Mongshoua Xiong
Prof. Sheila Allard
Written Communication- 10:15 A.M.
11 May 2010

Disappearing CDs…

While typing for a blog entry and listening to my Ipod, I noticed my collection of music CDs. On the CD organizer, I must have over 100 music CDs and albums. Out of a little curiosity, I remembered that in the closet, I have a shoe box stuffed full of music cassettes. Back when I was a kid, the thing to have was a cassette and radio walkman. I remember saving up just so I could walk around with my walkman jamming to the tunes. Anyways, the times have change since I was a kid and still changing as I speak. The next big thing was the music CD. I have always thought that music CDs was going to be around for a long, long time. Remember when our favorite musicians and artists come out with their music CD albums? Within the first few weeks of release into the stores, millions and millions of CD albums are sold. Some CD album sales even reach record numbers. According to the Forrester Research, total revenue from U.S. music sales and licensing plunged to $6.3 billion in 2009. In 1999, that revenue figure topped $14.6 billion. (Cited in Goldman, David para 2) Now days when I go to a store, I notice that CD albums are one-quarter of the price that they were back then ten years ago. According to Billboard charts director Geoff Mayfield, he says that there has been “a decline in sales in six of the last seven years.” (Qtd in Barnes, Ken para 5) But as technology evolves into something else greater, the older favorites that we have come to love begin to disappear and fade with time. As I examine each part of the music media evolution, I do notice that the technology allows it to be more efficient, user friendly, and attractive.

As time goes on, technology always finds a way to replace and reintroduce itself as more efficient. For example, from my childhood, I started out listening to music cassette tapes. For others, their experiences might even go back as far as the older and bigger music records. Then I eventually moved on to music CDs. Now, I am currently surfing in the world of mp3 players and Ipods. Take for example the music CD to the Ipod. Instead of having about twenty songs on a music CD, users could have hundreds, even thousands of music on the Ipod or mp3 player. It depends on the size of the memory that is on the unit. Instead of having stacks of music CDs, an Ipod is all that a user would need for all their favorite music and artist. To add on the list, users can upload and view videos, games, and applications. The options that are available to add are endless. Also, most mp3 and Ipods units run off built in rechargeable batteries. Not only is it more efficient, but also greener because it saves replacing disposable batteries.

The internet; that about sums it all up. The internet has really put up a huge a wall against the music media industry. This phenomenon has taken away from the music CD profits and increases the downloading digital music media profits instead. “Last year the industry saw about $2 billion in revenues from online music sales” states Ken Fisher. (para 5) The internet era made downloading and purchasing music more user friendly. For example, users don’t have to buy the full Britney Spears music album just because I want one song out of the whole album. Oops I Did It Again can be downloaded on the internet. Users don’t have to listen to all the other songs on an album just so they can hear that one song that they want. Both legally and illegally, users can find songs and albums online. Many online programs offer many mixes from oldies to more recently release music. For the average price of $0.99, users can purchase whatever songs and music that they want. This makes it possible to purchase just the music that the user wants. From that point, users can create a musical mix that they want to listen to. With other online p2p (peer to peer) programs, users can browse and find a whole mix of music to all liking and taste. So for a price of $0.99 or free in some cases, what more can a user ask for than their favorite hits and music for less than a dollar each?

Who wants to be stuck with a bunch of old, large records? Boxes of tape cassettes? Or even stacks of music CDs? That is not a scene that someone wants to see first when they first walk into a room. Now, the music media has gotten smaller and more attractive. Let’s compare a music CD to an mp3 player. A music CD is round and needs a media player to play the media. An mp3 player, on the other hand, is already the media player and storage unit in one. Also, most of the mp3 and Ipod units are pretty slick in design. They are eye catching and fancy. Some units are offered in a wide variety of colors. Most mp3 players are about the size of a credit card or smaller. Not only is an mp3 player smaller in design, but the overall appearance is also an added incentive to users.

As I examine each part of the music media evolution, I notice that music technology allows itself to be more efficient, user friendly, and attractive. Because of the decline in the popularity of music CDs, many in the business world use CDs as a tool. “I look at a CD as part of the marketing of an artist, more than as an income stream” says Mr. Rabhan. (Qtd in Smith, Ethan para 6) Instead, the technology today offers users many options. Instead of hauling a bunch of equipment to play a music CD, users now can just pocket an Ipod or mp3 player. Most are small and personal enough that the units can hide in a pocket or sleeve unnoticed. Along with smaller, more efficient options, comes afforded music media. Users can select what kind of music they want from many online internet sources. In most cases, many of the options for music are very affordable or in some cases, free. The design and looks of the Ipods and mp3 players are very stylish. There are many unique and slick units offered in the market. With these great options musical technology advances, no wonder why music CDs are a fading trend as time goes by.



Xiong 1

Work Cited

Barnes, Ken. "Album sales decline, but is the slump slowing?." USA Today 04 APR 2008, Web.

Fisher, Ken. "Accounting for the big plunge in "music sales": the digital singles effect." Business News. ARS Technica, 22 Mar 2007. Web. 09 May 2010.

Goldman, David. "Music's lost decade: Sales cut in half." CNN Money. Cable News Network. A Time Warner Company, 03 Feb 2010. Web. 7 May 2010.

Smith, Ethan. "Sales of Music, Long in Decline, Plunge Sharply." Wall Street Journal 21 Mar 2007: Business. Web.