Retail stores like Best Buy and Target will no longer sell CDs
An end to an era that Im not ready for. Mixture of sadness and pragmatism at this news, as with most news on the music industry.
Sadness from nostalgia, because I definitely remember how much I loved the physical aspect of CDs as a kid (fond memories of breaking into the plastic and marker-ing over the Parental Advisory stickers when I was very little, so as to get them around my folks). I do think the limitations of a physical format caused me to listen way more intently on my Walkman than having unlimited access to every song as I do now–it definitely helped me find some personal favorites and get to know songs/albums on a more intimate level.
Pragmatism because, if we’re going to have a digital format and an analog/physical format, I kinda like the new turn towards streaming for the former and vinyl for the latter. In retrospect, CDs served a good historical bridge between the two, but ultimately end up losing some of the best aspects of both formats. As physical things, they weren’t as cool as vinyl; in terms of ease of use, they can’t hold a candle to streaming or digital audio files.
That being said, a lot of current music doesn’t translate nearly as well to vinyl, what with its heavy bass. I would like it if things like liner notes or artwork (which to me always enhance the whole experience, but that’s a personal preference) could somehow be better transported to the digital age.
