CDs

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2021's Big Record Scratch: Vinyl Takes the Edge Over CDs

For first time in 30-year tracking history, the analog medium outpaced compact discs

(Newser) - Streaming seems to be where it's at these days, but music formats of yesteryear haven't given up the ghost quite yet. MRC Data, which has been tracking music data since 1991, has released its annual report , and it notes that 2021 was a "game-changing" year. First,...

She Tried to Sell a Clapton Bootleg for $11. He Filed Suit

German court rules in favor of rock star in copyright infringement case

(Newser) - A German judge has sided with Eric Clapton in a copyright infringement case that started with a CD being listed on eBay for just over $11. Deutsche Welle reports that on Wednesday, a Duesseldorf regional court ruled a 55-year-old widow who'd tried to sell a bootlegged CD of some...

The Last Time This Happened in Music, Mr. Mister Was Hot

Sales of vinyl records overtake those of CDs for first time since 1986

(Newser) - If there's no sound in the world sweeter to you than the comforting scratch of a record player needle making contact with a 12-inch LP, you're not alone. The Recording Industry Association of America has released its midyear revenue stats, and in what Bloomberg calls "a key...

Well, the CD Had a Good Run While It Lasted

Best Buy, Target may hasten demise of 3-decade-old music format

(Newser) - Bad news for the future of CDs (and, let's face it, probably the future of CD wallets, too). Billboard reports two major CD retailers—Best Buy and Target—are reconsidering their relationship with the three-decade-old music format. Sources say Best Buy—which has gone from the "most powerful"...

Why You Should Start Buying CDs Again
 Why You Should Start 
 Buying CDs Again 
OPINION

Why You Should Start Buying CDs Again

It's often cheaper than buying MP3s—even if it comes with MP3s: Brian Barrett

(Newser) - Brian Barrett wanted to listen to Taylor Swift's new album, and as you may have heard, it's not available on Spotify . So he bought it—in actual CD form, something he hadn't done since 2006. He explains why on Gizmodo : Amazon was selling 1989 as an MP3...

One of Louis Armstrong's Final Concerts Made Public

He performed for National Press Club in 1971

(Newser) - One of the final live performances by Louis Armstrong will be released to the public for the first time. The recording is of a concert on January 28, 1971, at the National Press Club in Washington. The legendary trumpeter was a featured act at the concert, held less than six...

Ford Dumping Car CD Players
 Ford Dumping Car CD Players 

Ford Dumping Car CD Players

New Focus models will offer digital options instead

(Newser) - Consumers have already started ditching CDs for digital music , and now the auto industry may be catching up. Ford is planning to scrap CD players in its new models, the Daily Mail reports. In the newest Focus model, a USB plug will allow drivers to use their digital music players....

Wendy's Yanks 'So Horny' CDs From Kids Meals

Disco disc used adult version of Donna Summer's 'Last Dance'

(Newser) - Red-faced Wendy's is yanking a disco CD from its kids' meals after parents complained that their wee ones were rocking out to lyrics that included a reference to "so horny," reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Apparently the company that made the CDs for Wendy's accidentally grabbed the, er, adult...

Sorry, FDIC Can't Guarantee Interest on That CD

When selling failed banks, Feds allow buyers to slash expected payout

(Newser) - There’s a little-publicized part of your bank deposit the FDIC doesn’t insure, and it’s driving scrupulous savers up the wall. The logic is simple enough: When the FDIC takes over a failed bank and resells its assets, it allows buyers to alter interest rates, particularly on CDs....

Beatles Remasters Pack a Wallop
 Beatles Remasters 
 Pack a Wallop 
music review

Beatles Remasters Pack a Wallop

CDs showcase Fab Four as they were meant to be heard

(Newser) - The Beatles just got better: every one of their original albums and a batch of collected singles has been remastered, boosting the quality to the level “the Beatles themselves would have heard and intended,” writes Matt Hurwitz in the Washington Post. The stereo CDs remind us that the...

Music Milestone: Digital Outsells CDs at Atlantic

(Newser) - Atlantic Records has become the first major label to pass a high-tech milestone: More than half of its music sales are now from digital products such as iTunes downloads and ring tones for cell phones. Sales of CDs have been declining across the board in recent years, so it was...

Banks Boost Interest Rates to Lure Deposits

'Price war' increases pressure on profit margins, loan funds

(Newser) - Banks are boosting interest rates on deposits in an effort to increase the supply of cash available for lending, resulting in what one consultant calls a "national price war," the Wall Street Journal reports. Many banks are pinched between the desire to build up deposits and the shrinking...

Even Money Market Funds Are Risky

Even 'safe' money markets show their soft underbellies in today's market

(Newser) - As one safe haven after another disappears—from money market funds to stock investments—financial advisers are telling consumers to take a more active role in their planning, reports the New York Times. But first, do your homework and understand what you’re investing in, experts say.

As Digital Gains, Album Sales Plunge 11%

Music biz turmoil as CDs plummet

(Newser) - CDs continue to go the way of the 8-track, losing further ground to digital music. Another big drop in CD sales is being driven by the closure of Virgin stores and reduced shelf space at outlets like Target. CD sales are off 16% over the last 12 months and total...

Wal-Mart Looks for Better Return on CDs

Uber-retailer plans to trim selection of artists, titles

(Newser) - As the country's leading brick-and-mortar CD seller, Wal-Mart occupies a special place in the music industry, earning perks like exclusive releases of CDs by bands like Journey and, soon, AC/DC. But with sales of physical CDs in freefall, even Wal-Mart is considering cutting the number of titles and artists its...

Musicians Plug Upgrades to Flat-Sounding Digital

'Unacceptable quality compromises' key move to improved downloads, CDs

(Newser) - Musicians dissatisfied with the sound of digital media are releasing albums as higher-quality downloads, on high-definition DVDs and even on vinyl, USA Today reports. Last year, Amazon and iTunes agreed to boost the quality of their MP3s, but some groups are using even better versions to eliminate what Neil Young...

Files May Be Fleeting
 Files May Be Fleeting 

Files May Be Fleeting

As formats change, your digital data could be endangered

(Newser) - Cuneiform tablets have kept information safe across millenia, but hard drives have lifespans of just a few years. Even if your CDs survive the century, their players might have become obsolete, warns the Boston Globe. "Who knows how long they're going to last—how much time before the information...

iTunes Store Now No. 2 Music Retailer

Apple's baby takes back seat only to Wal-Mart

(Newser) - iTunes is the world's No. 2 music retailer, a ranking that includes stores that sell CDs. The reason is a combination of a modest increase in digital music sales and a sharp dive in CD sales, so the news isn't much to celebrate for the music industry. And kids are...

Record Industry Changes Tune on Copying CDs

Industry argues CD ripping for personal use is illegal

(Newser) - The recording industry has argued in a court brief that individuals who copy music from CDs for personal use are breaking the law, the Washington Post reports. The claim by the Recording Industry Association of America is a dramatic rejection of what had long been considered a Fair Use right...

Kanye Prevails in Battle of the Hip-Hop Stars

It's still early, but Graduation is outselling 50 Cent's Curtis

(Newser) - In the much-hyped battled between two music titans, early sales indicate hip-hop fans are going West. Kanye West’s latest album, Graduation, has been outselling rival 50 Cent’s Curtis—by 2 to 1 at one Hollywood store, the LA Times reportssince the two went on sale yesterday. Fitty,...

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