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Yet Another Look at CD Sales

Posted by michael on from the blowing-smoke dept.

citizenkeller writes "Dan Bricklin, of VisiCalc fame, has published a very interesting essay on "CD sales, downloading, and burning". In his own words: 'Given the slight dip in CD sales despite so many reasons for there to be a much larger drop, it seems that the effect of downloading, burning, and sharing is one of the few bright lights helping the music industry with their most loyal customers. Perhaps the real reason for some of the drop in sales was the shutdown of Napster and other crackdowns by the music industry.'"

1 of 284 comments (clear)

  1. It's the music, stupid by RailGunner · · Score: 5, Informative
    Ripping off a Dick Morris quote, but the reason CD sales have fallen is the lack of innovation in the music. Can a casual listener really tell the difference between the Backdoor Boys and N'STYNC? Or between Britney Spears and the clones of her? The difference between Drowning Pool and Disturbed? The real problem is that there's no true variety in new music these days. Current rock bands sound like other rock bands, current pop bands sound like all the other pop bands, the music is just cookie-cutter, corporate crap.

    As proof of this, let's look at the top 20 selling albums of all time as an example:
    1. Eagles: Greatest Hits
    2. Michael Jackson: Thriller
    3. Pink Floyd: The Wall
    4. Led Zeppelin IV
    5. Billy Joel: Greatest Hits
    6. AC/DC: Back in Black
    7.Shania Twain: Come on Over
    8.Beatles: White Album
    9.Fleetwood Mac: Rumours
    10.The Bodyguard Motion Picture Soundtrack
    11.Boston: Boston
    12.Alanis Morissette: Jagged Little Pill
    13.Garth Brooks: No Fences
    14.Hootie and the Blowfish: Cracked Rear View
    15.Eagles: Hotel California
    16.Beatles: Beatles
    17.Bruce Springsteen: Born in the USA
    18.Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
    19.Guns N Roses: Appetite For Destruction
    20.Elton John: Greatest Hits

    The list is a little rock-heavy, but look at the difference bewteen the bands. There's a huge variety of musical styles here. In other words, the exact opposite of what's being sold now. Listening to the same carbon copy crap is boring, and the opposite of entertaining. Until the RIAA and the record companies start releasing albums from artists who are willing to experiment musically, then sales will not increase.

    Personally, the last CD's I purchased were Ozzy Osbourne: Live at Budokan (and the remaster / reissues he's released this year), and Black Sabbath's Past Lives. I doubt I buy any more CD's this year.