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Albums should cost a buck... I mean $#1+!


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Why not make all CD'S cost a buck?

 

Get rid of the expensive jewel case, package them in a paper sleeve like a miniature record. Include an mp3 versions of all the songs for the ipod people as an extra bonus.

 

Who wouldn't buy their favorite music for a buck. Downloading is a pain in the butt and the quality is low.

 

As cheap as cd's are to produce why not, CDs are no longer a cutting edge technology why are they still being priced like they were in the early 80's.

 

America online used to send me like 50 cds a month for free, so you know the production costs on CDs are next to nothing.

 

I can buy a damn DVD at walmart for cheaper than a {censored}ing record. Movies cost way more to produce than a record, what gives!

 

If I could go to walmart with 50 bucks and buy 50 CDs of my favorite music, wouldn't the artist and record companies still come out on top? Listen up record companies, you know I am right.

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As cheap as cd's are to produce why not, CDs are no longer a cutting edge technology why are they still being priced like they were in the early 80's.

The cost of making a CD is not in manufacturing or the materials. It's in the production of the songs.

 

How do you propose to pay the recording studio, the engineers, the mixing and mastering labs, the producers, the bands, the songwriters, the publishers, the distribution and promotion, the art work, etc etc etc?

 

 

I can buy a damn DVD at walmart for cheaper than a {censored}ing record. Movies cost way more to produce than a record, what gives!

 

 

That's because most movies you get on DVD have already gotten most of their money back on theater runs, where several hundred thousand people paid upwards of 8-9 bucks to see the flick before it ever hits the stores.

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Why not make all CD'S cost a buck?


Get rid of the expensive jewel case, package them in a paper sleeve like a miniature record. Include an mp3 versions of all the songs for the ipod people as an extra bonus.


Who wouldn't buy their favorite music for a buck. Downloading is a pain in the butt and the quality is low.


As cheap as cd's are to produce why not, CDs are no longer a cutting edge technology why are they still being priced like they were in the early 80's.


America online used to send me like 50 cds a month for free, so you know the production costs on CDs are next to nothing.


I can buy a damn DVD at walmart for cheaper than a {censored}ing record. Movies cost way more to produce than a record, what gives!


If I could go to walmart with 50 bucks and buy 50 CDs of my favorite music, wouldn't the artist and record companies still come out on top? Listen up record companies, you know I am right.

 

Go record an album, then come back here and tell the class what you've learned. :rolleyes:

 

-Dan.

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The cost of making a CD is not in manufacturing or the materials. It's in the production of the songs.


How do you propose to pay the recording studio, the engineers, the mixing and mastering labs, the producers, the bands, the songwriters, the publishers, the distribution and promotion, the art work, etc etc etc?




That's because most movies you get on DVD have already gotten most of their money back on theater runs, where several hundred thousand people paid upwards of 8-9 bucks to see the flick before it ever hits the stores.

 

 

:blah::lol:

 

I'm still not convinced, I want my CDs for a buck. How can we make this work?

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:blah::lol:

I'm still not convinced, I want my CDs for a buck. How can we make this work?

 

:idea: Buy blank CDs!

 

 

you can even buy them on a spindle which does your model one step better, getting rid of individual packaging cuts the cost too

 

It also gets rid of the pesky music production part Bluestrat was mentioning.

 

I mean, there are some concessions, no protective case, no insert/liner notes, no music, but it does bring a CD in for substantially less than a buck!

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Even just the manufacturing if you use a sleeve and a disc will still be close to a dollar itself. The whole point of music is to at least make some money. I think most everything will go to digital, now even video games can be fully downloaded on PS3 network. I think CD's will die out sooner than later and not be a collectors like vinyl.

 

I think musicians need to just look outside the box such as some bands have done with guitar hero and those deals. Also if you look at the big picture in your business plan you will make more off your tours so why not just make your music dirt cheap where you are just making a slight profit and put everything more towards tours. No one really knows the exact answer yet or if there is really an answer. In an interview recently the head of Sony Nashville, Joe Galante, said that he doesn't think it will ever come back the way we know it. He also said that record labels will be "leaner and meaner" companies who cover more aspects of an artists career.

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"The whole point of music is to at least make some money."

 

 

Call me naive or starry-eyed but I refuse to believe that the whole point of music is to make money. I'd say that the whole point of the music industry is to make money.

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I hope I am not alone in thinking that digital downloads are just lame. There is no actual product or artwork to enjoy, just a spot on your hard drive. I hope that is not the future of music. I'm sure most would believe why not just get it for free if that is the only difference between the two products.

