Apparently, yesterday was the 30th anniversary of the first-ever demonstration of the original CD prototype. Okay, so this is a pretty silly milestone, since nobody much cares about some long-ago technology demo (won’t the 2012 anniversary of the first commercially released CD, Billy Joel’s 52nd Street, be more notable?). Also, nobody cares about CDs.
But we thought this was a good excuse to tip you off to a smart book that offers a fascinating peek into the birth (and death) of the CD, the rise of digital music, and all the ways the music industry has screwed up over the past 30 years. Steve Knopper’s Appetitite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age is way more interesting than it sounds, and as fun to read as it is informative. Knopper tells his story through charismatic characters and fun anecdotes, which will keep you awake and more entertained than you might think possible when reading a book peppered with terms like "ISO-MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3" (that’s "MP3" to the rest of us). As you’re downloading the new U2 album for $3.99 on Amazon, pick this up too and find out how things got to the point where the biggest band in the world is practically giving away their new album.
So how do you feel about the death of the CD at the ripe old age of 30? Is it a sad, early demise, or good riddance to a tired technology?
I think saying nobody cares about CDs is a little like saying nobody cares about vinyl (and that’s still around though selling significantly small volumes)… it’s a bit premature. Don’t get me wrong, downloading is clearly the way of the future, but there is something to be said for tangibility.
I agree with the previous comment. I still care about CDs, and tangibility is a factor. It’s a lot more exciting for me to actually hold that just-released CD in my hand than watch the progress of the iTunes download.
I still buy CDs, but I’m also old enough to remember the hype about them in the 80s, how the sound was so clear and they were indestructible, etc. But try listening to a CD from the 80s (or even the early 90s), as compared to a record.One sounds much better than the other…
I heard that dvds can stop playing after a while (like 5-7 yrs). Is that true?
Downloads are worthless. Like the others, I’m all about getting a tangible product.
Count me as another you cares very much about the CD. Downloads are okay for the occasional single, but I want the whole record (CD) in my hands.
hey, i care about CD’s, i grew up in the 90s. i know they’ve lost their relevance, but i kinda miss them, and am not going to throw mine away or anything.
and now from reading these comments, i feel better about myself, lol. i thought it was just me not wanting to let go, but now i see i’m not the only one who still appreciates actually having that disc, the case, and the liner notes.
Does anyone know the first pop/rock commercial CD release? I read the book (great book), but I don’t think it mentions it specifically.
I remember the big deal I made about buying my first CD. It was Elvis Costello’s King of America, and I didn’t even have a CD player yet. When I got an A+ in college, I celebrated by buying Paul Simon’s Graceland. I still prefer buying a CD to downloading music. It may be growing archaic, but these memories are priceless to me, so I will always have a fondness for them.
By the way, when I turned 45, I gathered my 45 favorite 45s and created a series of scrapbooks which include them and all sorts of pop culture artifacts I’ve collected over the years. They are my favorite way to waste a Sunday afternoon. We all have our periods of nostalgia. Someday, digital downloads will hold the same sense of sentimentality for the present-da generation.
I thought i would be a CD guy forever. My first CD i bought when I was in 9th grade was U2 WAR and Zeppelin IV. But times have changed. I have not bought a CD in years, and I love the versatility of a download. Get over it guys the CD is dead and there is nothing you can do about it. That being said, I do miss walking around the CD store for hours wondering if I was going to discover something truly original. Yet it is fun browsing Itunes for new bands.
I still prefer to get things on CD. I love the idea of holding the disc in my hands. Digital is so…impersonal. Plus I don’t really have storage space on my computer anyway. Love live the CD!
I’ve said this countless times – I will buy a download for a single song here and there, but when I want an album, I will buy the CD. I need the tactile experience of holding it, reading through the booklet, appreciating the pictures, etc. (not to mention having a backup should something happen to my computer).
CDs?? I still love vinyl. And you just use software to burn the record onto a CD-R to play in your car.
CDs are made of plastic held in plastic casings. Some companies used cheap CDs, so expect some of your albums to start breaking down sooner rather than later. I stopped buying CDs because they take up so much room. I’d rather download an album then burn it onto a disk and keep the disks in books. I still listen to some of my old CDs, but that collection is mostly stagnant at this point. Plus, I mostly listen to music on my mp3 player or my laptop, so CDs are impractical for me. I mostly use CDs as back up and to play in the car. I totally want to read this book. It’s amazing how quickly the technology shifted.