Just thought this was interesting, found it on DVDfever.co.uk, sorry if it's been posted before:

 

MORI Findings Show the British Public Turning Increasingly to the Internet for Affordable Music

 

Many British music lovers increasingly see the Internet as their first choice for getting affordable and instantaneous music, according to top research house, MORI. In the findings of a recent MORI poll, well over half of those surveyed said that the significant cost reduction associated with downloading music from the Internet meant they got better value compared to buying CDs from high street stores.

 

Creative Labs commissioned the MORI survey in order to gain a solid understanding of home audio technology trends, and to assess how far the Brits had entered into the 'second stage' of digital music. Creative also wanted to discover what the public really thought of the technology which will change the way we listen to music forever and will force companies to change the way they sell music.

 

Of those questioned, 49 per cent also cited being able to listen to the music before buying as a major advantage of using the Internet, and a similar number preferred the Internet as a medium for obtaining rare music. Almost 40 percent raced to find new music on the Internet whilst 14 per cent saw music downloading as a way of rebelling against the perceived might of the music industry.

 

Duncan Jackson, director of retail Europe, Creative Labs, said that the findings closely reflected the company's expectations. "It's not an overstatement to say that compact discs are likely to face obsolescence within the next five years, as more Internet users download music onto portable digital audio devices that can carry thousands of tracks. The superior sound quality of PC audio is supplanting the hi-fi as the main home music system, but finding more unusual tracks and getting to them first is a major motivation of downloading music and the Internet will be the vanguard in driving down the costs for all involved."

 

Simon Miller, new business director of peoplesound.com, Europe's largest free Internet download site for unsigned music talent agreed, "The Internet allows consumers the chance to download their favourite music in digital format and play it at CD quality on PCs, portable Digital Audio Players or via their hi-fi equipment. It is no surprise that people have already started to adopt a cheaper, faster and higher quality way of buying and listening to quality music."

 

The survey also indicated that over a third of all people aged between 15 and 24 believe they will stop buying CDs within five years, and 33 per cent of Internet users questioned could envisage storing ALL their music on a pocket-size portable device within the same time frame.

 

Research Summary:

 

For this survey, MORI interviewed 1,629 adults aged between 15 and 65 between 6 and 11 July 2000.

 

What motivates you to download music from the Internet?

 

* It's a cheap way of obtaining music - 59%

* Can listen before buying - 49%

* Allows you to find rare music - 49%

* Allows you to find new music - 38%

* Being the first to find new music - 15%

* Rebelling against the music industry - 14%

 

Thanks to DVDfever. Looks like the end is nigh, not just for CD singles but possibly CD albums soon?

Very interesting article, thanks for posting! I like buying CDs though, it's alot better than downloading in my opinon, I hope singles don't die out, and if they do I won't get them digitally I don't think... I don't think album CDs will ever die out either, at least I hope not :(

I think there will always be people who want to have music in a physical form, so I don't think CDs will die-out altogether, but they might become harder to buy, much like vinyl.