Fire level of popularity.They are what U2 could have become if they hadn’t decided to play it safe after Pop.
      I had preordered the Loma album through Amazon UK on the strength of Melburg’s involvement.I received that email and was shocked by the tiny numbers of preorders.If someone who has been releasing outstanding music for 10 years has a following this small what is the future for new music?
      The Loma album is likely to be somewhere between good and great and I would encourage anyone to check out Shearwater.

      1. @Alan Blevin, totally agree with your comments. Discovering Shearwater via Winged Life was thanks to Uncut. In some ways, they have filled the gap and more left by Talk Talk / Mark Hollis for me. The tracks on Youtube from Loma sound fantastic.

  48. I grew up with Best Buy in Minnesota in the ’80s, when they were a local (maybe regional) chain on the rise, before their peak nationwide dominance. Used to be a good place to go for stereo equipment. These days, of course, their inventory for all audio hardware has been decimated. Seems like they only exist to sell TVs and maybe home theater equipment (not the same as a good music-oriented stereo system). Sadly, Best Buy and other chain store retailers helped put a lot of independent audio/video stores out of business during the ’80s and ’90s. So I don’t feel too bad for Best Buy in their current predicament.

    Also, I very rarely bought CDs there. I would go to an independent music store first, and maybe Tower Records if needed. My primary concern these days is that Amazon dominates the online market for CD sales. It’s nice to find an independent retail store that cares about music, but I don’t visit these stores enough to find what I need. I should shop more at CD Universe, and maybe Discogs. Anyone else have a favorite non-Amazon web site or two?

    2. By far, the best online music store is importcds.com (for both cds and vinyl). Best prices for both domestic and import releases, fast service, secure packaging. Been using it for years and never had a problem. I’m in the USA and buy lots of imports from British labels. For example, I just pre-ordered Cherry Red’s cd reissue of Felt’s “Strange Idols Pattern…” and saved over $15 (total cost $32.38 including shipping) than compared to Amazon pre-order. And it’s tax-free, unlike Amazon. Only drawback is that shipping can get costly if u go on a spree ($1.50 handling per order, plus $1.50 per cd in that order). For rare and out-of-print stuff, I prefer Discogs over Ebay (tho I use both) – more trustworthy and reliable, reduces risk of counterfeit items.

    3. 1. http://www.cdjapan.co.jp They have the most exquisite packaging! And they list the exclusive, Japan only bonus tracks. Shipping is actually quite reasonable, too.
      2. https://www.dustygroove.com Soul music! Blues! Psychedelia! The Girl Group Sound! Classic reissues! Vintage Pop! And they provide wonderful information to each release.
      3. http://www.musicstack.com/ Some of the rarest music in my collection came from here. Very reasonable prices, comparative to Discogs.
      I hope this helps out!

    4. Juno.co.uk.
      Shopped with them for nearly 20 years, spent more on their products than any other single business.
      They stock EVERYTHING and their prices and postage are very competitive, plus I’ve never had any problems – and I’m talking about orders on average once a fortnight for all that time.
      They’re simply the best.

  50. This is sad news but I am not surprised. All of us here reading this site love to by physical but the wider world doesn’t share our passion. All my friends stream or mp3 and would never buy a CD.

    Even I buy fewer and fewer, only new albums when they come out, and obviously an SDE reissue or two.

    I heard Capitol music were ditching CD by the end of the decade. I look forward to the CD-revival in 2040.

    1. I’ve cut down on SDE’s too. 12 months ago I’d have bought the deluxe version of Wilco’s ‘Being There’ but it’s on Spotify and given how little I listen to demos and live versions of songs on deluxe editions, I just checked it out on Spotify instead now. It’s good value for a tenner a month, cuts out the clutter of box sets and saves a small fortune in the procees.

  51. Best Buy has been setting themselves up for CD elimination for years; I’m surprised it took this long to make it official. The presentation and organization of CDs at any of their stores is in such disarray that with only a quick glance you can tell it won’t even be worth your time to look for anything. Should you try anyway, unless it was something basic just released in the last few months, you won’t find it.

    Did they indicate anything about online CD sales ending, as well? I’d be surprised to hear the change go that far.

    1. From what I have heard, CDs are being eliminated from stores only. Over time, BB has become more conservative about what it stocks in stores, so most CDs it sold would be available for shipping only. Not much of a change, really, at this point.

  52. I was in New York in November for the first time and the Best Buys were one of the things I wanted to go to . I was in about four of them and if you asked the staff a question they just glazed over they didn’t have a clue and had no interest. They are now lime Curry’s or PC world in that they sell players and tv’s (I like films too a 4K Ultra guy they were clueless on that too) but dont care about music or films was so disappointed. A lot of us like the indie shops more than say HMV but at least the staff are interested and tend to be a bit more clued up

    1. Neil – not surprised by your Best Buy experience. They have notoriously poor customer service. They don’t pay enough to attract knowledgeable and attentive employees (except for maybe Geek Squad, but that’s for computers only). You might as well be shopping at a supermarket.

    2. “but dont care about music or films was so disappointed. A lot of us like the indie shops more than say HMV but at least the staff are interested and tend to be a bit more clued up”

      What sort of things did you need to know or need help with that you couldn’t find online or didn’t already know? I sometimes get asked by HMV staff if I need any help but apart from telling me if something’s in stock, there’s very little that a 16-17 year old kid can tell me that I don’t already know about music or film.

  53. I don’t mind the end of CD. Let’s face it, it should already have been replaced by DVD and/or Blu Ray. Blu should be as good, or better than Vinyl.

