Major labels to end CD sales in 2012 (Elvis related)

[vivaelvis]

This could be a big thing for future Elvis sales. Some younger fans are closet fans due to peer pressure and might feel embarrassed to walk up to a counter with an Elvis cd in their hands. This way they can purchase cds in private by downloading from their own home computer or to their Ipod. It's a bummer for us older fans who grew up in the birth of the CD market era, but as we all know, nothing is meant to last forever. All things must come to an end. I personally have not bought a cd in store in years. So it's not anything shocking or depressing to me as it might be for others.

Time will tell if this is a good or bad thing for Elvis' future sales. http://www.side-line.com/news_commen...=46980_0_2_0_C

[King Of The Whole World]

Oh wow my CD's will be collectables now. I hate to hear this, I like to have a CD with a cover booklet. But I understand why, I think everyone knew at one point this would happen. They might also be doing this because all record sales are down from years past. There is a lot of cost to produce CD’s they might not sell and just sit on a shelf somewhere. This way there is no cost at all for a record company. I think things like Youtube have hurt record sales too because you can just about listen to any songs you want to on Youtube and other websites.

[vivaelvis]

Oh wow my CD's will be collectables now. I hate to hear this, I like to have a CD with a cover booklet. But I understand why, I think everyone knew at one point this would happen. They might also be doing this because all record sales are down from years past. There is a lot of cost to produce CD’s they might not sell and just sit on a shelf somewhere. This way there is no cost at all for a record company. I think things like Youtube have hurt record sales too because you can just about listen to any songs you want to on Youtube and other websites.

The sad part is that Sony may now never release the On Tour concerts from 1972 commercially. What a shame that would be if it comes to that. You have got to wonder if this will effect FTD releases past 2012. I know they are not mainstream but they are still funded by Sony Music.

Also, without physical sales, I wonder if this will drop the value of the Elvis music catalog along with Jackson and The Beatles? You have to think that if it does that EPE/CKX would be fighting to get the rights to have for annual revenue. EPE/CKX could then make their own cds to sell to fans through their website. I doubt this will ever happen, but it's a possibility with the cd market coming to an end.

[King Of The Whole World]

I don't know but I would think we might see a lot more Elvis things come up to download. The cost is almost non-extant compared to producing CD's. Sony may not mind throwing things out there and see if it’s purchased.

[vivaelvis]

I don't know but I would think we might see a lot more Elvis things come up to download. The cost is almost non-extant compared to producing CD's. Sony may not mind throwing things out there and see if it’s purchased.

That would be ideal and best case scenario for any new material to ever be released again. Let's hope that's what they decide to do.

[hounddog]

i'd hate that i like having the product in my hands. I don't own an ipod and I don't want one. I guess my computer will become where i purchase and download my music to. But as a vinyl collector i knew cd's would be eventually phased out but for me it's a bit of a drag.

[debtdbruno]

I don't download.....like to have the 'physical' cd and cover in my hands to drool over......lol

[LuckyJackson]

Downloads are just not the same as having the cd in your hands, despite having to find room to store them all....wouldnt be without 'em.

[Nicole Presley]

If they stop selling CDs they will soon stop selling CD players and then some day my CD player won´t work anymore and I can never listen to my CDs again. Then everything I ever bought will be worthless! I hope they keep selling records because if they don´t sell that anymore than I can never buy any new Elvis records again.

I hate my life.
This is so unfair!

[vivaelvis]

If they stop selling CDs they will soon stop selling CD players and then some day my CD player won´t work anymore and I can never listen to my CDs again. Then everything I ever bought will be worthless! I hope they keep selling records because if they don´t sell that anymore than I can never buy any new Elvis records again.

I hate my life.
This is so unfair!

I don't think CD players will ever become extinct. Just all in-store sales will eventually. Cars, trucks SUVs, etc made in 2012 are still being equipped with cd players along with Ipod plug-ins as are new home entertainment systems.

[Nicole Presley]

Do you think they´ll still sell the CDs that can be burned? If they still sell those I can just burn CDs! Is it possible to burn CDs that are in as good quality as real CDs?

