What a sad world we now live in.......
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Yo @uberwaltz, If you return to WalMart next week, next month, maybe tomorrow, there might be a 8’ diameter bin filled with discounted CDs. All scientifically unsorted and just waiting for someone like me to begin a futile attempt to systematically sift through looking for a a gem. Since I subscribe to Tidal and Qobuz, I always have a list of albums with me that I want to hear but cant stream. Usually, I’ll order the CD from Amazon. But that bin full of CDs must have one or two nuggets in it, right? Be glad WalMart didn’t have any CDs. It could have been worse. |
All due respect but buying on line is not the culprit in and of itself as a reason to "miss" anything or be "sad". In many ways, its like lamenting the fact that you don't have to churn your butter any more or reminiscing about the days before refrigeration. Its just so much better to browse everything available (in the world, not in your local 5 and dime) and make a purchase and get it immediately. No starting a car, no going from place to place to place to try to find what you are after or worse, having to wait days or weeks for the special order to arrive at the store for you to repeat the above process of driving to go pick it up. I remember walking through walmart with my late father and he said he missed the days of going to the record shop and getting to hear a record prior to making a purchase. Now that would have been great, avoiding the mistake of guessing whether the album was good or not. Those record booths are now back with a vengeance, you can listen to everything prior to buying and get it immediately. I'm sorry pop didn't get to see it come back in a virtual way. The one thing missing in all of these examples though is the loss of the social interaction with others while digging a new record. That never existed at walmart anyway. Please don't be sad...today is the golden age of audio and music. Never have so many companies been making high quality gear. Never. Never have so many artists been able to record and distribute their music. Never. In both cases, they can take it directly to the consumer with a supply chain velocity that was impossible 20 years ago. Celebrate today, embrace it that someone in rural Montana can get a symphonic release put out an hour ago in Munich. Celebrate that they get a decent rig shipped to their door in a day or 2. |
Jesus H! How did everybody miss the point here? I am not sad that WalMart in itself had decided to stop selling cd,s but rather just the state of business surrounding in store sales on hard media has declined so badly that they no longer felt the need to stock them. And to ALL the naysayers on playing cd,s you need to back up and try playing them through a decent transport and DAC and add The Gate to your system and then review your thoughts. And as a FYI. If anybody had bothered to check my virtual systems you would see I have just about every media playback covered ( apart from oddballs like DAT, MiniDisc, 8 track etc!) So yes I stream.... A LOT! I also access music from my NAS.... A LOT! But there is still something about hard media that is satisfying whether that be vinyl, cassette, R2R or CD/SACD. Not interested in the slightest in any discussion or argument over which format is best, that is purile and not where I was going at all. And heck yes, just bought another load of cd,s at $1 and 50 cents from the charity shops next door to WallyWorld. Good luck people! |
And with all due respect just imho NOT going out and just ordering everything online and becoming a race of house hermits is part of what is wrong with the world today and present attitudes. Sure there are times I will order stuff online but usually only because I know there is no store within reasonable distance that would stock what I wanted. Other times I actually relish going out and buying stuff in stores, call me old school in that respect, that's fine its not for everyone I understand. |
uberwaltz - I agree with you. Although I am not a fan of WalMart it is sad to see that nearly everywhere they have stopped selling CD's. The only good news is, that because the general public doesn't want them any more, you can buy used (most like new) CD's for next to nothing. In the summer I stop by yard sales and I don't know how many hundreds of nice CD's off all music genres are for sale for $ 0.50 each or $1.00 each. Usually they are like brand new and some are even in the sealed package. |
Guess it's time to break out the old Highway HI-FI and install it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKYz4yVDQm8 |
I still miss the days when one could go to Barnes & Noble. I could spend hours going through their CDs at their listening stations. It's one thing to be able to go online and listen to a 40 sec sample and scroll down to see half a dozen "also bought by" recommendations that amount to a waste once you've tried them, and having dozens of CDs right at your fingertips. Something would always catch your eye and next thing you know, you're deep into another genre of music. It's the way I'm wired and used to. I might be a digital guy when it comes to format, but I'm an analog guy when it comes to the senses: having them all work in conjunction to arrive at a destination. Seeing, touching and listening. And like uberwaltz has pointed out, the CD format has a lot of life left in it. Just check out the reviews of the latest stereo show and CDs are back in a big way. That, and they sound as good, if not better, and with less hassle, than streaming. All the best, Nonoise |