    However, I’ll demand physical product. If the labels do away with it, then it’s simple – I’ll pirate the music. I won’t pay for digital files. I’ve never done it, and won’t. Either the industry provides me with the product I want, or the deal is off.

    I’ve been buying music for more than 40 years – I’m happy to continue paying for what I enjoy. But there are limits.

    2. The issue is rather no one goes to Best Buy to browse CDs or pick up a CD as an impulse buy. Maybe this is a testament to the resurgence of independent record stores, which previously were undercut by the likes of Best Buy. Just desserts.

  54. If new cds are dying out then the bottom is going to drop right out of the second hand market bar a few collectables. I popped into a local charity shop yesterday and all cd’s where 5 for 99p! So I bought 30 for 6 quid, some unknown just to try.

  55. Quincy’s comment about The Beatles can be taken as a legitimate response to the question “What were your first impressions of the Beatles?”. He met them very early in their career and he was a Jazz guy. Honestly those first two albums are not my personal favorites either, and I love the Beatles. Ringo was a keep time drummer and not a Jazz drummer like Charlie Watts. So for a complex song with a Jazz beat, yeah, I think that was probably true, cruel and unkind, but interesting to hear. Wow, Marlon Brando, James Baldwin. Richard Pryor. Marvin Gaye – nobody was spared!

    1. The Beatles are my all-time favorite group, but I don’t think that anyone ever listened to them for instrumental technical virtuousity. The vocals and songs were The Beatles’ strengths.
      As for Ringo’s album of standards (“Sentimental Journey”), the album cover never claimed that Ringo played drums on it. And the one rejected (but bootlegged) song from those sessions (a version of “Stormy Weather” in some bizzare time signature), it shows that session drummers weren’t infallable either. The drummer tries to get too fancy and jazzy with his fills and stumbles several times, rendering the recording (officially) unreleasable, though Ringo did attempt a vocal.

      1. It’s kind of amusing that Quincy made those comments, but as a fellow Beatles fanatic I’m hardly outraged… who really cares what he thinks anyway? He’s had a great career too and I certainly don’t feel like I need to attack him in response, as a few people here have. The Jackson comments were the most interesting. Jones wasn’t happy at Jackson not being fair about songwriting credits, but not so unhappy that he’d actually make a stand and walk off the job!

  56. We bought a second hand car this week and it had a 4 CD autochanger in it. At work on Monday I was talking to a fellow teacher and proudly stated this fact. My students, every single one of them, was astonished. Not one of them had ever bought or owned a CD.

    That made me very sad…..

    And now this story.

    They will have to prise the physical music out of my desperate hands, and I HATE the way this is going. Music is and always has been about soul, about passion, about beauty and art.

    How can digital files and unlimited streaming every be about those things?

    I look at my 18 month old daughter, who already jumps up to dance the second she hears some music, loves looking at album covers and just adores music (big Queen fan).

    What is her music future going to be like?

    1. Andrew, since my daughter was about 4 she began watching pixar movies… and discovered ‘the minions song’ (Got to get you into my life) and more recently was really excited that we had been singing ‘Blackbird’ in the car for the last year and now she witnessed it in the movie – Boss Baby. The music will definitely live forever… not only Beatles tunes – Stevie Wonder’s ‘Don’t you worry ’bout a thing’ from Sing was a thing last week in our house.
      I bought her the Moana soundtrack record /vinyl (quite good); but she only ever picks it up to look at it. So I understand your concern about format.
      I must admit that a lot of music in our house is through Youtube – despite the awesome record collection and turntable in the kitchen/diner.
      Cheers.

    2. Music is about music, not the format…i don’t listen to a great track on the radio and think…if thats being played digitally i’m switching this off….Labels wanted us hooked on physical formats..cos they were harder to steal and made more profit…i love to stream…the quality can be higher than cd (Tidal Masters or Quoboz) and if i really like an album i will buy it on Vinyl.

  58. CDs have all but disappeared from Tescos, Sainsburys and Asda and all three of them have far fewer DVDs available now. Physical media is dying. You’ll still get box sets though. Despite being a niche market, I suspect it’s still a lucrative one. I also think the vinyl revival will remain buoyant for a few more years yet.

  59. If QJ was seeking publicity, he certainly got it. I’ve seen this interview advertised everywhere over the internet. He sounds like a grumpy, embittered old man, really. Full of you-know-what. His jibe at the Beatles just smacks of pure envy. He should start a blog and publish his opinions, social media is full of haters.

  61. I’d noticed on USA visits that Urban Outfitters had a decent and varied new vinyl offering (also a handful of tapes) although the turntables tend to be of the Crosley variety. However, based on recent visits to their main store on the Las Vegas Strip, where they used to have nearly the whole ground floor dedicated to the vinyl, they then moved it to fill the smaller mezzanine floor, and now they have just one tiered flipper unit mixed in with the clothes sales area. So, either sale-or-return isn’t working for them, or any vinyl downturn/saturation is hitting bricks’n’mortar outlets first it seems. On a semi-related note, 2 of Glasgow’s HMV stores (in the busier out-of-town shopping centres) shut at the end of January, so appears HMV’s belt-tightening isn’t complete yet.

  62. Best Buy no longer selling CDs is no great loss. For the last few years, their selection has become more and more limited. They are no longer contributing much to either CD sales or their customers’ CD collections. Same goes for Target.

  63. Best Buy Mexico already stopped selling them like 4 years ago… and i guess it will stop selling dvds and blurays this year too. Anyways here in Mexico we still have the music stores Mixup (Tower records equivalent) so the format is not going anywhere here.

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