A recent report projects that major labels will end production of physical copies of CDs, offering only digital purchases, by the end of 2012. Although the digital direction is the way that the music industry has been heading in recent years, the full elimination of CDs would be a drastic action.
Many believe that the change would be more cost effective, but this is quite the opposite. Despite the fact that pay services such as iTunes will be encouraged for music, without CDs, people will be even more encouraged to illegally download music. Illegally downloading music will cause the prices of other items such as merchandise and concert tickets to increase as musicians will have fewer means of income. Due to this, the people who purchase musical legally will literally be left to pay for the mistakes that others make.
The switch to only digital will also make it more difficult for bands to promote themselves. When starting out, a good deal of bands will do signings or meet and greets with fans with their ticket to get in being the purchase of the artist’s album. Not only does this allow the band to gain popularity, but many fans are more drawn to a band if they are able to make a personal, face to face connection with the members. If CDs are eliminated, this important personal aspect of the music industry will be eliminated.
When purchasing music digitally, many people only buy the songs that they like; by eliminating CDs, artists may feel less inclined to produce full albums because of doubts that people will purchase the complete recording. An incomplete album is disappointing to fans and may cause them to grow to dislike the artist.
Although the digital switch would be more convinient and ideal for instant purchases, buying an album digitally does not have the same effect as buying a physical copy of an album. Fans lose the experience of going to a store or show to choose an album and flipping through the insert, absorbing every nitty gritty detail about the album and the artist.
Despite the fact that we live in a digital age, it is not necessary that we eliminate every aspect of life that is not modern.