1999 ~ 939 million physical CD shipments in the U.S. 2000 ~ 942 million physical CD shipments in the U.S. 2017 ~ 88 million physical CD shipments in the U.S. 2018 ~ 52 million physical CD shipments in the U.S. [courtesy statista.com] the CD format has a lot of life left in it Where's the life??? I do not remember the last time I physically saw someone (a real life non-audiophile human) spinning a disc (Mobile/Portable or at home). Is no one 'sad' for the tens of billions of polycarbonate plastic CD cases and mixed material polycarbonate, aluminium, etc. CDs (both with low recycling potential) out in the world wilds? |
Stats can be misleading. How many audiophiles are still buying CDs compared to the general public, who'll buy whatever is the most convenient format? I would venture a guess that the number is close to a constant in the highest and lowest estimates of who's buying CDs. At least I am. 😄 All the best, Nonoise |
I was lucky, I bought a new Subaru and it has a CD player. I stream via appleplay car app and Spotify, but I am glad I have the option to spin a disc. It is sad about how much goods are not showing up in big stores, in fact whole stores (think bookstores and malls) are slowing diminishing in numbers. The sad news there (possibly an extension of your observations) is that local jobs are gone with them. |
3ezpayments. Nope it is not a shocker but still to my mind it is sad reflection. Yes I realise its business and it is a cutthroat market out there and understand the whole floor stock concept. I guess although the writing has been on the wall for a while, to see it in action is another thing entirely. Do not get me wrong the decline and possible demise of CD( mainstream at least) was inevitable in today's streaming age. Does not mean I have to like it though ... Lol. |
I don’t intend for this to sound judgmental, and I may be mistaken, but I don’t think Walmart customers were ever exactly the most music-loving people around. Or perhaps it is that they, like myself, are just not interested in the music that is currently most popular. In the retail business, product has to "earn" its’ space on the sales floor. The amount of income generated by every square foot of floor space is analyzed every month or quarter; the product that does not generate the amount of income needed to meet the requirements of the "formula" has its’ floor space reduced until those requirements ARE met. Music is just not earning its’ keep in Walmart. My two sisters are Walmart customers (I had never been in one until a year ago), and neither would think of buying a CD, or for that matter sitting and listening to an entire album. The people who ARE buying music aren’t doing it at Walmart, and haven’t for a long time. |
Michael Lavorgna on the (related) topic, recently: https://twitteringmachines.com/high-end-munich-2019-cries-whispers/ |
If you only do streaming you are not audiophile in any sense of it. You can imagine about yourself anything you like - this won't change the reality of things. As one aspect - cds when done right still sound better than streaming. This comes from someone who doesn't accept digital as a serious method of recording and reproduction. |
@inna "If you only do streaming you are not audiophile in any sense of it. You can imagine about yourself anything you like - this won't change the reality of things. As one aspect - cds when done right still sound better than streaming. This comes from someone who doesn't accept digital as a serious method of recording and reproduction." Since I (and most of the people I know) don't refer to myself as an audiophile, that's no biggie. As far as your statement regarding streaming, you might consider that you haven't heard everything. Many would disagree with you, however, many might not. I don't even own a physical disk spinner any more, vinyl or digital, hifi or computer...no spinning disks allowed at my place. I'm sure there are many who would consider that heresy but proper downloads and a proper digital playback setup can be scary good...without the hassles. Sure I miss the rituals on occasion, I used to enjoy watching my VPI record cleaning machine with the vacuum do its thing. That was cool, and noisy. I enjoyed opening a fresh album, recording it to my Revox reel to reel on the first play. getting it all just right. It was fun. I enjoyed watching the tape machine operate much like I enjoy a mechanical watch. Its not as accurate but its cool. Your blanket statement though lacks any credibility whatsoever. I'm sure your vinyl setup sounds great but for people who have a wide array of interests, the amount of time/money/space that it takes to get an analog setup just right may not be worth the trouble to them. As for the demise of malls and big box stores...really? We will know the apocalypse is upon us if sunglasses kiosks and corn dog vendors begin to disappear. |
It’s not, "...a sad world we now live in...," it’s just reality. So what if Walmart and Best Buy don’t sell CDs anymore. Who bought them there anyway? It should not come as a surprise that most of the CDs worth buying have already been bought. As a senior, I’ve lived through the cavalcade of medium changes. VHS was replaced by DVD, and DVD was superseded by Blu-Ray. Vinyl was replaced by cassettes, and then by CDs. Now it’s back to vinyl! The music and film industries have played us pretty well. So what’s next, streaming? Not for me. I still have my vinyl, cassettes, CDs and occasional Blu-Ray to play. The reality is that the world may be waiting for the next format war to begin (MQA, digital downloads, or whatever) but many of us will just be enjoying the music and film collections we have accumulated. |
I am an audiophile and have a front license plate that says so 🙂 I only stream. Well 90% stream and 1000 ripped CDs. All the new music I listen to is streamed. In fact I have never listened to this much new music and its all due to streaming! All kinds of new music a click or two away. Audiophile paradise I say. |
