[Laundrew]

I read an interesting article this morning with respect to E-book alleged price fixing and was pondering if the same could also happen to music sales. With many individuals predicting the demise of the CD, music downloading, aside from vinyl, will be the only format where an individual may purchase music. Instead of many retailers for example, selling CDs, you may only have a very few large entities selling downloaded music and with less competition prices could easily be inflated.

I also remember reading an article a year or so ago about E-books and if I remember correctly, the individual only purchases the license to read the book but does own it so they could not resell it after they have read it. Consider today if you have a used book or CD you no longer use, you have the option to sell them if you wish.

It is diffinately going to be very interesting in the years ahead with respect to music downloading and pricing. At this time I am happy with my CDs and perhaps a day may come when I go to a data player option, but at least I will still have my hard copies.

http://sync.sympatico.ca/news/e-book_price-fixing_alleged/e5fc198b

Be well...

[PRELUDE]

I won't be surprise if it will cost more.As far the greed drove them to this point and now they will have more opportunity to become greedier.I hold my CDs and buy more before they become history.

[sfraser]

My guess the price will go up or stay same as the record companies try to mask the fact that there actual cost is way lower. No manf. cost's, no distribution costs etc. etc. 

[Devil Doc]

I don't think CDs are going anywhere anytime soon. There's still plenty of customers in my way at my local record store. And besides, I learned a long time ago not to believe anything record companies tell me.

Doc

[Stu Pitt]

I don't think they'll go away for quite some time either, unless some new format comes along and totally wipes the floor with CDs.  I don't see that happening either.  CD isn't exactly 8 track.

I do think accessibility of buying CDs in person will dwindle significantly though.  Been to Best Buy lately?

Most stores that sell CDs are way overpriced, and I think they're pricing themselves out of the market.  FYE and Barnes &Noble sell the new Pink Floyd CDs for $17.99 or so.  Best Buy has them for $11.99.  FYE's saving grace for me was used CDs.   They jacked the prices up on those too.   Why buy a used CD for $9 when Best Buy has a new copy for $10?  Same can be said for movies.  How they're still in business and why people continue to shop there is beyond my comprehension.  It's not like they offer extraordinary service.

I think Amazon or a similar place will have CDs for a very long time.  I'd imagine they currently dominate the market anyway.  Best Buy has a lot of titles online for pretty good prices, but I never think of checking them out when buying.

If we go to a download only system, I'd like to see the artists offer this themselves from their own websites.  A lot of them currently sell concert downloads through their websites, so why not studio albums as well?

Check out livemetallica.com to see what I'm talking about.  You can download in mp3 or FLAC, and you can download CD labels, cover art, etc.  only a matter of time before an artist who offers this's contract ends and they say screw the record companies.

[JfTM]

CD’s are dead man walking
Unfortunate, but true.

The allure of cheap online distribution of MP3s is huge for new bands. 
Why would they incur the expense of making physical media (CDs)? 
Doing that requires inventory = capital = money they don’t have.
Why would they provide quality beyond MP3?  That’s where the market is.

I’m not sure it makes any difference, but I buy as many CD’s as possible from the artists websites.  Hoping they’ll keep feeding (at least) the full rez market.