Punknews.org

|
Sign In | create an account

Digital sales surpasses physical sales at Atlantic Records.

Contributed by punkbytheounce. Posted by aubin on Wednesday, November 26, 2008 at 9:00 PM (EST)

Some big news for digital music coming in today. According to a New York Times report, Atlantic, a unit of Warner Music Group, says it has reached a milestone that no other major record label has hit: more than half of its music sales in the United States are now from digital products, like downloads on iTunes and ring tones for cellphones.

While this is a major step for digital music, it does not mean that record labels are out of the metaphorical woods. While the digital sales are now the largest part of the music "pie," the pie as a whole has shrunk overall.

Check out the story here.

Games and Technology (92 comments)

Please login or register to post comments.What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. Seriously.

buttplug (November 26, 2008)

wow. who knew....

eran_zombis (November 26, 2008)

ringtones are stupid.

1+ Reply

bongsmcj (November 27, 2008)

i only buy polyphonic

jacknife737 (November 26, 2008)

meh, i still like cds.

9+ Replies

TROOF (November 26, 2008)

agreed

TheMike (November 26, 2008)

Me too.

buttplug (November 26, 2008)

get a record player and buy some vinyl and you'll totally change your mind on cd's.

niveK82 (November 26, 2008)

I am a fan of vinyl, but I'm also a fan of being able to listen to a whole album without having to flip anything over

jacknife737 (November 26, 2008)

To be honest, i've thought about it, but it seems like too much time, effort and money all of which i don't have at the moment.

royalt (November 27, 2008)

My experience has been that vinyl is routinely cheaper than CDs. It's not universal, of course, but many places sell vinyl for cheaper than CDs (e.g. a lot of the stuff on Interpunk).

As for the other two reasons, you're on your own.

bluexmaslights (November 26, 2008)

I've seen a magical machine with a record, cd and tape player anndddd a radio. I want one of those. My grandmother has one

14theroad (November 26, 2008)

I have this machine. You can get them at Target for like $100.
The one I bought is only temporary until I can afford a proper turntable speaker set up.

LooseKanonYankee (November 27, 2008)

Im in the same boat

bluexmaslights (November 27, 2008)

thanks for the tip!

GlassPipeMurder (November 26, 2008)

i have both...CDs are still much more practical in my opinion. car / home / office...wherever. vinyl is good in my room, but having a big collection is cumbersome and vinyl doesn't scrobble. hah.

Cheesetits (November 26, 2008)

I like cd's, burning them, and playing my MP3 player anywhere I want. Or just straight illegally burning. I've succumbed fully. What's the point of vinyl and cd's when you're never home? And what happens when I get all of my cd's stolen that I paid for? And I've been laid off from record stores because no one helped me keep my job by buying these damn things? And therefore crushing what had always been my ultimate dream in owning a music store? I've been extremely disillusioned by the entire industry that personally fucked me over, not to mention countless other employees and musicians, therefore I don't care anymore and have become entirely digital because it's all I can afford anyway.

the_problem_with_fire (November 27, 2008)

I agree with you 100 percent.

shot_in_the_dark (November 26, 2008)

Fuck major labels.

PatrickEwing (November 26, 2008)

Maybe they should decrease the overly inflated price of digital music, and hope that sales increase enough that overall sales will increase.

I know I'd be willing to buy just about a lot more if albums were in the $2.00-$3.00 range. I haven't bought a piece of music in 3 years. I honestly don't think I'm in the minority either so I honestly think lower prices would increase demand enough to warrant such a move.

3+ Replies

SydBarrett420 (November 26, 2008)

Trust me your not alone

GlassPipeMurder (November 26, 2008)

do you realize how much the cost of an album is broken down to different recipients?
-artwork
-producters/sound engineers
-label/marketing
-retail
-manufacturing
-studio time
-legal fees
-equipment
-royalties

also, should be noted the retail percentage taken from iTunes is ridiculously high since they virtually have a monopoly on the mainstream.
$2-3 may seem good to you, but there's no way it could cover costs appropriately.