Seriously I stream a lot and as Grannyring states there is just masses of new to us music waiting to be discovered with just a few clicks. .... Very cool indeed and I have abused it considerably over the past few years! But..... At this stage would I be happy dumping all my physical media? Heck no! And if THAT makes me an Audiophool then so be it. |
Gee Bill, You're not the type to have mid-life crisis. I hope you haven't traded in your bike for a fixie'! (big cycle fan here:) I'm very happy with records and took some time to warm to CDs, but am now very happy with both, but expecting to not investigate further media sources. The fact that you are happy with that say's something!! |
Sleepwalker: The "People of Walmart" website is awesome. But, on the flipside, the company/stores themselves - not so much. However, without Walmart, we would not have "The People of Walmart". Since the MulletsGalore website bit the dust 5-6 years ago the only "helpline" left (for me anyway - I kid you not) is "The People of Walmart" in all its awesomeness. DeKay |
Technology has changed and CDs are no longer the primary vehicle for sales. It is just a fact with no animus towards either CDs or streaming. Remember when CDs took the market from cassettes that took the market from vinyl? Time marches on, yet CDs and records will survive, but never dominate again. I just feel badly for the artists who are now so poorly compensated for their craft. Streaming pay very little. |
There is never going to be a winner in the argument whether physical media or streaming is the best sound or which will eventually become extinct. Resurgence of vinyl has proven that. bdp24 is correct. Serious music collectors don't typically shop at Walmart or other big box stores. Most cities of any size will usually have one or more places that sell a variety of CD's, vinyl, and maybe tapes. I am fortunate to live in Rochester, NY which is a place rich in music history. Several places like House of Guitars, Record Archives, and others offer huge selections. Stream or put the hard copy in your machine. A personal choice. |
What a sad world..... absolutely. especially evident from the discourse of your note is just how quickly one can get way layed for noticing an orchestrated effort which further denies the public buying choices and elevates the conspirators profits margins in the doing. its sad, and shahmeful to rail against an observance of reality. it is not pitiful for the OP to call a spade a spade, but it is egregious to allow subtractions from the consumer so that the only possible saving grace consumers might realize is aimed squarely at more 'convenience. by all means, the free world needs more convenience. ... but for whom is this to actually benefit? wally world is merely the precipatory move. the drizzle before the flood. people are being put out of work and profit margins increased with purely online content sales. .. and damn the expense. removing major possibilities for acquiring music is just one more way of controling price by the recording industry, labels, and artists. I'm not against anyone getting their due financially for their works in a free market. Just how free a market is it if one can only buy from the store the coal mine owns? I am against being funnelled into fewer options regardless the concern. especially when it ends up costing me more and offering me less! years ago we were told CD prices would drop shortly after their introduction as only regurgitations of the exact same content were initially being made available at several times the cost of the records they replaced. eventually the major disc makers had to comply with a class action suit to fork over a mere pittance back to those who involved themselves in the action. I spent hundreds or more, and I got reimbursed about $20. and CD prices never dropped. their packaging did degrade in the thinly veiled ruse of being an ecological advancement wherein paper ushered out plastic cases. still there was no price reductions in CD sales. later we were told CD would not last. the dyes would disolve in 4 or 5 years at best,. these were the first advances of the new age of 'spin' being introduced into the global culture. it was not true then. or now but truth became easily side stepped for profit or agenda. Spin did and does serve the purpose of those who have promulgated such crap. its no wonder why societies around the world display anger so easily and avidly. same way with almost everything else, political, commercial, industrial, and social. THE truth is routinely kicked to the curb and choices are being stripped away from the public. bit by bit. B&M audio outlets began to vanish. now its gonna be the same thing for music stores. shopping for 'gems' at the local record stores was once an exciting part of being into music, and it is now sentenced to attrophy and die a senseless death. so be it. its obvious here most people could care less that they are now being driven like so many cattle into a controlled market where they must buy online files which sell at premium prices 24/7. no bargain sales ever! As there is no reason for a sale if they are the only places for the content's distribution. it also seems not to matter that some of these supposed HD file sellers have been taken to task about the true nature of what is being sold in how it was derived and or produced. indeed, exactly how is the veracity of the content to be verified? check the threads on this forum and others for more info on some of these online outlets alleged transgressions. soon it would not surprise me if the major labels will begin selling their own content online via downloads or affiliate themselves with existing sellers and once more they will control prices and buying avenues. sure, $18 to $25 for something which