There's probably no better example of how technology has changed music than the rise and fall of the Compact Disc. When Edison invented sound recording in 1888 he could not see how in less than a century his ingenuity would be implemented on a 4" disc that would be the last physical manifestation of sound before it became virtual and integrated into, ironically, the telephone, invented a few years before. In high school I worked at the school "radio station", playing records over the school PA during lunch. Other students would bring their records for me to play, and I had some of my own. When I first started recording I aspired to make a 45rpm single; a vinyl record. This was the standard I had grown up listening to, and for me represented the pathway to success in music. Later, when I started my recording career the first projects I did were for bands that were making singles.
By the mid 80s commercial records began to be released CD and vinyl record sales plummeted as record labels embraced this less expensive format and players found their way into cars. At first digital recording was an exotic option for artists, with multi-track digital recorders rare and expensive, so albums were still recorded on tape, but with the advances in PC based recording systems by early 90s most recording was all digital.
From it's beginnings, digital recording has been criticized as being "harsh" by audiophiles while tape is characterized as "warm", and that debate has continued, so much so that tape was never quite been abandoned and various methods are used to add warmth to digital recordings. Personally, I use analog processing equipment, tube mics and preamps, during the initial recording to give my recordings a natural sound, which is a compromise that works for me. At any rate CDs took over the market and dominated sales for nearly 20 years. The iPod changed all that. By using data storage technology, file compression, and a portable package it quickly took over the market. CDs were an alternative at first, but by around 2010 they had faded until now the only vestige left is the square format for album artwork.
I made 250 CDs of my album "Limited Edition", and packaged 25 in a custom metal case in 2013, partly to take note of the need to do something unique with the discs. The rest I put into a recycled paper sleeve to sell at gigs. I still have about 50 left! Like most independent artists I sold a couple every time I performed, but I've seen the interest wane in recent years, even for what I appreciated was an impulse buy.
On my latest release "Loveland" and the two that preceded it I've opted to go completely online, which is the equivalent of throwing my music into an ocean where it swims with all of the millions of other songs from all the other artists. I'm ok with this, but there was something about holding a CD that at least gave me the feeling that it was a unique work of art that I still miss.
All of this is to answer a question I get from my clients about whether they should have CDs made. I have to say no, don't, unless you plan to give them away. As for those few I have left, they sit by the tip jar with a sign saying, "Free CD with tip, Thanks"... Otherwise:
Who would have thought we would one day listen to music on our phones? What's next? An implant?
Singer/Songwriter Rick Millward lived and worked on the West Coast until moving to Nashville in 2000. He was part of the Music City songwriter community, collaborating with other artists and producing over 30 projects in his boutique studio, including two EMMY nominated soundtracks. Now in Southern Oregon, Rick has discovered a vibrant local music scene centered around the many tasting rooms.
His latest record “Loveland” is available on Spotify and other streaming platforms.
