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Predictions

by Mike Masnick

Thu, Jan 15th 2004 10:30am





The End Of The CD Single

from the what-a-surprise dept

It seems that an article like this shows up every few months, where folks in the record industry complain about the impending "death" of the CD single - and then go on to blame it on music downloading. You get the feeling, these days, that the recording industry doesn't need to try very hard to blame just about anything on downloading. First of all, who actually buys singles any more? They usually had one to four songs, and still cost almost as much as a full CD. It was a marketing problem, where the industry refused to price singles properly which is why very few people were buying them in the first place. Besides, my impression of the single was that it was solely intended as promotional material for the full album (despite the idiotic pricing). Looking at CD single sales as representative of just about anything isn't of much value.

9 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  

    Collectibility of CD single declined.

    identicon
    Phil, Jan 15th, 2004 @ 11:23am

    I buy CD singles when bands put unrelased tracks on them that I do not get on the full length CD. Without these unreleased, rare, or live tracks, there is no value in these CD singles. In the 90's, British band Oasis, would release 2 or 3 unreleased tracks on every CD single and, as a result, I purchased every cd single. There is a market out there if they are done right.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    Re: Collectibility of CD single declined.

    identicon
    Gregory Kennedy, Jan 15th, 2004 @ 12:20pm

    Great Point. That was exactly why I would buy a CD single in the Past as well.


    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    Re: Collectibility of CD single declined.

    identicon
    Michael Armstrong, Jan 15th, 2004 @ 2:07pm

    Sadly, this doesn't seem to happen as often lately. More often than not, the single has 3-5 different versions of the same song.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Re: Collectibility of CD single declined.

    identicon
    eeyore, Jan 16th, 2004 @ 5:28am

    Bingo. I've bought one CD single in the last ten years and it was for exactly that reason, unreleased tracks. And it seems like the only two music genres that are well represented by CD singles are hip-hop and C&W anyway.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    No Subject Given

    identicon
    bitchX, Jan 17th, 2004 @ 6:54pm

    The stuff that's out there now was around five years ago as well. I just tuned it out or switched the channel.

    Sales aren't down because people are downloading songs, they're down because they're expecting everyone to like R&B. Which is stupid. I don't like it. Never have. Never will.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  

    C.D Singles and Music Industry control

    identicon
    James Buchan, Mar 13th, 2004 @ 1:38am

    Its all about control.If you could purchase a single with the music video, the sales of singles would skyrocket.The music industry supports any artist who can come up with one half decent track and forces the public to purchase a CD full of rubbish because they have no alternative.The band then believe they are good at what they do and get rich in the process.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  

    CD Singles

    identicon
    Allan, Apr 21st, 2007 @ 12:58am

    I think it wold be an incredible shame to see the demise of the CD Single as it was the vinyl 7". In you buy your CD Single at Big W it only cost $3.84 these days, better than $18+ for the CD if you only like one song.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  8.  

    CD Singles

    identicon
    Allan, Apr 21st, 2007 @ 1:00am

    I think it wold be an incredible shame to see the demise of the CD Single as it was the vinyl 7". In you buy your CD Single at Big W it only cost $3.84 these days, better than $18+ for the CD if you only like one song.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  9.  

    The End Of The CD Single

    identicon
    Sydney, Feb 20th, 2009 @ 4:20am

    It's true! i think it would be an incredible shame to see the demise of the CD Single as it was the vinyl 7". In you buy your CD Single at Big W it only cost $3.84 these days, better than $18+ for the CD if you only like one song. Great post and i look forward to reading more! Sydney Online Dating

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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