Recent reports have shown CD music sales down about 20% from last year. Some have said it's the Internet and all of the file sharing people do. Others, that the economy is slow and Cd's (which are a heck of a lot cheaper to produce than vinyl LP's or even cassette tapes) are way over priced. Then there's the whole Clear Channel owning about 60% of the nation's radio stations, ergo limiting what types of new music the public gets to hear. Of course, there's also the distinct possibility that most pop music being played on the airwaves just plain sucks (goes back to the Clear Channel thingy)! Or that the big music producing corporations are just pumping out crap .... too many suits and bean counters in charge!

Don't know about you folks, but I like having the real deal, not some downloaded stuff. I like the artwork and/or photos, the liner notes, who's playing what, etc., etc. that's included with Cd's. That's the thing I miss the most from the loss of vinyl LP's. Album covers were so cool. And you could use the double/folding ones for catching the "fallout" while rolling yer own (C,S,N & Y's "Deja Vu" worked pretty good for that!)! Try that with a CD or an IPod! Ain't gonna happen, I tell ya!

Personally, I don't think it's the Internet and downloading stuff. Not with me, at least. If I hear something I really like, whether on the airwaves or Online, I'll go and buy it. Anyhow, what are your thoughts on the subject?

I think you kinda nailed it!

Oops! Sorry, ADG! Left out Arlo's "Running Down The Road" album. That was a good one for RYO-ing it, too!

Maybe people are finally tiring of the pop @#^p that's forced upon us...the fake over produced stuff that executives in suits with the big money decide that that's what people are going to listen to and that's what will be the next big thing on the radio. If people all over America are supporting and buying CD's from indie artists, it's not going to show up in their reports about how many CD's sold....'cuz you can't buy those CD's at Wal-Mart and there's no way to track 'em. Looking at my CD collection (I think I have about 700!!) a good number of them are from indie artists...ones I bought at concerts directly from the artist. Others are folk/singer songwriter CD's that I ordered from various sources. I've downloaded a total of ONE album from ITunes...because it was the only way I could get the recording...it's out of print and I couldn't find it used on vinyl.

Zap.. definitely file sharing........it's huge....so many people do it.......most folks don't appreciate that it's really larceny. It's not allowed in the music therapy department in I run for legal/ethical reasons beyond my personal feelings but I get alot of hassle from my patients (192 in all) about "why not...everyone does it" I took a guy to task about it in this forum on another thread,.. I don't remember which. Non mega artists..(in terms of over all sales not artistic value..........where Arlo is a mega artist valuist and say Brittney Spears is a non artistic mega sale-ist)...really depend on actual sales of CD's or legal down loads to make a living and/or pay back record companies.
Plus it's "intellectual property" (as my entertainment lawyer friend says)..... That said I agree.......I much prefer CD's with the liner notes, photos, etc........which is why I bought the new CD from RSR rather than Itunes.......(though I bought a bunch of Arlo from ITunes too for immediate gratification). So the slump it's a sign of the times. Be what they may.

PS> Zap and everyone...why do I say file sharing is soooooooo huge ?. The amount of it done just by the students from Berklee College of Music expalins the CD sales slump....they are a group of over 2500...a statistically relevent sample,.... mutiplied nationally. Think $$.