Timorous_Me (November 27, 2008)

I would think that after X amount of years at selling a cd at the $10-$18 range would cover those costs and they could lower them to $3-$5 and still make a profit. I just can't image that at this point the majors would lose money selling The Black Album, Abbey Road, or Dookie for $5 a piece.

GlassPipeMurder (November 27, 2008)

yeah, selling back-catalog albums for cheaper would be cool. but i think the theory is that if people know albums will eventually be marked down, there's less incentive to buy them when they come out. which is of course, when the labels are making their radio and marketing pushes. but it is an interesting idea.

tonyhoag (November 27, 2008)

not a legitimate defense. look at movies and video games.

breakout (November 27, 2008)

yes but the quality of a video game deteriorates over time due to the graphics of new games being better

Wesley_Snipes (November 26, 2008)

I prefer The Pirate Bay.

1+ Reply

SydBarrett420 (November 26, 2008)

The Pirate Bay sucks unless you can't find something anywhere else online.

Zero day scene releases FTW

bluexmaslights (November 26, 2008)

mmmmmm...music pie

1+ Reply

dave_s25 (November 26, 2008)

almost as good as pumpkin

14theroad (November 26, 2008)

Soulseek FTW

2+ Replies

fallingupwards84 (November 26, 2008)

lol yep

Codu (November 27, 2008)

Damn Straight

consider_the_ravens (November 26, 2008)

i honestly like buying albums more but they should only cost like 5 bucks at stores and bands should make a bigger profit

2+ Replies

slappywhite (November 26, 2008)

How do you propose that insane scenario? Label pays the plant to press it, take their cut, distro takes their cut, retailer takes their cut. $5 just isn't going to cut it if you really want bands to get more. How about $10 which I think is a very fair amount and allows for a decent split amongst everyone involved.

tonyhoag (November 27, 2008)

agreed. 100%

SydBarrett420 (November 26, 2008)

People still pay for music?

BrandonSideleau (November 26, 2008)

Greg Graffin needs to get the rights from Atlantic to American Lesion and re-release that amazing record.

2+ Replies

hooges (November 26, 2008)

Word

royalt (November 27, 2008)

Momma never told me 'bout the right way to love.

binaural111 (November 26, 2008)

Agreed. Ringtones are fucking stupid

6+ Replies

Cheesetits (November 26, 2008)

No kidding. Unless it's death metal. Now that's cool.

VStoriesFallen (November 26, 2008)

My ringtone is "Welcome to Paradise" from Green Day. Where is that on the cool-o-meter?

mikexchick (November 26, 2008)

Kerplunk or Dookie version?

mikexdude (November 26, 2008)

Hopefully Kerplunk.

mikexchick (November 26, 2008)

Same hope here, precious.

mikexdude (November 27, 2008)

We're like, twins.

mikexchick (November 27, 2008)

Sex twins babe.

deadelectromix (November 27, 2008)

You're really fucking annoying.

binaural111 (November 27, 2008)

http://www.tonesofdeath.com/

L O L

Cheesetits (November 27, 2008)

Oh hell yeah. Who wouldn't want to hear Behemoth raging from their cell phone?

carrymehome (November 27, 2008)

That Amon Amarth video is amazing!!! (Have you seen their bobbleheads?)
And, uh, when did At the Drive In become metal?

hooges (November 26, 2008)

I think I'm the last person I know that has a "ring" when I get a phone call. Ringtones are for hipster kids and emo fans.

mikexchick (November 26, 2008)

What about every soccer mother in the world that has Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood.

Your ideas no longer intrigue me, and I wish to cancel my subscription to your newsletter.

DarthNader (November 26, 2008)

ive got the bronx "white guilt"
I get some stares for that one

GlassPipeMurder (November 26, 2008)

boo.

1+ Reply

mikexchick (November 27, 2008)

who?

mikexdude (November 27, 2008)

I was trying to post a link to a picture in one of these threads, and I got this message from Punknews:

1. You used a link to a file sharing site. Because we support artists and independent labels on Punknews.org, we don't allow people to link to file sharing sites.
2. You used a racial slur. Don't be a jerk

That either or situation makes me laugh.