[vivaelvis]

Do you think they´ll still sell the CDs that can be burned? If they still sell those I can just burn CDs! Is it possible to burn CDs that are in as good quality as real CDs?

I can't really answer that as I don't know what they will do in the end. I would assume that EPE and Sony would work something out to where EPE could still sell Elvis cds through their gift shops at Graceland and maybe through their website as they do now.

[Jungleroom76]

I hope this doesn't happen!!

While I don't have a problem with downloading music, and certainly can see the point about cost savings with CD's vs. downloadable music, I like to have the physical CD in my hands too when I am listening to music. To be able to check out the cover art and flip through the booklet while listening to the CD...guess I'm old fashioned!!

Unfortunately though, as much as I hope this article isn't true...sadly I have a feeling this is probably the way things are headed, although I do wonder if CD's sales ceasing at the end of the year isn't rushing things a little bit...

TCB!
Mike

[Snake Eyes]

This is how my parents must have felt when 8 tracks became obsolete, 7" singles came and went, mini discs too, CDs will eventually succumb to the future, which is a shame, but I doubt the end of 2012 will be the nail in the coffin just yet. I don't like downloading personally but if that becomes my only choice then that's what I'll have to do, begrudgingly of course.....

[KPM]

I noticed that the story was not confirmed by several big labels so this could end up being incorrect-but lets be frank, if CDs add sales to a company they will not be taken away totally. Perhaps cut back or reduced to artists of a certain stature.
I can not see Sony saying-"Well Elvis fans produce millions in profits with cd sales-so lets quit producing them"
Same story with the Beatles cds. and several artists would probably fall into that catagorie.
Vinyl has made a mild comeback according to my daughter who runs a DVD/CD/Game store and they added a new section for new Vinyl releases and for standards by Elvis, Beatles, Stones, etc.....
We'll see-but if it happens.......lets see how long it lasts if overall total sales decline.

[lvelvis]

this sure is bad news for me as i sold most of my vinyl in 89 , because i went with the new and exciting media at the time - cd. I do hope that the imports and boots still come out on cd, as i would hate not to have shiny in my hands anymore. Here is one fan of both ELVIS and compact disc , that hopes it never ends.

[KPM]

When any media format has been replaced-it took a good ten year transition to go from one form to the next.......vinyl and 8-tracks co-existed for a good ten years, then 8-tracks had a transition to cassettes with vinyl still being produced the whole time...vinyl pretty much disappeared with cds. But you can still buy stereos with cassette players, still find blank cassettes, cd players are still a massive industry.....and as I pointed out-vinyl has made a mini comback in recent years. Only poor old 8 tracks are totally extinct.
I would not worry too much about the total loss of cds.

[lvelvis]

When any media format has been replaced-it took a good ten year transition to go from one form to the next.......vinyl and 8-tracks co-existed for a good ten years, then 8-tracks had a transition to cassettes with vinyl still being produced the whole time...vinyl pretty much disappeared with cds. But you can still buy stereos with cassette players, still find blank cassettes, cd players are still a massive industry.....and as I pointed out-vinyl has made a mini comback in recent years. Only poor old 8 tracks are totally extinct.
I would not worry too much about the total loss of cds.

that sure is good news kpm , and many thanks for informing us , i just could not start all over again collecting and these ol ears of mine find cd just perfect. I do hope that we will still have some real great cd's to come , can't wait for the upcomming ftd hawaii 73 rehersal /backstage audio performances , as we are told this sad news that cd production may cease this comming year.

[Cliff]

My thought is, it will never happen, unless it is forced on us by the major labels by slowly withdrawing cds. This happened with the advent of cds in this country (New Zealand). They said "Oh, everyone is buying cds now and not vinyl." The only reason people were buying the cds, apart from novelty value, was because the manufaturers we're slowly winding down production of vinyl and people had no choice. Of course people are going to go for the new media if they can't get the vinyl.
Remember the hype about cds being indistuctable. Just another spin to make them sell.
Not everyone likes to download music, and some, like me, prefer the physical attraction of a cd.
I guess it won't be long before they start phasing out dvds and pushing Blu-ray.

[KPM]

Perhaps thats why supposedly the Mayans predict 2012 as the final year of earths existence.