Best Buy will stop selling CDs in July

[Storm Eagle]

Come July 1st, Best Buy won't be selling CDs anymore, and Target may also stop.

http://www.businessinsider.com/best-buy-pulling-cds-from-stores-reaction-2018-2

I guess this had to happen sooner or later, and I actually find it kind of sad even though I haven't really bought a CD since 2009, and it actually was from a Best Buy. I haven't exactly shut the door to buying CDs, but I just haven't been compelled to buy a CD in so long. I have bought six CDs since then, but they were actually reissues of existing albums I already owned, and they either had a bonus DVD or extra tracks. So basically, 2014 was the last time I bought a CD. There are actually two more of those I'd like to get, but I can easily adapt to the ceasing of conventional CD production. Anyway, I guess I'd say my purchases of CDs have slowed since 2005, when I decided to end my BMG Music Service membership since I noticed I wasn't buying as many CDs. I had been buying music on cassettes up until 1996, which is when I decided to switch to CDs. There were so many of them I wanted to get, and I'd even replace my cassette albums with their CD counterparts. So a subscription to BMG helped me out with that, and saved me some money.

I've also downloaded a lot of songs, but they were mostly older songs. So instead of buying all of those CDs to have those songs, I just gave downloading a go. Unfortunately, downloads were what started to slowly kill CD sales. There are people who have been getting rid of their CDs for downloads, but I'll be keeping mine. All 169 of them.

 

[Fone Bone]

Both of those store's selections are crap anyways. I was recently building up a new CD collection and I pretty much had to go to Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Best Buy and Target were no help. Even Newbury Comics' selection sucks now.

 

[Kitschensyngk]

Last time I bought a CD at Best Buy, it was about two or three years ago. I haven't bought one there since, largely because their selection was mostly mainstream pop releases and classic rock best-ofs. All this move will do is just free up more store space for smartphones. My downtown area already has an indie music store with a much wider selection of new and used albums anyway.

Though it does remind me of how Wal-Mart has more anime on their shelves than them now...

I'm not as ecstatic about streaming music services as most people. Call me old-fashioned, but I like being able to listen to music without worrying about a phone signal or an internet connection or how much data I'm using. I use Spotify mostly to bookmark interesting songs, and why would I want to pay a monthly fee to do the same thing on Apple Music?

I'm aware that vinyl has become a thing again, but unfortunately I have nothing to play it on, which made it quite unfortunate the last time I walked into the music section of a Barnes and Noble.

 

[jaylop97]

I never shopped for CDs at these places, I just never felt invested to buy CD in either place. Admittedly it will be an experience to see the CD's go, I feel that DVD's were really something that had been taking a sink in the last few years, and not to mention that how hard it is to really care for CDs when they are just so brittle and scratch up.

 

[Storm Eagle]

I'm not as ecstatic about streaming music services as most people. Call me old-fashioned, but I like being able to listen to music without worrying about a phone signal or an internet connection or how much data I'm using. I use Spotify mostly to bookmark interesting songs, and why would I want to pay a monthly fee to do the same thing on Apple Music?

I'm also still in the camp that prefers physical formats. Downloading individual songs is more convenient for me, but I don't really have a compelling reason to give up physical copies of movies, video games, or even books. It's said that physical formats of music and movies are of better quality than digital formats, but that doesn't seem to confront most of they prefer digital. They're just more interested in reducing clutter. It just still feels though I genuinely own something when I get it on a physical format. Besides, studios went ahead with 4K Blu-rays. So you'd think that physical copies of movies can't be doing that bad, unless there's something else to this that I don't know. Those seem to be picking up though.

I never shopped for CDs at these places, I just never felt invested to buy CD in either place. Admittedly it will be an experience to see the CD's go, I feel that DVDS were really something that's rather not risk WWinner cool

I'm not sure I understood that last part of you last sentence, but I just hope that DVDs and Blu-rays still stick around for a while longer.

I just remembered that I bought a CD in 2015, but it was to replace an album I once owned on cassette that got rid of it a while ago. I started selling off my cassettes in 2003 on Amazon, and I was surprised that there were people who wanted them. Then I decided to sell off the whole lot of what I had remaining on eBay, and someone actually took them off of my hands.

 

[jaylop97]

I'm not sure I understood that last part of you last sentence, but I just hope that DVDs and Blu-rays still stick around for a while longer.

I just remembered that I bought a CD in 2015, but it was to replace an album I once owned on cassette that got rid of it a while ago. I started selling off my cassettes in 2003 on Amazon, and I was surprised that there were people who wanted them. Then I decided to sell off the whole lot of what I had remaining on eBay, and someone actually took them off of my hands.

Sorry about that last part, another draft of my sentence was displayed, not sure how did that happen. Speaking of Amazon I think that they are likely the company that would do better these days with sales given how they have a larger variety of music tracks over Best Buy and Target and for them it isn't as difficult to keep CDs that don't sale good.

