Is a CD release viable anymore?

[BrunoBass]

I’ve got a solo EP coming out in the new year. My plan all along was to release it digitally only, but I was asked yesterday if I was releasing it on CD too? I hadn’t considered it, as I didn’t really think it’d be viable to do so. Does anyone buy CDs anymore? 
 

I see the benefit of having something to sell at gigs, but I rarely gig solo these days. Has anyone released a CD recently? Is it worth it / financially viable? Do people even want them? Do you still have boxes of the things gathering dust in your loft? 

[bassix]

I've literally been considering this point in the last few days. From my perspective, the rise in streaming has meant people buy less physical items but there does seem to be a special place for records now. The costs incurred for recording are relatively high so it's always nice to be able to claw back that cost where possible. 

[chris_b]

The better bands I play with always have CD's for sale on the gig. Most of them have several and one guy also has a VHS video. He was planning a Vinyl album, but I think that idea has been shelved for the moment.

[Dad3353]

I've bought several BC-members works, but always in physical form. I've never bought anything in 'streaming' form, mainly 'cos I'm old and set in my ways. 

[chris_b]

2 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

I've bought several . . . . . . but always in physical form.

This. I don't buy many these days, but I always buy the CD. I like to hold my music.

[mcnach]

1 hour ago, BrunoBass said:

I’ve got a solo EP coming out in the new year. My plan all along was to release it digitally only, but I was asked yesterday if I was releasing it on CD too? I hadn’t considered it, as I didn’t really think it’d be viable to do so. Does anyone buy CDs anymore? 
 

I see the benefit of having something to sell at gigs, but I rarely gig solo these days. Has anyone released a CD recently? Is it worth it / financially viable? Do people even want them? Do you still have boxes of the things gathering dust in your loft? 

 

We sold our 1000 copies of our first CD (released in 2013)... it took us 5 years. Actually, we still have a box, so there's less than 30 left, but close to having sold all).

Then in 2015 we released our second. I think we've sold about 200, and given away another 200, roughly. We sell very few online. We sell far more download-only versions. The best place to sell them is at gigs. However we generally forget to bring them  which is why so few have been sold. We tried harder with the first one.

We're about to release another one, and we're considering not having physical copies. But we really like to have a physical copy, with the artwork etc etc. We may just get a lot fewer made, but the cost barely goes up between ordering 500 or 1000 copies... Commercially, however... we don't find they fly off the shelves exactly, so best if you have a good storage space  

I think it's still good to have some that you can give away. We want people to listen to us,even if we have to bribe them

Edited November 24, 2019 by mcnach

[SpondonBassed]

If I buy music I expect to get a little bit more than a collection of specifically arranged zeros and ones for my hard-earned.

I buy Blu-ray audio disc, DVD audio disc, CD and vinyl.  I sometimes download if it's free but I absolutely do not stream ever.  Even YT clips are downloaded so I can watch them with relatively little interference.

I may not be in your target audience however.

[Bassfinger]

I only buy CDs.

But I'm old.

[Lozz196]

We sell a lot of CDs, but the majority of the people who like our music are 40 plus. I think it’s the audience that determines the format of how the music should be sold, and up to the artists to realise that.

[miles'tone]

I only stream music now. The only place I could play a disc was in the car but our new car doesn't have a CD player, only Bluetooth, so that's that for me. 

Besides, even I can't scratch an mp3! 😄

Edited November 24, 2019 by miles'tone

[Bassfinger]

Mrs Bassfingers car eats your CDs and memorises them so you don't need the actual disc again.  It also connects to the home WiFi so it can have your audio collection off the computer indoors.  It'll also play mp3s via Bluetooth etc.

It also updates its own software with Volvo overnight via the WiFi.  Talk about Big Brother.

But when I'm in it I still filch the CD out of my car and slip in in the slot in the dash.  Doesn't get simpler than that.

[ambient]

Definitely. Cassettes are extremely popular too. I’ve released two cassettes, one through my own label, the other through another label that only releases on cassette. What I did with CDs; to help keep the price down was have some CDRs printed with really nice artwork. Then I just burned onto them whatever was ordered, as and when. That works well if you’re planning subsequent releases. I bought some quality recycled card wallets, and designed an artwork stamp that I had made. People seemed to like the recycled and handmade thing.