must be saved redundantly (meaning more HDD space must be in place for safekeeping the files), which is a well hidden yet demanded cost. seems cheap enough, except when you consider the same content could have been had for $3 to $10 or so on disc and redundancy no longer a requirement. good deal! I can't wait! eventually the exact same scenario will occur with vinyl once the current fad dies down. the writing is on the wall for vinyl junkies too. ...and BTW, exactly what are replicated ’masters' on R2R going for these days? Hundreds! yep. Hell of a deal! eventually there will be no further need for pressing venues. no need for the man power. Wharehousing orrraw materials and production. merely zip it out in a file format few if any can verify. With the subtraction of these expenses of course we will see more economical pricing and availability of content, right? video now gets 'bought' yet it is only accessed via connectivity as it sits stored on a server somewhere... hopefully. but for how long? again, we are at the whim of the seller and with few or no real rights at the end of the day. and now, with fewer resolutions. since the Jurasic age, it is always the same evolution in the recording industry, and retail arenas from the majority of music producing firms. they will simply introduce a format or fashion for acquiring music, and later on change that format to a entirely different type or style so you can vomit up and resell the same content in its new whiz bang style. then in a few years market a reputedly new vastly better format and make another change. ala,vinyl @16, 78, 33.3, 45; 8 track. R2R. Cassette. various forms of Cassette. ELCAT. DAT. CD. DVD Audio, SACD. Blue Ray. UHD Blu Ray. DSD. same goes for Home Theater. What is the latest fad? UHD? HDMI 2.0, or 2.2? 4K? 8K? anyone recall Beta Max? Laser disc? Again with audio its back to R2R and Vinyl with digital being corralled to online only.. outlets where the buying alternatives are significantly truncated. presently MQA rides onto the scene forcing yet more hardware acquisitions. what is next? I bet its MQA II. or MQA UHD change for the sake of change serves very few. are we now merely a culture addicted to expediancy? perhaps too, recording labels will conglomerate or individually be the ONLY resource for what ever artist's content forcing us to obtain multiple streaming service subscriptions in the forthcoming 'subscription wars'. all the while we sit with eyes wide shut and berate any who will not climb on board with the rest of the sheep and adore the latest greatest choreographed impositions forced upon us by the industry. people are being put out of work and profit margins increased with purely online content sales. its a lovely idea!! but for whom? it sure as Hell ain't us!! wanna stem this tide a while longer? get in your cars and get to these places selling hard copies of music and support them. its a simple proposition. moreover, take your children or a friend with you and introduce them to a new and more tangible and tactile world and its advantages. sorry. I felt it needed to be said. when music can only be acquired online, then I will chase that dragon too and feel very sad about it. |
Wow! Folks, this is just hifi!!! First, Physical media isn’t disappearing but the cost of producing it, shipping it, the costs on the environment, these things wont get less expensive which is why virtual delivery is the dominant path forward. Second, Walmart was never a player in the music biz. Delivered the mainstream top 40 and country. Hmmm. Additionally, the direct sales model of music is actually better for the musicians...once they discover that it is called the music business for a reason. Finally, the railing against a changing world isn’t going to help you have wonderful days. People have been complaining about or embracing change since the beginning of time. Why not get up each day and appreciate the wonders that await? Wake up each day and choose to make the world a better place. Thankfully Jonas Salk got up each day and tried something different. Someone decided once to hook up 2 speakers rather than one. Thankfully someone decided 78rpm just introduced too many artifacts and was too limiting. See the world as half full and you will discover that there are 50 manufacturers today building better gear than could be bought 25 years ago. Happiness is a choice... |
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"I don’t think Walmart customers were ever exactly the most music-loving people around. Or perhaps it is that they, like myself, are just not interested in the music that is currently most popular."I would bet that many, if not majority, of the Kenny Chesney and Garth Brooks CDs were bought at Walmart. I might lose the bet, but I would be willing to bet that I would not lose it. |
Cd was nice ,just like records personally digital like Jplays new Femto which is excellent digital sounding playback the best to date. I have a JRivers 25 , land I downloaded the trial it is he best . Cd just borrow or buy just to rip wav or Flac files to my Solid state drives. I donot miss have to play CDs one at time one bit ,they are inferior in every way and just cumbersome when I can just click non my app and play in any order or cd I choose. Digital now sounds excellent if you have good gear . |
"Second, Walmart was never a player in the music biz." For whatever it is worth, this is an article from 2004... "In the past decade, Wal-Mart has quietly emerged as the nation’s biggest record store. Wal-Mart now sells an estimated one out of every five major-label albums." “We’re in such a competitive world, and you can’t reach consumers if you’re not in Wal-Mart,” admits another label executive. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/wal-mart-wants-10-cds-235534/ |
