Eliot Van Buskirk says DVDs can save the music industry:
- There's no arguing that CD sales are down this year, but what no one can agree on is the underlying cause behind the slump. The RIAA points to Internet piracy, of course, citing studies that show CD purchases are lower among file sharers. (On the other hand, file-sharing companies deny this and point to studies that prove the opposite.) But a more measured analysis reveals a factor that's as simple as it is obvious: people are buying fewer CDs because they're buying more DVDs. At many large chains, DVDs can be purchased for $10 each--a pretty amazing value considering that a DVD contains a movie, a Dolby 5.1 soundtrack, and all kinds of extra features. Meanwhile, a $17.99 CD contains only about 50 minutes of stereo audio. DVDs are clearly a better deal.
....I have a radical idea that could help the music industry take a much-needed leap into the future--if it has the courage. The record labels should cease trying to safeguard unprotected CDs and desist the fight against MP3 trading. The future of music retail lies in the home theater, and that's where the record companies need to double down. This became obvious to me as I listened to/watched the Super Furry Animals' Rings Around the World DVD. The disc features the same videos shown on the backdrop of the band's last tour, along with every track on the album in Dolby 5.1 surround sound. In addition, Rings Around the World contains 16 bonus remixes, as well as songs not on the current album. The price for this bevy of bodacious content? According to the DVD price-comparison service on CNET's own mySimon, it costs $21.28 new with shipping and handling. In contrast, the same songs on a CD runs from $12 to $17.
Article comments
1 - MT
How does the $21.+ break down?