Love the optimism! I wonder whether the streaming crowd (of which I’m one) have desire to support a (limited) library of their absolute favourites? Especially when the new releases have to compete with a very long tail of legacy acts.
As a dj I find bands that dump swearing halfway through songs very irritating as if I happen to like the song I then have to edit it out before playing! Otherwise we’d get a stern letter from the authorities 😱. I think also people are wanting to own things more to save their music from when Spotify & the artist fall out & their music disappears, which happens more often than you’d think.
Great to see physical sales up . My collection includes over 3k vinyl records and about 2k compact discs . I blinked one day and found myself in 2024 , wish it was 1979 before the earth was tipped on it's axis and everything and everyone got crazy . Cheers Phil.
Onya Phil! And don’t forget that as technology has improved with DACs in CD players or transports over the past 20 years, the CD sounds exceptionally better despite the Vinyl-is-better nay-sayers. And the fact that many remasters and new recordings have used digital storage and/or steps, there is no argument to bag the CD. You can already see the prices of CDs rising….Keep up the great work. Cheers from Oz!
While we are celebrating the vinyl, CD and cassettes revivals, another format is now slowly picking up steam: Yes! MP3 players, 2001 vintage style. A number of manufacturers are making iPod like portable players to satisfy this demand. Imagine, early 21st century audio technology is now the stuff of nostalgia !
The only reason to use a separate MP3 player today is if you don't want Google or Apple "poking their noses" into your music likes or dislikes so that you keep your music to yourself AND you don't know how to stop them doing that. I can't speak for iTunes and people (like Phil) that use Apple devices but I only use Android devices that I know can be installed with a custom and "de-Googled" operating system like Lineage OS which ultimately means that I maintain my privacy from Google's "filthy paws". Doing that stops them tracking my location to an accuracy of 2 meters 24x7 and blinds them to anything that I am doing on my phone - which, as a cyber-security professional, is the way I like it. As someone who has always bought physical media (digital downloads to me are like "Pick n Mix sweeties" in the cinema foyer ("I'll have that track over there, two of these here and sprinkles on the top")), I rip my CDs myself to my music server at home and download what I want to my de-Googled phone at that point - and usually onto a MicroSD card that gives me far more storage space than was ever in a portable MP3 player.
interesting as always Phil. My local HMV has reduced the range of CDs available but I have to say that this was probably a necessary cull. In all honesty there was a lot of content that I could not imagine anybody buying. Individual vinyl albums can be expensive in HMV but the bundle buys such as 3 for £50 can be a real bargain. I admit that in the case of a re-issue of a classic album, I usually buy both the CD and vinyl versions if I can.
I used to have Apple iTunes and had tons of songs on the streaming format untill something happened about 15 years ago that wiped all my songs that I paid for completely out ,Apple was sorry you’ll have to start over ! I dropped iTunes like a rock and never looked back ! I only buy cds (NO ONE can take them away from me or tell me what to do with them and same for DVDS 🎉🎉🎉SCREW STREAMING ANYTHING !!!!
What's the retail price of the Last Dinner Party CD in the UK? Here in Australia it's ridiculous- well above the odds, much like Depeche Mode's last release. Could this be why the sales figure you quoted bucked the trend for vinyl vs CD?
