CDs - worth making any more?

[alantig]

Also, I never used iTunes. I never bought into the whole Apple proprietary trap. Somehow they did it and got away with it (probably because they were 1st with a lot of these products and had the ability to market them so well). Can you imagine if PRS guitars could only be played with PRS cables/straps/strings and PRS amps? Would you ever consider buying PRS anything if that was true?

You're not really tied to iTunes. It's the standard, but I understand there are other apps that will manage your music on an iPod. And you're definitely not restricted to getting your music from the iTunes store. You can rip your own CDs and grab MP3s (and other formats) from anywhere.

[Daniel]

You guys who like the physical CD, do you routinely see local bands?

If there's one whose set you liked, would you buy their CD if it had 8 songs for 3 bucks?

EDIT: These questions apply to bands that write music, and for whom original music is the bulk of what they do.

Yes and yes.

[jaywhite]

However, it's a pain in the rear to have to make 20 CDs every time. We could have someone like Discmakers do 100 CDs in cardboard sleeves for $260, then charge $3 per CD just to recoup our costs. But like I said before, it's been my experience that if someone has even an extra $3, they're more likely to go to the bar and order a bottle of PBR than buy a full length CD, even if they're really into your set.

$260 for 100 CD's in cardboard sleeves is quite expensive. Good thing that I saw a perfect alternative to discmakers which is We Print Discs (www.weprintdiscs.com). I ordered 100 full color CD's in printed sleeve and it costs $55 only. Well pricing will vary when it comes to packaging and additional small time fee for shipping.

[Blackbird]

$260 for 100 CD's in cardboard sleeves is quite expensive. Good thing that I saw a perfect alternative to discmakers which is We Print Discs (www.weprintdiscs.com). I ordered 100 full color CD's in printed sleeve and it costs $55 only. Well pricing will vary when it comes to packaging and additional small time fee for shipping.

Oh cool! That company is in Kentucky, just like you!
Nice hustle

[Hopeful Sinner]

CDbaby is a great way to go for any independent artist that wants CDs available to sell at shows and they also distribute all their music via iTunes so you have the digital base covered as well. The physical product quality is very high and not terribly expensive. Sell them at $5 a pop and you can recoup your money relatively quickly.

[MOBirds]

It's been awhile since I was last in a productive (playing out) band - too many false starts past few years. My approach last time it mattered was to offer a CD for $5, but include it free if they bought a T-shirt for a $18 or so. Most chose the shirt and felt like they were getting a "deal".

[Albrecht Smuten]

It's been awhile since I was last in a productive (playing out) band - too many false starts past few years. My approach last time it mattered was to offer a CD for $5, but include it free if they bought a T-shirt for a $18 or so. Most chose the shirt and felt like they were getting a "deal".

Good idea!

We did an illustrated anthology book by several authors, telling a conceptual story and some of them (poems) were used as lyrics on enclosed CD. I did the book design, the illustrations and half of the song arrangements (and I wrote a short piece of the story). It was really fun and it looks fine, but it doesn't sell much
I love the idea though...

[John Beef]

$260 for 100 CD's in cardboard sleeves is quite expensive. Good thing that I saw a perfect alternative to discmakers which is We Print Discs (www.weprintdiscs.com). I ordered 100 full color CD's in printed sleeve and it costs $55 only. Well pricing will vary when it comes to packaging and additional small time fee for shipping.

Gettin' lucky in Kentucky! Thanks for posting that. I'll look into it.

We saw Muse on Saturday night. They were great! They're one of the only bands I'll go to a big stadium to see. They had shirts priced at $35 each! HOLY S***! And, there were four people at the merch stand selling the shirts, and the lines were long! People waiting 15 or 20 minutes to spend $35 on a T shirt! After spending $40 or $50 on a ticket to get in! And a 22 oz Sierra Nevada costs $12!

It seems so lopsided. I can get on stage at a club and rock the place and get two dozen compliments afterward but still feel like I would have to beg to get people to buy anything.

[jaywhite]

Oh cool! That company is in Kentucky, just like you!
Nice hustle

Yeah! I'm lucky to found one reliable company near my area.