"CDs are prematurely
disappearing rapidly! "
I think a lot of this is a result of teh music market being saturated more than anything specific to CDs other than they are the current format most impacted, especially by new major pieces of the pie like internet radio, and even used CDS that basically sound as good as new indefinitely and do not have to be replaced (unlike worn records). Plus all the other non audio entertainment available (all via digital mostly mind you) these days. How much time does anybody really have to watch and listen to all that stuff? I chose to mostly listen when I do have time. I am literally drowning in new music to listen to these days and it will surely take me years to just catch up if I never bought another new CD again, which I still do on occasion, but frankly most of my "new" music purchases are used CDs. I also download a pop/rock mp3 from amazon on occasion. I view that as the modern equivalent of buying a 45 rpm single back when I was a kid and starting my record collection. I've always liked having the option of buying singles and not albums when I like a particular track.