Thanks Phil ... another helpful update once again ... I still buy CDs but am now "way" more picky / canny / grippy (63 years old now) ... and I buy when I've had a chance to suss out / stream a release (often for a wee while) v historically buying on a whim ('cause many new releases are not so good) ... or the price is "right" ... or the artist offers an incentive (e.g. signed copy) ... so this week it's been latest by each of Paul Simon and Van Morrison (HMV ... 2 for £16 ... yup, that works, Uriah Heep (eventually) for £9 also HMV), Dea Matrona pre order for signed CD, Steve Hackett signed CD / Blu Ray (always a no brainer), Jools Holland / Rod Stewart on pre order (also signed), Thea Gilmore (signed), forthcoming Gun CD (signed if memory serves), John Smith new CD (also signed) .... I will buy the SDE blu rays as / when of interest (e.g. Dylan - Time Out of Mind, Ten Years After, Mike Oldfield, ABC, Gilbert O'Sullivan (latter also signed)) ... and also bought the Moondance bluray set (another no brainer) ... re vinyl - once in a blue moon I will go for a "silent vinyl" if it's part of a signed bundle deal (e.g. Bryan Ferry) ... So, in summary, if artists get the price point right and provide appropriate incentives then, of course, folk will, and ideally should - if finances permit, go after physical product (e.g. Camel box set selling out in days) ... and with bandcamp and the like it's also nowadays to get more £'s going directly to support the artist (though not all sales make it to official stats).... get pricing wrong (£200 for 4 x CD Budokan set of Bob Dylan - an artist I adore) then "no chance" ... I'll stream it on Qobuz (and. who knows, maybe even get someone to find an innovative way to get me a digital copy to have in my PC library so I am not reliant if the streaming renters pull the release out of its library) ... not surprised CD sales are doing more than ok ... it's THE format for multiple disk sets and still a fantastic medium (if the mastering is not LOUD) for getting great, consistent, hassle free physical product into your hand ... looking forward to continuing to add selectively to my collection this year .... keep up the good work ... CMcG, Aberdeen, Scotland (p.s. did I miss the ranking video of UFO albums? ... did The Wild The Willing The Innocent get close to the top? ... awesome band)
CD is going nowhere' it's is very much still one of the best music formats ever designed they tried to update it with super audio CD that was a total flop but now with new improved Dat converters CD sounds better than ever
Alright Phil , This is probably off subject but the UK could do with some decent record shops not unlike the ones we see in the USA. I know we have Mail Order but it isn't like rummaging in a record store. All the best.
I agree. The problem we have here in the UK is far too much corporate greed when it comes to town centre shopping. Public transport has been "cut to the bone" and run by private corporations, so when you drive into the town you have to pay an extortionate amount of money to park your car. Then business rates for shops are absolutely huge which keeps out small and independent shop owners in favour of the big corporate chain stores. Yet you can drive to an out-of-town retail park (usually with just a D-I-Y store and maybe a couple of shoe stores and a pet shop), park freely on a football-pitch sized parking area for as long as you want, and visit those stores as much as you want. How does a small town centre retailer like an independent record store compete with that? And then people here complain that our town centres are dying.
Problem now Record label's seem to be releasing more slim digi-packs, which most of us hate due to humidity weakening the cardboard & easy denting or scratching of the cardboard during manufacturing or delivery. Also when a "single disc" album has more than 12 songs, labels now consider it a "double album" & are charge more for it. (ie Coldplay's everyday life)
I think it depends on the artist and label - the Nazareth and Motorhead remasters have been consistently good and packed with good extra material (live tracks, sessions, b-sides, etc.) but I completely avoided the latest Queen remasters because they're issued as a double CD with the original remastered album on one CD and about five "random" tracks on the bonus CD that would easily fit on the first CD.
I'm afraid I don't share your enthusiasm for HMV - I have always found them to be overpriced and these days their shops seem far more concerned with selling t-shirts and those plastic collectable dollies with the oversized heads than physical music media. If I am out shopping with the missus on a Saturday and pop into the local HMV whilst she is clothes shopping, then I will have a browse - and if I find something that might be worth buying then I compare it to the online price and usually end up ordering it there. If it was a local independent music retailer, I'd be more inclined to "bung 'em a couple of quid extra" for what they're selling, but HMV have always been an overpriced and greedy corporation in my view. Back in the "heyday" of record stores before the millennium, me and my mates would go up to London once a month on a Saturday to browse the record shops and we'd start at Tower Records in Piccadilly Circus (because they were usually the cheapest), then up through Soho to a few independent record shops, then finally to HMV and Virgin on Oxford Street because they were always the most expensive.
@@PSN489 We had Quicksilver records, and a number of second hand record shops, in my home town of Reading that always made a trip into town with mates a great way to spend some time.
Long live the CD! 💿
Great video. Great news. Long live the cd. I agree music is the healer and the doctor. Thank you for another great video.
fantastic news for physical media! So happy & excited to see more CD love! Thanks for sharing everything Phil.
Phil, Nice touch at the end which gave me a smile !! Thanks for the video and good morning from the U.S.A.
I really rely on both formats for different purposes. Keep ‘em coming (just don’t cheap out).
Nothing beats well mastered cd's. Problem is the loudness wars.
Love the optimism! I wonder whether the streaming crowd (of which I’m one) have desire to support a (limited) library of their absolute favourites? Especially when the new releases have to compete with a very long tail of legacy acts.