[BigRedX]

As other have said it very much depends on the genre and the age of your audience.

What I have found though is that you need to be gigging in order to sell physical product, and you sell most of it at gigs.

I did the figures for The Terrortones once and it was something like just under 90% of all music sales were physical product - CDs, records and cassettes - at gigs. Next came on-line sales of physical product, and very distant last was downloads and streams from all sources. Now that we've stopped gigging we sell about 10 CD and records a year, and no downloads only streaming.

If you are after reviews bear in mind that some places will only consider your release for review if it's on CD or vinyl (or cassette) as they use it as a way of weeding out artists who show less commitment to their music. After all anyone with a recording and $50 can realise a download only album so it's hardly a big deal any more.

 

[4000]

5 hours ago, mcnach said:

 

We sold our 1000 copies of our first CD (released in 2013)... it took us 5 years. Actually, we still have a box, so there's less than 30 left, but close to having sold all).

Then in 2015 we released our second. I think we've sold about 200, and given away another 200, roughly. We sell very few online. We sell far more download-only versions. The best place to sell them is at gigs. However we generally forget to bring them  which is why so few have been sold. We tried harder with the first one.

We're about to release another one, and we're considering not having physical copies. But we really like to have a physical copy, with the artwork etc etc. We may just get a lot fewer made, but the cost barely goes up between ordering 500 or 1000 copies... Commercially, however... we don't find they fly off the shelves exactly, so best if you have a good storage space  

I think it's still good to have some that you can give away. We want people to listen to us,even if we have to bribe them

Pretty much the same with us.

One of the band members, who has got rid of his CD player, insists it’s pointless to have cds. And yet every pro artist I see is still selling them at gigs. The main problem these days is funding them!

[T-Bay]

Always nice to have a physical copy. With the potential of any digitally held media to either be corrupted or rendered obsolete, I want a ‘real’ copy I know I can access (and I like the cover artwork aspect).

[Elfrasho]

whether folk listen digitally or not, it's nice to buy something physical at a gig. Even if that cd never reaches a cd player, you'd give them a link to downloading the tunes. Plus, its an integral part of the identity of an album  to have artwork etc.

 

Don't know how serious you are about your music, but you'll definitely sell a few! Just make sure yo don't get tempted to get 1000 made up cos its cheaper per unit.

 

 

As an aside, I really hate when bands don't shell out for proper cd cases, opting for the single type cases or even worse... the card board sleeve! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SpondonBassed]

One thing that is annoying about CDs and you still get it.  Those damned plastic jewel cases.

The hinge lugs break or you get a crack right across the front over the artwork or the internal lugs snap so that the disc drops out through the slightest opening of the case.  They're rubbish and they belong to the last century!

I much prefer the multi-fold cardboard sleeves.

Edited November 24, 2019 by SpondonBassed

[BigRedX]

17 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

One thing that is annoying about CDs and you still get it.  Those damned plastic jewel cases.

The hinge lugs break or you get a crack right across the front over the artwork or the internal lugs snap so that the disc drops out through the slightest opening of the case.  They're rubbish and they belong to the last century!

I much prefer the multi-fold cardboard sleeves.

Unfortunately multi-fold cardboard sleeves add another 25-50% to the production costs. 

[BigRedX]

18 hours ago, 4000 said:

Pretty much the same with us.

One of the band members, who has got rid of his CD player, insists it’s pointless to have cds. And yet every pro artist I see is still selling them at gigs. The main problem these days is funding them!

Compared with $50 to get your album on all the major download and steaming services, producing a CD is expensive. However it's still cheaper than the alternative physical media.

However remember that there is a big difference in longevity between a manufactured, glass-mastered CD and a CDR. I have CDRs from less than 10 years ago that are no longer readable. So while it might be tempting to go for a low-cost short-run CDR, they really do not last as well as a proper CD.

[sammybee]

If I was considering releasing anything, I'd spring the extra and get 2-300 vinyl LPs pressed rather than CDs. You'd be better off buying into an ascending format rather than something thats only played by people over 55!

