CDs are pretty much dead... Long Live USB?

[DirtDog]

I've seen that cassette walkmans are making a comeback amongst the hipster crowd. Maybe have cassettes and give them away?

Wish I still had my 2nd gen Sony Walkman - I might get a fortune for it now!

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

This is fascinating. Here (meaning northern/western Europe), all physical formats are practically dead. Some bands make LPs or CDs for their usual crowd, but streaming rules. (Everyone is connected through their phones 24/7 anyways). CDs were pretty much dead 10-15 years ago. If this was 2003, I would have understood the question.

 

[two fingers]

Make it part of the show. You don't need anything physical anymore. If you hand them a card, they'll stick it in their wallet or purse and never use it. It'll get thrown away when they ckean it out. If you hand them a thumb drive, it'll get tossed.

The majority of music these days is on phones.

Announce that anyone who downloads the new single during this set will be entered to win a free prize during the break. It'll not only get them to do it NOW, but it'll encourage them to stick around until the end of the set. Hint: The prize should NOT be something you sell. Why buy something the band is giving away?

 

[CapnSev]

I've seen that cassette walkmans are making a comeback amongst the hipster crowd. Maybe have cassettes and give them away?

Wish I still had my 2nd gen Sony Walkman - I might get a fortune for it now!

Really? Cassettes were the worst of them (other than 8-track). They warp, wear out, crackle like crazy, you have to rewind, fast forward, etc. Vinyl I can see to a point, but cassettes? Eww.

 

[JRA]

the download cards can carry your logo and some info and you can control the music. handy: like a business card but cooler because it can 'do something' for the bearer.

right?

 

[brlottermann]

USB drives can be expensive unless you buy massive amounts of them in bulk, thats an advantage for CDs for sure (theyre dirt cheap). I think that reason is why a lot of bands arent selling USBs and instead offering scannable download codes for digital music instead.

 

[sigterm]

Interestingly, my 8 yr old calls them records, cause that's what her grandma calls them and no one else she knows listens to anything other than streams of singles.

 

[hardtop]

I'm shocked, but we still sell CD's. I think it's for people who ant to support the band by buying the album, or want to have the album art, but don't have a record player. Most people still have CD players in their cars I guess. I've seen CD sales decrease in the last 4 years for sure, but we do absolutely still sell them at shows and on line.

 

[gln1955]

Really? Cassettes were the worst of them (other than 8-track). They warp, wear out, crackle like crazy, you have to rewind, fast forward, etc. Vinyl I can see to a point, but cassettes? Eww.

But they were so much fun when they unspooled inside the player.

 

[brlottermann]

I'm shocked, but we still sell CD's. I think it's for people who ant to support the band by buying the album, or want to have the album art, but don't have a record player. Most people still have CD players in their cars I guess. I've seen CD sales decrease in the last 4 years for sure, but we do absolutely still sell them at shows and on line.

I think it all boils down to knowing your audience. People in their 40s or older are far more likely to buy CDs and are more likely to spend that amount of money at a show, while teenagers would be more likely to Venmo you a couple bucks for a scannable download code of the new single. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[DirtDog]

Really? Cassettes were the worst of them (other than 8-track). They warp, wear out, crackle like crazy, you have to rewind, fast forward, etc. Vinyl I can see to a point, but cassettes? Eww.

It's the resurgence of the mixed tape phenomenon.

 

[zjanderson]

Do bands that sell CDs sign or autograph said CD? Last I heard, the selfie was the new autograph.

 

[knumbskull]

the download cards can carry your logo and some info and you can control the music. handy: like a business card but cooler because it can 'do something' for the bearer.

right?

yeah, this was my first thought too. the musical business card.

in terms of actually selling product:

from where i'm standing, people still buy and use CDs, but then my friends and I are of the age where we grew up with them. I don't see many USBs at all, my friend's band had some made and said they they were both expensive and unpopular.

iwe're at the stage now where formats are a lifestyle statement and/or a product fetish. like retro? buy vinyl. painfully cool and drink craft beer? buy cassettes. just want to listen on the way to work? stream it. audiophile? CD or hi-res digital file.

so i guess bear this in mind when you choose a format for your album (or whatever).

ironically given their falling sales, CDs are the best sound quality. but arguably the least nice physical object.

 

[sigterm]

Thanks for all the replies.

I’m not concerned with making money on these. They would be just for giving out our music in a tangible form. That why I wanted to hear if other had used it and if so what service did they use.

Out philosophy is to get the music out to people which will draw them to shows.

T-shirts with a cool design are still the best merch for making money. I’m not questioning that.

Might want to check "brad sucks" he's has a lot of pretty good ideas. About Brad Sucks « Brad Sucks

Oh and it's a safe link, reads bad but good. It's a musician from Canada eh?

 

[wintremute]

I had also thought about download cards and just having our logo printed on them. Perhaps that’s the way to go after all.

Yes. That's the way to go. You get your name and logo out there, and people can download them to whatever device they prefer.

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

Thanks for all the replies.

I’m not concerned with making money on these. They would be just for giving out our music in a tangible form. That why I wanted to hear if other had used it and if so what service did they use.

Out philosophy is to get the music out to people which will draw them to shows.

T-shirts with a cool design are still the best merch for making money. I’m not questioning that.

This is the only good use of QR codes. We have QR codes on posters, business cards, in emails etc, with links to channels on YT or similar.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

iTunes will be moving to a paid streaming format and get out of the business of selling individual digital files. IOW, you won't be in possession of an individual copy anymore. Will other follow suit? Who knows.

 

[Blaze Barlow]

I buy CDs..I like listening to them at home and in my car..I like to be able to see the covers..and the information printed on the inside..and CDs are a lot quicker..just pick it up and your there..

 

[mellowinman]

So my 2003 Miata only takes CDs in the Bose sound system. I've considered upgrading, but since I can burn CD's at home anyway, I like kicking it old school.

 

[hardtop]

I think it all boils down to knowing your audience. People in their 40s or older are far more likely to buy CDs and are more likely to spend that amount of money at a show, while teenagers would be more likely to Venmo you a couple bucks for a scannable download code of the new single. Different strokes for different folks.

Yeah, we don't have many teenagers showing up at the merch table, haha. I think we've played a total of two all ages show. Our audience tends to be mid 20's to mid 30's. We sell more vinyl than we do cds, but there still seems to be a healthy market for CD's at least in the metal audiences.