💿
As a dj I find bands that dump swearing halfway through songs very irritating as if I happen to like the song I then have to edit it out before playing! Otherwise we’d get a stern letter from the authorities 😱. I think also people are wanting to own things more to save their music from when Spotify & the artist fall out & their music disappears, which happens more often than you’d think.
The HMV in Lancaster (UK) is fab!!
Great to see physical sales up . My collection includes over 3k vinyl records and about 2k compact discs . I blinked one day and found myself in 2024 , wish it was 1979 before the earth was tipped on it's axis and everything and everyone got crazy . Cheers Phil.
Onya Phil! And don’t forget that as technology has improved with DACs in CD players or transports over the past 20 years, the CD sounds exceptionally better despite the Vinyl-is-better nay-sayers. And the fact that many remasters and new recordings have used digital storage and/or steps, there is no argument to bag the CD. You can already see the prices of CDs rising….Keep up the great work. Cheers from Oz!
For me personally I buy cds for the price! I do buy vinyl if it's special to me!
Vinyl Machine - famous track by Hawkwind-up
While we are celebrating the vinyl, CD and cassettes revivals, another format is now slowly picking up steam: Yes! MP3 players, 2001 vintage style. A number of manufacturers are making iPod like portable players to satisfy this demand. Imagine, early 21st century audio technology is now the stuff of nostalgia !
The only reason to use a separate MP3 player today is if you don't want Google or Apple "poking their noses" into your music likes or dislikes so that you keep your music to yourself AND you don't know how to stop them doing that.
I can't speak for iTunes and people (like Phil) that use Apple devices but I only use Android devices that I know can be installed with a custom and "de-Googled" operating system like Lineage OS which ultimately means that I maintain my privacy from Google's "filthy paws". Doing that stops them tracking my location to an accuracy of 2 meters 24x7 and blinds them to anything that I am doing on my phone - which, as a cyber-security professional, is the way I like it.
As someone who has always bought physical media (digital downloads to me are like "Pick n Mix sweeties" in the cinema foyer ("I'll have that track over there, two of these here and sprinkles on the top")), I rip my CDs myself to my music server at home and download what I want to my de-Googled phone at that point - and usually onto a MicroSD card that gives me far more storage space than was ever in a portable MP3 player.
interesting as always Phil. My local HMV has reduced the range of CDs available but I have to say that this was probably a necessary cull. In all honesty there was a lot of content that I could not imagine anybody buying. Individual vinyl albums can be expensive in HMV but the bundle buys such as 3 for £50 can be a real bargain. I admit that in the case of a re-issue of a classic album, I usually buy both the CD and vinyl versions if I can.
I used to have Apple iTunes and had tons of songs on the streaming format untill something happened about 15 years ago that wiped all my songs that I paid for completely out ,Apple was sorry you’ll have to start over ! I dropped iTunes like a rock and never looked back ! I only buy cds (NO ONE can take them away from me or tell me what to do with them and same for DVDS 🎉🎉🎉SCREW STREAMING ANYTHING !!!!
Terrible. Can only imagine the frustration and anger.
Apple are just like Hmv Tommy.
I will say no more.
Speaking of cds, Phil are you planning on getting The Collosseum box set coming out in March? Personally I can't wait.
Yes - it’s on my list !
What's the retail price of the Last Dinner Party CD in the UK? Here in Australia it's ridiculous- well above the odds, much like Depeche Mode's last release. Could this be why the sales figure you quoted bucked the trend for vinyl vs CD?
In HMV and on Amazon it’s retailing at £7.99.
