In 1982, when the BBC’s technology program, Tomorrow’s World, made a segment in a new music format called “Compact Disc”, the presenter asked skeptically “If there’s a market for it, it’s to be seen” . We all know what happened next, but even in the early ’80s the advantages of CDs should have been clear: high-quality, non-degrading sound in a compact format. Oh, and you could even skip, mix, and repeat songs, which, in a pre-digital world, really looked like the future.
The Compact Disc turns 40 this year and there are already signs that the format is ready for a mini revival. For the first time in 17 years, CD sales actually increased, and nearly 50 percent, according to the RIAA’s sales database.
It is still a long way from the high point of the format. In 2021, 46.6 million CDs were shipped to the U.S., compared to nearly $ 1 billion in 2000. For context, those 46.6 million barely account for four percent of total music revenue from last year. Vinyl albums, on the other hand, sold fewer global units (39.7 million), but are more of a money generator for artists (seven percent of total revenue).
Some reports claim that the increase in CD sales is mainly due to mega-artists like Adele and BTS releasing new albums (only 30 of the first accounted for two percent of total CD sales). But there are other potential, and more practical, factors that contribute, including the pandemic.
“CD sales are growing again now that retailers are reopening and artists are back on tour. And while CDs haven’t seen the same kind of revival yet as vinyl, the CD format is still a revenue stream. constant for independent artists “. Rob Bach, COO of CD Baby told Engadget. They should know this, as one of their services is the production and distribution of CDs for indie bands.
Kevin Breuner, the company’s vice president of Artist Engagement and Education, believes there is a growing appetite for CDs as souvenirs, rather than as a way to play music. “Part of that is that streaming hasn’t replaced anything on the merchandising table … the appeal of a physical item like a CD is that it’s a piece of memory on a live stage, something you can have “In the same way, for artists, there is nothing that can replace when a fan returns to the merchandising table to buy a CD or a T-shirt; it has always been that way.”
There’s also the fact that what once seemed restrictive to younger listeners — having to have a song if you wanted to hear it — now presents a different way of enjoying music. A good record is not just a collection of songs, but a structured experience to enjoy from start to finish. Of course, you can do this with streaming, but a CD requires you to get up to change it, Spotify is usually a click away.
The CDs were released in Japan in October 1982. The format and hardware to play it did not reach the US and Europe until the following year. Adoption was relatively quick and just two years later, Dire Straits’ first million-selling CD album, Brothers in Arms, would consolidate the popularity of the brilliant album. In the early 1990s, aided by increasingly small, affordable, and even portable players, the CD was the de facto way of listening to music. And for good reason.
In this new digital world, the format of the CD was consistent in a way that could never be analog. What became known as the “Red Book” standard – 16-bit dual-channel PCM at 44.1 kHz – would be the predominant specification from here. When someone used to say “it’s CD quality” you could assume that’s what he meant.
This standard is considered the minimum requirement to be called “lossless” by current streaming services. Of course, how or what you record at 16 bits / 44.1 is really what matters, but that’s another story.
Jamal Saidi / Reuters
More important than all this, at least for the labels and artists, is that the arrival of the CD made it possible for us to resell our entire music collection in the wonderful new format. The 90s were a good time to be in the music industry, at least until Sean and Shawn showed up.
There were also other advantages of this new digital medium. And not just the ability to skip / program / shuffle tracks. With CDs, you could hide additional tracks in new ways that would otherwise be visible on a vinyl record or found instantly by anyone who left a cassette tape running.
Even more exciting? Once computers began to be a more common feature in homes, artists and record companies realized that you could group them into completely different bonus media, such as videos and karaoke versions, as found in some American versions of The Offspring, for example.
Before I show you some ways to enjoy / rediscover the joys of compact discs, keep in mind that the experience was not perfect.
Despite being more durable than vinyl, it is definitely possible to scratch a CD. When a record has a scratch, it’s almost charming. With CDs, it’s more like walking slowly through hell while digging the streets. If your disc has been damaged, it may also work on some players, but frustratingly, not on others. Many hours have been wasted cleaning and reassembling a CD in the hope that it would take.
Of course, many CD players only carried one disc, so you would often change them. If you know someone who had all the CDs in the right case, it was often an indication that this person isn’t listening to their music enthusiastically or often enough (they may be a little organized, but where’s the fun in that). This “what record is in which case” problem got even worse when someone decided that the singles on CD (a song you wanted and some less good songs on a record) were a good idea.
Not to mention the fragility of the cases they went into. The hinges of the jewelry box would crack just by looking at them, while the centerpieces (the part that held the disc) would sink no matter how much you handled things. Most of the time during moving house or listening enthusiastically with friends.
Unlike other formats, the CD is unique because it played a role in its own demise. With the advent of CD burners, you can easily copy your friends’ album collection, print album artwork, and even print circular stickers with CD art. This was how music was stolen during the short period when CD burners and blank discs were affordable and online piracy had not consolidated. The CD was then effectively relegated to the role of external storage medium before silently retreating into the darkness. So far, of course.
Given these small challenges, if you are ready and willing to give another twist to the humble Compact Disc, here are some recommendations, new and old, cheap and not so, to delve into the world of CD.