 

I know a super low price point is not doable for your unsigned musician who makes the whole product themselves and I am fine with that. They are probably not the ones taking a hit from pirated music anyhow.

 

I guess my point with this thread was that I think that lowering the price point to a level that is not as much of a highway robbery would bring people back to cds. I imagine just from the bulk of sales you would see with the new pricing it could keep some music stores afloat.

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There is no actual product or artwork to enjoy, just a spot on your hard drive.

 

 

Oh, well that's easy too, just go get blank harddrvies -- if downloaded content is just a spot on your harddrive with no actual product to enjoy then a blank HDD and one full of music are the same for ya!

 

problem solved!

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Jeez ... I just want CDs for a buck, I mean I can get a whole hamburger for a buck with a cardboard box and a bag with pictures on it. A hamburger used to be alive for godsakes and then it costs a buck.

 

Do you guys work for Electra or something? I mean throw me a bone here :mad::lol:

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For some reason, I usually like to have a ten page essay on these things, but after the millionth time that i've said it around on places with educated reasons as to why everything costs the way it does, i'm more inclined to just resort to :facepalm: and stop trying to educate every noob that comes down the road and asks this same question.

 

I think we need a sticky at the top of the page if there is a comprehensive version of why cds can't be a buck. The short version is that in order to get expenses down to insane loss leader prices like a buck, you have to sell 60 billion albums, and if you're not selling 60 billion albums and prepared to sell 60 billion albums by printing up 60 billion albums (at which point said loss leader gets cheap enough in every aspect of the bulk rate because you've prepared to sell that much, and are dead sure that 60 billion fans will buy the release), you end up with 59 billion unsold copies and the hopes and dreams that are nixed while you try to justify the warehouse space and the insane finances lost for those 59 billion albums that will never sell (and represent your attempt at making cds a buck apiece).

 

Traditionally, more units sold means that each unit comes down in cost, at which point it only comes down in cost when you've sold enough bulk units. I would like for you to tell me where any band that sells a couple of thousand copies (a success story on an independent level now) could possibly find enough money to fund album two, when they are paying for producers, engineers, mastering engineers, pressing, promo. Even if you factor ALL of that out and somehow figure that you will sell via, say, TELEPATHY, you're still back at the first point of then trying to put a value on your OWN time that you spent in readying that for an audience who is paying a buck.

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I hope I am not alone in thinking that digital downloads are just lame. There is no actual product or artwork to enjoy, just a spot on your hard drive. I hope that is not the future of music. I'm sure most would believe why not just get it for free if that is the only difference between the two products.


I know a super low price point is not doable for your unsigned musician who makes the whole product themselves and I am fine with that. They are probably not the ones taking a hit from pirated music anyhow.


I guess my point with this thread was that I think that lowering the price point to a level that is not as much of a highway robbery would bring people back to cds. I imagine just from the bulk of sales you would see with the new pricing it could keep some music stores afloat.

 

 

THIS.

I detest paying for a download under MOST circumstances. I will more than likely quit buying music if it resorts exclusively to d/l. I have always enjoyed the total package and the entire artistic vision of the artist including the packaging, artwork, liners etc. I have an extensive music collection and value a proper, physical piece of art and music and not some stupid file on my computer...{censored} that.

 

I grew up when album art was very important and I miss that greatly. I don't know how many albums I bought just based on the cover art. I really put a visual image to the music which translated into great shirts, awesome stage productions sometimes etc. I really feel sorry for kids today that totally miss this exciting part of the music purchasing process.

 

BTW, I hate the goddamn digipak. Don't last for {censored}.

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Why not make all CD'S cost a buck?


Get rid of the expensive jewel case, package them in a paper sleeve like a miniature record. Include an mp3 versions of all the songs for the ipod people as an extra bonus.


Who wouldn't buy their favorite music for a buck. Downloading is a pain in the butt and the quality is low.


As cheap as cd's are to produce why not, CDs are no longer a cutting edge technology why are they still being priced like they were in the early 80's.


America online used to send me like 50 cds a month for free, so you know the production costs on CDs are next to nothing.


I can buy a damn DVD at walmart for cheaper than a {censored}ing record. Movies cost way more to produce than a record, what gives!


If I could go to walmart with 50 bucks and buy 50 CDs of my favorite music, wouldn't the artist and record companies still come out on top? Listen up record companies, you know I am right.

 

 

Troll?

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Now thats what I am talking about!
:thu:

Except it would be all CDs.

 

I right there with ya!

 

aisles and aisles of

 

cdr.jpg

 

some with jewel cases, some with tyvek, a couple of different capacities

spindles won't be $1, but the UNIT price would be

 

The price got me there! the selection has me coming back!

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