Thanks Phil ... another helpful update once again ... I still buy CDs but am now "way" more picky / canny / grippy (63 years old now) ... and I buy when I've had a chance to suss out / stream a release (often for a wee while) v historically buying on a whim ('cause many new releases are not so good) ... or the price is "right" ... or the artist offers an incentive (e.g. signed copy) ... so this week it's been latest by each of Paul Simon and Van Morrison (HMV ... 2 for £16 ... yup, that works, Uriah Heep (eventually) for £9 also HMV), Dea Matrona pre order for signed CD, Steve Hackett signed CD / Blu Ray (always a no brainer), Jools Holland / Rod Stewart on pre order (also signed), Thea Gilmore (signed), forthcoming Gun CD (signed if memory serves), John Smith new CD (also signed) .... I will buy the SDE blu rays as / when of interest (e.g. Dylan - Time Out of Mind, Ten Years After, Mike Oldfield, ABC, Gilbert O'Sullivan (latter also signed)) ... and also bought the Moondance bluray set (another no brainer) ... re vinyl - once in a blue moon I will go for a "silent vinyl" if it's part of a signed bundle deal (e.g. Bryan Ferry) ... So, in summary, if artists get the price point right and provide appropriate incentives then, of course, folk will, and ideally should - if finances permit, go after physical product (e.g. Camel box set selling out in days) ... and with bandcamp and the like it's also nowadays to get more £'s going directly to support the artist (though not all sales make it to official stats).... get pricing wrong (£200 for 4 x CD Budokan set of Bob Dylan - an artist I adore) then "no chance" ... I'll stream it on Qobuz (and. who knows, maybe even get someone to find an innovative way to get me a digital copy to have in my PC library so I am not reliant if the streaming renters pull the release out of its library) ... not surprised CD sales are doing more than ok ... it's THE format for multiple disk sets and still a fantastic medium (if the mastering is not LOUD) for getting great, consistent, hassle free physical product into your hand ... looking forward to continuing to add selectively to my collection this year .... keep up the good work ... CMcG, Aberdeen, Scotland (p.s. did I miss the ranking video of UFO albums? ... did The Wild The Willing The Innocent get close to the top? ... awesome band)
p.s. just added a pre order for a signed cooy of the new Martin Simpson album ... he doesn't do a "dud" album ... a bona fide UK folk treasure ...
CD is going nowhere' it's is very much still one of the best music formats
ever designed they tried to update it with super audio CD that was a total flop but now with new improved Dat converters CD sounds better than ever
Alright Phil , This is probably off subject but the UK could do with some decent record shops not unlike the ones we see in the USA. I know we have Mail Order but it isn't like rummaging in a record store. All the best.
I agree. The problem we have here in the UK is far too much corporate greed when it comes to town centre shopping. Public transport has been "cut to the bone" and run by private corporations, so when you drive into the town you have to pay an extortionate amount of money to park your car. Then business rates for shops are absolutely huge which keeps out small and independent shop owners in favour of the big corporate chain stores.
Yet you can drive to an out-of-town retail park (usually with just a D-I-Y store and maybe a couple of shoe stores and a pet shop), park freely on a football-pitch sized parking area for as long as you want, and visit those stores as much as you want.
How does a small town centre retailer like an independent record store compete with that? And then people here complain that our town centres are dying.
Problem now Record label's seem to be releasing more slim digi-packs, which most of us hate due to humidity weakening the cardboard & easy denting or scratching of the cardboard during manufacturing or delivery. Also when a "single disc" album has more than 12 songs, labels now consider it a "double album" & are charge more for it. (ie Coldplay's everyday life)
I think it depends on the artist and label - the Nazareth and Motorhead remasters have been consistently good and packed with good extra material (live tracks, sessions, b-sides, etc.) but I completely avoided the latest Queen remasters because they're issued as a double CD with the original remastered album on one CD and about five "random" tracks on the bonus CD that would easily fit on the first CD.
Not sure about the 'most of us hate' digi-packs comment. Would like to see a Now Spinning poll on that.
I'm afraid I don't share your enthusiasm for HMV - I have always found them to be overpriced and these days their shops seem far more concerned with selling t-shirts and those plastic collectable dollies with the oversized heads than physical music media.
If I am out shopping with the missus on a Saturday and pop into the local HMV whilst she is clothes shopping, then I will have a browse - and if I find something that might be worth buying then I compare it to the online price and usually end up ordering it there.
If it was a local independent music retailer, I'd be more inclined to "bung 'em a couple of quid extra" for what they're selling, but HMV have always been an overpriced and greedy corporation in my view.
Back in the "heyday" of record stores before the millennium, me and my mates would go up to London once a month on a Saturday to browse the record shops and we'd start at Tower Records in Piccadilly Circus (because they were usually the cheapest), then up through Soho to a few independent record shops, then finally to HMV and Virgin on Oxford Street because they were always the most expensive.
Totally agree Mate , Graduate Records in Dudley , West Midlands was my favourite haunt when I had hair and youthful cest. Now that was a record shop.
@@PSN489 We had Quicksilver records, and a number of second hand record shops, in my home town of Reading that always made a trip into town with mates a great way to spend some time.