2 Years Left ?

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bmoura

bmoura

2K Club - QQ Super Nova
Since 2002/2003
Joined
Mar 2, 2003
Messages
9,518
Location
Redwood City, CA
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.....

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?
Click to expand...
 
bmoura said:
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.....
Click to expand...

I take those projections with a grain of salt...4 years ago the industry insiders were sure that DVD's were over...and vinyl was supposed to be dead a long time ago...the internet speeds in the US are woefully slow and the infrastructure needs a total revamping to improve the streaming/download business...and that's not going to happen anytime soon...on the video side 4k has been a total flop..and even with improved compression systems it's probably not going to gain much traction in the US...of course they would like to get rid of the discs...bigger profit margins await..but it's like having a sports car with no real fuel to run the car...2 years from now we can visit this thread and you can give us an update...and I'm betting that discs won't be dead...
 
Last edited:
Clint Eastwood said:
2 years from now we can visit this thread and you can give us an update...and I'm betting that discs won't be dead...
Click to expand...

Well, the discs may still be playable. But some of the independent record companies may be "dead" if the distributors don't start paying them for the discs provided.
 
Last Christmas I was at my brother's place and was discussing record stores with his brother-in-law. My 8 year old nephew overheard us and asked us what we were talking about. We told him about having to go to a store to buy music on records. His remark was "why would you want to do that?" I had to reply that there was a time when the internet and YouTube didn't exist. He couldn't comprehend playing music without his tablet. I still can't comprehend playing music without a diamond, or at the very least, a laser. You can't lose a record, or digital disc as easily as files on a hard drive with a crash or accidental click on delete, or having a video removed for copyright compliance. LONG LIVE PHYSICAL MEDIUMS!!!!!
 
Wellllll..............Snood love the SACDs me have, but simple answer to this..............

RELEASE WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT!!!!!!

Instead of just picking what their particular tastes dictate.

For instance AF's recent venture into the 5.1s...........while Snood is thankful - the 2 titles chosen were somewhat not mainstream.

Snood saw a thread on here earlier about The SACD stereo release of The Cars first album..............whaaaaaaaaa!!!!????? That beeeeetch would sell out in 5.1 and Snood would buy 2!!!! One just to sleep with! Yes it would be near that region of my body!

Don't get me wrong, there have been many SACD stereo titles released that were main stream awesome.............but many more that were obscure, but still awesome. Obscure equals low sales DUH!

Me doubts 2 years...........Me doubts 5 years..............what me doubts more is any good business acumen from the SACD issuing labels.........Let the right one's out.........BTW movie "Let the right one in" is a great movie - check out the non US release much better as are most foreign to US releases.
 
What your nephew does not comprehend is that record stores fostered impulse buying, and purchasing from the net does not to the same degree. You walked into Tower/Sam Goodys/Virgin etc, thinking you want to buy a specific recording, browse the bins, and walk out a hundred dollars poorer. That doesn't happen anymore, and the labels are suffering because of it.
 
tailspn said:
What your nephew does not comprehend is that record stores fostered impulse buying, and purchasing from the net does not to the same degree. You walked into Tower/Sam Goodys/Virgin etc, thinking you want to buy a specific recording, browse the bins, and walk out a hundred dollars poorer. That doesn't happen anymore, and the labels are suffering because of it.
Click to expand...

Very true! I live near a former Tower Records store. Used to visit their often and buy more CDs than I intended when entering the store.
Great memories.
 
Snood said:
Wellllll..............Snood love the SACDs me have, but simple answer to this..............

RELEASE WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT!!!!!!

Instead of just picking what their particular tastes dictate.

For instance AF's recent venture into the 5.1s...........while Snood is thankful - the 2 titles chosen were somewhat not mainstream.

Snood saw a thread on here earlier about The SACD stereo release of The Cars first album..............whaaaaaaaaa!!!!????? That beeeeetch would sell out in 5.1 and Snood would buy 2!!!! One just to sleep with! Yes it would be near that region of my body!

Don't get me wrong, there have been many SACD stereo titles released that were main stream awesome.............but many more that were obscure, but still awesome. Obscure equals low sales DUH!

Me doubts 2 years...........Me doubts 5 years..............what me doubts more is any good business acumen from the SACD issuing labels.........Let the right one's out.........BTW movie "Let the right one in" is a great movie - check out the non US release much better as are most foreign to US releases.
Click to expand...

