Comments on: Crunching the Numbers: July 2008, Digital Edition

By: Leeann

Leeann — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 04:02:58 +0000

I’ve turned to digital in the last couple of months or so. It’s just become much more convenient for me. I do miss the liner notes though. I haven’t really noticed a difference in the digital sound,but I know it technically exists.

I still buy physical CDs to add to already existing collections. For example, I had to buy Randy Travis’ album in CD form, since I already have his other 16 studio albums..

By: JarheadDad

JarheadDad — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:26:42 +0000

I actually broke out my old turntable from storage. I’ve got a couple of needles ordered that should arrive any minute. I just love the old vinyl sound. Guess I’m regressing instead of progressing but then you should see my album collection! Heh!

I buy CDs and have little downloaded except stuff I find interesting on the net. To me a physical CD is a personal connection with the artist. My kids? All the fancy high tech gadgets and download only.

Hmmmmm, now where did I put all those old reel to reel tapes? ;-)

By: Paul W Dennis

Paul W Dennis — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:22:53 +0000

I agree completely with Rick. I object to albums being made available only digitally. For one thing, the audio of downloaded music isn’t quite as good as that of CDs (this seems to be a trend, since digital sound isn’t quite as good as analog). Plus the archival value of Cds, LPs etc is lost through digital downloading

By: Kevin

Kevin — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 23:18:59 +0000

Rick,

I have to tell ya, I’ve been pretty much all digital for a couple of years now. The only CD’s I get anymore are ones not available digitally, and the stacks of promos that come in. I have to say, though, that looking through the new Sugarland, reading the lining notes and lyrics, made me want to go back to CD’s.

Nothing beats having 13k songs in the palm of my hand, and I don’t miss bulky Discman’s or making mix tapes, but I love handling CD’s. I guess it’s similar to the nostalgia those of the record generations feel.

By: Rick

Rick — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:47:44 +0000

I was reading somewhere recently that digital music sales currently account for about 15% of overall music sales but of course that percentage is increasing over time.

Younger people who are high tech savvy with their fancy cell phones and PDAs and MP3 players are the primary music download demographic and Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, and Rascal Flatts appeal to these folks in a big way. I can’t imagine that most long term fans of George Strait and Alan Jackson are interested in digital downloads as long as they can buy a physical CD instead. Its younger folks who liked Alan’s “Good Time” that downloaded that new single.

My beef is with the record labels ONLY offering digital download releases of some albums without making a CD available even in limited quantities. I prefer CDs and get quite unhappy with the labels when they pull this stunt of download only. By not offering a CD many potential buyers who don’t download will pass on a new release so download sales numbers are smaller than total sales would have been if a CD had been released. Although the music labels have labelled “Download Only” album releases, like Jennifer Hanson’s latest, as “cutting edge” its truly just a cheap ass cop-out on their part and a real disservice to the artist. A digital only release is far better than no release at all, but still falls far short of an actual CD release in my book…

By: Kevin

Kevin — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:33:39 +0000

They’re included in the overall total.

By: Leeann

Leeann — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:30:00 +0000

One question I’ve always had is whether or not digital album sales are factored into over all album sales? Or is the Bilboard chart comprised of albums that have been shipped to stores?