[mcnach]

2 hours ago, sammybee said:

If I was considering releasing anything, I'd spring the extra and get 2-300 vinyl LPs pressed rather than CDs. You'd be better off buying into an ascending format rather than something thats only played by people over 55!

 

If you had told me, back in 1985, that someone would say this in 2019 I would have laughed soooooo hard.

 

I still would not call vinyl an 'ascending' format. Yes, it's had a surge of popularity, but I don't think it'll ever become much bigger than it is now. It's pretty 'niche'. I bought a LOT of vinyl in my days, and I'm most definitely not going to go back to it  Same with tape. When our singer said we should release our next album on tape I nearly fell off my chair. 

[mcnach]

On 24/11/2019 at 18:27, Elfrasho said:

whether folk listen digitally or not, it's nice to buy something physical at a gig. Even if that cd never reaches a cd player, you'd give them a link to downloading the tunes. Plus, its an integral part of the identity of an album  to have artwork etc.

 

Don't know how serious you are about your music, but you'll definitely sell a few! Just make sure yo don't get tempted to get 1000 made up cos its cheaper per unit.

 

 

As an aside, I really hate when bands don't shell out for proper cd cases, opting for the single type cases or even worse... the card board sleeve! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't like sleeves, but the folded cardboard 'cases' are pretty cool and give you an opportunity to add a few pictures, messages, whatever.

For example, here's the one we did in 2015:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ted Theodore Logan, III]

On 24/11/2019 at 13:39, SpondonBassed said:

If I buy music I expect to get a little bit more than a collection of specifically arranged zeros and ones for my hard-earned.

I buy Blu-ray audio disc, DVD audio disc, CD and vinyl..

 

“HERE, HERE!!"

“scoff, scoff, scoff, scoff, scoff..."

 

Who'll be the one's laughing when the blackout comes and all those download files just “F-f--f-f--f-Fadeaway!!"?...

THE PHONOGRAPH USERS THAT'S WHO!! 

 

I suggest recording your EP onto wax cylinders...

You will thank me come 2027... 

 

 

[Woodinblack]

I buy CDs and I am only 54. I also have streaming, but if I like something I buy it on CD.

I had loads of vinyl back when they were records, certainly not going back to it now.

[BigRedX]

16 hours ago, sammybee said:

If I was considering releasing anything, I'd spring the extra and get 2-300 vinyl LPs pressed rather than CDs. You'd be better off buying into an ascending format rather than something thats only played by people over 55!

When The Terrortones released our second EP on vinyl back in 2013 it was new and different and the lead times were about the same as those for CD manufacture. The quality and production times were much better than the last time I made a record back in the early 80s when it could take several months from the cutting session to actually getting your single or album; and when you did the pressing was really thin and already full of pops, clicks and crackles that weren't part of the music.

From what I have seen recently vinyl is starting to plateau. Production times are ever increasing unless you are prepared to pay a considerable premium, and from what I've heard the quality of the pressings is starting to come down as the pressing plants struggle to keep up with the volumes being produced. When the audio quality of vinyl is already below that of a CD, it cannot afford to be anything but the best possible for that medium. Without new pressing plants capable of high volume, high quality and low cost pressings, vinyl will eventually flounder as it reverts back to the bad old days of the late 70s and early 80s.

Having said that as an artist, right now, I'd be stupid not to at least consider vinyl when it comes to releasing music even if it's just so that I can sell over-priced crap to hipsters. After all a sale is a sale irrespective of the medium, and unless you go mad with the packaging the mark up for an album on vinyl is much greater than that on CD. You do need to consider your audience though. I've done gigs where I have only sold CDs - at one we sold every CD we brought with us but not a single record on vinyl. I've also done gigs where most of the sales were vinyl although at these we've always sold CDs too. What I have discovered is that if you are selling vinyl you need to include a CD version in the package, as for many potential customers a download code is not sufficient.

As an audience member/customer, I'd always go for CDs first and foremost. It's easy to transfer to my computer and then on to all my other digital devices. I'll buy a record on vinyl only if it comes with a CD version or at least an uncompressed/lossless download. However as soon as I have got my download and checked it's OK the vinyl will be up for sale "as new" on Discogs as I have no need to keep archaic physical formats.

Edited November 26, 2019 by BigRedX