 

[TsWade2]

I hate to admitted, but I do like buying music on itunes and sometimes Amazon recently.

 

[Gold Guy]

The end of an era.

 

[Mandouga]

If CD production stopped worldwide, then it would be the end of an era. CDs are still going to be made. After all, not everyone buys digital downloads. Some people would like a physical copy to share with their friends.

 

[Storm Eagle]

If CD production stopped worldwide, then it would be the end of an era. CDs are still going to be made. After all, not everyone buys digital downloads. Some people would like a physical copy to share with their friends.

Unfortunately, those people have become the minority.

 

[Mandouga]

Says who? You? Best Buy? With all due respect, it's like saying that people who who watch TV (terrestrial, or cable, but not online) or who watch movies at the movie theater are "in the minority", and that's not going away any time soon. In any case, don't bother trying to show me any kind of statistics or sources. My previous point still stands that this is hardly the "end of an era". One way or another, people are not going to stop buying CDs just because Best Buy is no longer selling them.

 

[Storm Eagle]

Says who? You? Best Buy? With all due respect, it's like saying that people who who watch TV (terrestrial, or cable, but not online) or who watch movies at the movie theater are "in the minority", and that's not going away any time soon. In any case, don't bother trying to show me any kind of statistics or sources. My previous point still stands that this is hardly the "end of an era". One way or another, people are not going to stop buying CDs just because Best Buy is no longer selling them.

First of all, you need to calm down. The article did say that Best Buy made that decision due to digital downloads of music becoming more prevalent to the sales of individual CDs, and even Target is considering doing something similar. Still, I know that there will still be other places to get CDs as long as those places see fit to stock them.

 

[Fone Bone]

In any case, don't bother trying to show me any kind of statistics or sources. .

Pfft! Facts! People can use facts to prove anything!

 

[Mandouga]

I think the first Superman movie (1978) said it best: the facts are undeniable, it's the conclusions that are questionable, hence why I said what I said.

 

[Fone Bone]

Buuuut... That's NOT what you said. You said you weren't going to read any statistics or sources. That is the opposite of what the Superman quote is trying to teach.

 

[haiduk]

Their loss. I will never stop buying CDs of my fav albums. It's the best physical format.

 

[Storm Eagle]

Their loss.

I think your response to this matter might be the best one ever.

So far, it's only Best Buy that has been confirmed to stop selling CDs in their stores. Even still, they might probably sell them on their site only. I'll also say that this reminds me of when the stores stopped selling VHS titles. Back in late 2003, I was at a Best Buy and someone asked about Finding Nemo on VHS, and he was told that they no longer stock VHS titles. I didn't notice that they stopped stocking VHS titles until the associate said it. I'd also check Target and Wal-Mart stores and they also stopped selling VHS titles. Blockbuster had even stopped renting out things on VHS. I don't know exactly when this all started, but I do remember seeing VHS titles at Best Buy the year before. I think it was around 2006 when studios stopped putting movies out on VHS, although there were exceptions in 2010 and 2013. So it might be a few years from now once CDs are officially dead.

 

[Harmonie]

Certainly could be worrisome. I'm not against digital downloading. I've been using iTunes for over a decade now and actually really do like it. The problem is that not everything shows up on iTunes... However, the chances of running into those CDs at a store are slim to begin with.

My worry comes from if CDs become virtually extinct, and then eventually digital downloading does as well. Does that sound crazy? Perhaps right now... But streaming services are becoming a big deal, and I know a ton of people who would prefer to pay subscription fees rather than purchase music. I hope my fear is unwarranted, but I don't want to see music ownership stop being a thing. I can not stand the thought of subscribing.

 

[Storm Eagle]

Certainly could be worrisome. I'm not against digital downloading. I've been using iTunes for over a decade now and actually really do like it. The problem is that not everything shows up on iTunes... However, the chances of running into those CDs at a store are slim to begin with.

My worry comes from if CDs become virtually extinct, and then eventually digital downloading does as well. Does that sound crazy? Perhaps right now... But streaming services are becoming a big deal, and I know a ton of people who would prefer to pay subscription fees rather than purchase music. I hope my fear is unwarranted, but I don't want to see music ownership stop being a thing. I can not stand the thought of subscribing.

There are songs that I wanted to download that I've seen on Napster, but not on iTunes. So I get what you mean. I remember having to resort to buying a CD from an Amazon marketplace seller, that doesn't seem to be sold in any stores anymore, and even on their sites. It was a CD that came out in 1993 too.

 

[Storm Eagle]

I went to two Best Buys today. They've both gotten rid of their CD section, although one of them has a $6 bargain bin for CDs. Since Target was also said to be possibly getting rid of their CD section, I'll have to visit one some day to see what's doing.