They have been declared obsolete many times, but they are still here. And here’s why your fans may still like them.
CDs have been around for 40 years, which is kind of shocking. And unlike other fads from the eighties – Cabbage Patch dolls, neon colored exercise wear, and the mullet – they refuse to go away, even though we have plenty of alternatives.
Why? Here’s what our die-hard CD fans tell us:
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- The sound quality, with engineered WAV files, is often better than the relatively compressed sound of mp3s.
- Streaming is awesome, but songs can become unavailable later on if rights agreements change, even if you purchased a song.
- Fans (like us) love to buy them in the moment, to support local and indie musicians, and to have the music immediately after a show.
- There’s a reason even vinyl has made a comeback – aside from the audio quality, the packaging in itself is an art form. There is something really personal about holding a band’s CD in your hand. Pictures, notes, and stories about the songs give you a window into the mind and heart of your favorite artists.
- CDs are durable and last a long time – we put a SONY hi-fi promotional disc from the eighties in the player last week just for kicks and it still sounded great.
- Having music files on your computer is great as long as they are backed up. CDs are still there after your computer crashes. We’ve learned that from experience 😉
As Mark Twain (or somebody witty) said, “Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.” We think that’s the case for the CD as well. CDs will eventually go away for good. But for now, they are still a great way to sell, buy, share, and store music. Long live the CD.
Do you have a CD project that’s just itching to get done? Let’s talk about it. Call National Media Services at 540-635-4181, or email Mike McCool at mike@nationalmediaservices.com
