When do you think they will finally level out, at a low but steady level, just as vinyl singles have?

 

Unlike some people I don't see them vanishing altogether - rather, I expect them to stabilise at maybe 2-3% of the overall market (but see below).

 

Physical sales are still important to a number of artists, generally ones who've been around a while. It'll probably soon be a case of *only* those artists releasing physical singles, though.

 

Yeah there are fans that still want to maintain their physical collections of acts that hark back to the physical era like Girls Aloud.

I love buying the physical single. Downloads dont interest me at all.

I love buying the physical single. Downloads dont interest me at all.

 

I still prefer buying CD singles if I *can*, but there is some old stuff that you can *only* get via downloads.

Edited January 29, 200916 yr by vidcapper

A lot have cut down from 2 versions to 1, i think the one version will be around for ages yet. And i hope so too.

I think the physical single will disappear from the shops shortly. It'll be like the vinyl singles imo just for some collectors.

 

to be honest I never preferred to buy physical singles I rather buy albums.

The real shame about the loss of the physical will be that we will probably miss out on a lot of b-sides because the b-sides are often used to sell the cd's, especially in the case of GA.

I can see the actual shops (namely HMV) to stop selling them, but i think they'd probably still sell them on websites. And also using GA's method of selling limited items in their own store

I can see the actual shops (namely HMV) to stop selling them, but i think they'd probably still sell them on websites. And also using GA's method of selling limited items in their own store

 

Yeh what GA do is a good idea. They kinda replaced their cd with the vinyl. I dont have a record player but its still cool :D

Had a look at the CD singles I bought from record retailers in 2008 and am shocked to discover I only bought six chart (current) CD singles (down from 25 in 2007). It was definitely due to favourite new releases not being available on the format.

Had a look at the CD singles I bought from record retailers in 2008 and am shocked to discover I only bought six chart (current) CD singles (down from 25 in 2007). It was definitely due to favourite new releases not being available on the format.

 

It was the unavailability of some of the singles I wanted, that finally dragged me, kicking & screaming, into the download world. :P

 

Had a look at the CD singles I bought from record retailers in 2008 and am shocked to discover I only bought six chart (current) CD singles (down from 25 in 2007). It was definitely due to favourite new releases not being available on the format.

 

More than I brought - 0. Which, incidentally, was how many I brought in 2006 and 2007 combined.

 

The last single I brought was in 2005. I think I had enough of paying up to £4 when I largely only listened to one track.

More than I brought - 0. Which, incidentally, was how many I brought in 2006 and 2007 combined.

 

The last single I brought was in 2005. I think I had enough of paying up to £4 when I largely only listened to one track.

 

Most chart singles are usually £1.99 now, apart from anything connected to Simon Cowell and old stuff in the A-Z section

which is £3.99.

I've seen some singles for 99p, which usually consists of just the 1-track but i've seen a 2-track going for that price.

yeah, singles are much cheaper again. Usually 99p for the one or two track (often just a remix) or £1.99. Once they've been out a while or occasionally they're £2.99 but the only £3.99 i see now is Syco/charity records.

 

What bugs me is that less and less effort seems to go into them now. So many are just 2-tracks now, and its usually a remix rather than a B-side which is generally less value far as i'm concerned. Also the gap between digital and physical release dates is ever widening. (As an example, Britney's Womanizer: I was expecting a B-side from one of the handful of tracks she didn't put on the main album, but after waiting 3 weeks from the digital release date all i get for my £1.99 is an instrumental version of Womanizer- great for Kareoke but nowt else!)

 

I'll still opt for the shop-bought physical whenever i can, and i think download is good when they do things like remix EPs which give you maybe 6 or 7 remixes that may be too long to meet the eligibility criteria of a CD single anyway, so as a fan you can get loads of remixes if you want but you can get B-sides on the CDS. B-sides traditionally are there to sway you to buy the album (or give those who own it the incentive to bother with the single) but since so many bands don't bother and people can just cherrypick the album tracks they like anyway now it kind of reduces their usefullness meaning sadly we are getting less of them as fans.

 

I like what Girls Aloud have done, in that although they were forced to ditch a CD2 by a record company decision, they do a limited run vinyl on their website instead which big fans can pick up, and though i doubt the average GA fan has the ability to play vinyl they make them picture disc and quite inexpensive so i think lots of fans will view then as collectibles. Also, hats off to lily Allen with two B-sides on her latest single :)

 

I think CDS will tail off to around 2% of market as Vidcapper says, and i hope they stay around for established acts who still get a significant boost from them on opening week, like vinyl has with its resurgence in the last 10 years. I also believe specialist retailers such as HMV should continue to give them a proportionate amount of space in store (ie. no less than they already do)

Edited February 13, 200916 yr by spicefunk

with woolworths gone and more one the way out, i think CD singles sales will be almost obsolete soon. Its all about digital

Like the above posters i can see them being online only. I like what Girls Aloud are doing too and I can see other artists doing the same thing in the future. Even if they weren't nessasarily chart eligable it would still keep people like me happy :D (And in that situation they wouldn't have to follow the ridiculous OCC rules )

I bought about 100 CD singles last year :wacko: Considering i had about 7 before then i think that is good :lol: I will be sad to see them go, but can't really complain as i've only bought a handful this year (due to a lack of money...) :( Hopefully all my favourite artists will continue to market them...such as Feeder :lol: We Are The People was out on CD and 2 7"s and made it to #25 with virtually no digital support, Tracing Lines/Silent Cry was Download Only and completely missed the Top 200 :lol: Shows some act need to release physical singles and especially CD and not 7" so much as most people don't have a thing that plays 7"s (gramophone???). Also, they are very cheap nowadays despite their limited tracks :lol: One song and a remix/live session is now the norm but some acts do put more b-sides and a combination of remixes on, for example The Feeling, with a video. There are also some other huge bargains out there, Annie's I Know Ur Girlfriend Hates Me was £1.99 and had 6 remixes and the video, which is AMAZING value. I'm going on about nothing now so will shut up :lol:

The end of the CD single is nigh.

 

To much logistics(timing/communicating/manpower) and cost compared to downloads.

Woolworth is gone and unlikely to be replaced, Supermarkets only want Albums. Can see only Albums being in CD format soon.

 

CD singles will be almost gone by the end of the year with the odd exception like X-Factor.

The end of the CD single is nigh.

 

To much logistics(timing/communicating/manpower) and cost compared to downloads.

Woolworth is gone and unlikely to be replaced, Supermarkets only want Albums. Can see only Albums being in CD format soon.

 

CD singles will be almost gone by the end of the year with the odd exception like X-Factor.

 

My thoughts exactly, CD singles are at death doors, people will just cherry pick the single from the album

 

i'm also not sure why record companys still feel the need to sell singles in jewel cases for £1.99 when card sleeve singles can be sold for 99p :unsure: Both Lily Allen and Katy Perrys singles have been 99p in card sleeves. Make them all card!!