On SACD reissues, it's a first come - first served business. The label that licenses the album first gets it and the other labels do not.
Sometimes Audio Fidelity is first, other times it is Acoustic Sounds or Mobile Fidelity. That's the way it works.

As for taste in music, it varies quite a bit. We've seen in other discussions here that it is impossible to select any artist or album that everyone on QQ would buy as a reissue.
So the reissue labels look at sales of their prior releases and sales potential in selecting future reissues.

And the companies need to be correct - since they are paying $ in advance to license and buy a minimum number of manufactured SACDs from the record labels that own the masters.
It's the ultimate case of "putting your money where your mouth is!"...... :)
 
tailspn said:
What your nephew does not comprehend is that record stores fostered impulse buying, and purchasing from the net does not to the same degree. You walked into Tower/Sam Goodys/Virgin etc, thinking you want to buy a specific recording, browse the bins, and walk out a hundred dollars poorer. That doesn't happen anymore, and the labels are suffering because of it.
Click to expand...

No, that is true. The world is a safer place for me, until I hear what is on Amazon:yikes. I miss those days. Nothing will ever beat the excitement of your first, um, LP. I remember going downtown with my father because I had saved up enough allowance to buy the Grease soundtrack. I had to run out to the car and ask for two more dollars as it was $6.98. Now that I think of it, they never charged me tax!
 
If or when this projected disc Armageddon takes place I already have a plan...it involves me traveling to London with my bare necessities(I'll travel light)to Adam's(fredblue) flat and offer my services as Butler..Cook...General Handyman or indentured servant... in exchange for being allowed to live on the premises..because he has enough music on hand to last a lifetime:51banana:
 
Circular Vibes said:
No, that is true. The world is a safer place for me, until I hear what is on Amazon:yikes. I miss those days. Nothing will ever beat the excitement of your first, um, LP. I remember going downtown with my father because I had saved up enough allowance to buy the Grease soundtrack. I had to run out to the car and ask for two more dollars as it was $6.98. Now that I think of it, they never charged me tax!
Click to expand...

Snood Calling IRS now!!!! Whats the statutue of limitations on not paying 10 cents in taxes??? hmmmmmm :rolleyes:
 
Hogwash...
Physical will keep going...
2 years left for the BIG COMPANIES to charge OUTRAGEOUS prices...well, perhaps....maybe a bit more....
Just waiting for the next HUGE SOLAR FLARE to hit so that everyone who has sold their discs will find begging to have them back....
 
kap'n krunch said:
Hogwash...
Physical will keep going...
2 years left for the BIG COMPANIES to charge OUTRAGEOUS prices...well, perhaps....maybe a bit more....
Click to expand...

My understanding of his point was that we may have 2 years left for physical media from the smaller, independent record labels - not necessarily the major labels.

For the majors, I'm guessing that the record distributors are paying their bills first since they have the high volume, big name artists.
It's the small guys (classical, jazz, audiophile, etc.) that are getting shorted. Which is a problem here since they are the labels releasing in Multichannel and SACD!

Also explains why we see Symphony Orchestras - like the San Francisco Symphony, London Symphony, Cincinnati Pops, etc. starting their own record labels.
They no longer have contracts with major labels. Another step in the evolution of the music business.
 
Clint Eastwood said:
If or when this projected disc Armageddon takes place I already have a plan...it involves me traveling to London with my bare necessities(I'll travel light)to Adam's(fredblue) flat and offer my services as Butler..Cook...General Handyman or indentured servant... in exchange for being allowed to live on the premises..because he has enough music on hand to last a lifetime:51banana:
Click to expand...

priceless!! take me with....you cook and i'll offer Adam...err...ummm......
 
bmoura said:
My understanding of his point was that we may have 2 years left for physical media from the smaller, independent record labels - not necessarily the major labels.
Click to expand...

yes..with the dream team at audio fidelity the train is just pulling out of the station! all is not woe...
 
Circular Vibes said:
No, that is true. The world is a safer place for me, until I hear what is on Amazon:yikes. I miss those days. Nothing will ever beat the excitement of your first, um, LP. I remember going downtown with my father because I had saved up enough allowance to buy the Grease soundtrack. I had to run out to the car and ask for two more dollars as it was $6.98. Now that I think of it, they never charged me tax!
Click to expand...

Well, I guess since they were charging full list for the record (woops, I mean vinyl) they figured they could pay the tax for you at least.

Was this store called Wallichs Music City?
 
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