An interesting discussion over on the sa-cd.net forum started off with a quote from a German Music Magazine that despite receiving many awards, one European label issuing SACDs (Myrios) is experiencing declining sales of discs and the label chief wonders if disc sales will be a viable option in the future.
To which one music industry professional replied "I give the entire system another two years at best."
It makes you wonder, does the world of optical discs - including SACDs - have only a few years left? Hmm.....
To which one music industry professional replied "I give the entire system another two years at best."
It makes you wonder, does the world of optical discs - including SACDs - have only a few years left? Hmm.....
First Post:
Today I read the new issue of the German mag FONO FORUM, with besides an interview with the Hagen Qt on their new Mozart venture, an interesting interview with Myrios label head Stephan Cahen on 5 years Myrios. A little alarmingly, he notes that despite the many awards they garner in the music press, for the last two years or so there has been a "significant decline" in the sale of his discs, not least because of streaming (!), "to such an extent that it becomes threatening/worrying for me and some of my colleagues". It'd be a real shame if Myrios would be forced out of business because of this. Their SACDs are supremely fine works, both musically/interpretively/qua repertoire and from an engineering point of view.
Reply:
Wow Fausto, you're just discovering most labels, especially the specialty independents are in serious jeopardy? In most of the world, the brick and mortar retail sales of optical media is approaching non-existence. They have no cash flow to pay their distributors, and the distributors have no cash to pay their labels. The labels in turn can't say "no more releases till you pay up" to their distributors, for that would put them immediately out of business. So they extend their terms, and hope.
I give the entire system another two years at best.
Why do you think this flashing banner at my feet is Pentatone trying to extend their life through alternate distribution?