4+ Replies

souldoubt (November 27, 2008)

Negro www.isohunt.com

SloaneDaley (November 27, 2008)

stop trying to share your racial slurrs with us you bigot-abe-vagoda-vegetable-lasagna ass motherfucker!

souldoubt (November 27, 2008)

hey i may be a bigot-abe-vagoda-vegetable-lasgne ass and a mother fucker but...wait what was that third thing you said?

mikexdude (November 27, 2008)

I hate everyone, Jon. Help me.

SloaneDaley (November 27, 2008)

I foudn out my date tonight, like me was hot in the head with a baseball bat by her older brother like I was by mine as a child. doesn't that make you smile?

mikexdude (November 27, 2008)

I'll admit, I cracked a little smile.

I got lectured by my girlfriend's mother tonight for a 20 minutes in the cold. I wanted to bash her face in.

SloaneDaley (November 27, 2008)

I could give her a call.

mikexdude (November 27, 2008)

301-IAM-AHOE

Seth_Uber_Alles (November 27, 2008)

Now I want some pie.

1+ Reply

mikexchick (November 27, 2008)

yoo-hoo!

tombagel (November 27, 2008)

On another note, digital sex surpasses physical sex.

4+ Replies

mikexchick (November 27, 2008)

hand sex surpasses both.

mikexdude (November 27, 2008)

You have to live up to the "x" in your name; edge4life.

mikexchick (November 27, 2008)

since when is it wrong to masturbate? besides i break edge on a daily basis with you, hun.

mikexdude (November 27, 2008)

You got a point.

wonton (November 27, 2008)

GTFO troll.

mikexchick (November 27, 2008)

Troll? Really? I do believe I've submitted news that was used today, sweetie. What've you done?

tombagel (November 27, 2008)

My guess: he and a friend had sexual intercourse with one horse.

mikexchick (November 27, 2008)

Whoa! He's got high apple pie in the sky hopes.

Codu (November 27, 2008)

Jeeez, it'll take a while for the dude to recover from that one.

mikexchick (November 27, 2008)

Penis envy much?

punk_sk (November 27, 2008)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZXnEXhnsEE

14theroad (November 27, 2008)

Demolitionman is stoked.

chitownjosh (November 27, 2008)

Finally!
Everyone knew this was coming!

www.digitalvenue.net

1+ Reply

carrymehome (November 27, 2008)

This thing is going nowhere. DId you see the video of the guy that is running it? and on the front page:
"somethings that may be out of wack;" "We apologies for any inconvenience."
You're using a computer, use spellcheck.

Wentz_Equals_Death (November 27, 2008)

man i fukin love green day!!! there doing a world tour after their cd is released so probably a bit after the spring!! man ii hope i get to see them honestly ive never been to a concert before just because i want green day to be my first one i felt nautious and i fell off my chair when i read about the world tour!!!

3+ Replies

Codu (November 27, 2008)

Shit man, spare some of Billy Joe's sweat and grease for me when you're done with it.

bongsmcj (November 27, 2008)

i hope they come to dallas.

bluexmaslights (November 27, 2008)

Im not sure why, but I laughed so hard at this comment that i almost fell off of MY chair this morning. thank you for that

blue_drink (November 27, 2008)

Okay, if buying a song wasn't $0.99 - $2 and if that song had a better bitrate, then maybe I'd buy downloadable music. But shit, why pay so much money per song for shit quality when I can find free downloads for nearly loss-less quality?

This is why I buy CDs (or if I were into vinyl, I'd get those). It's usually cheaper (or just a mere few dollars more) and you rip nearly at top-notch quality onto your computer. This is why paying to download music is just plain dumb.

el_matt (November 27, 2008)

People are more willing to buy a $1- single off iTunes than spend 15 to 20 bucks in a whole album with 3 singles and 10 filler tracks?!

Big fucking surprise.

Guy_Incognito (November 27, 2008)

You heard it here first, there is less pie!!!

KeithyBoBeefy (November 27, 2008)

CD's are such better quality and actually having the artwork is part of the charm as well.

1+ Reply

the_cobra (November 28, 2008)

i'd propose a compromise being any punk/hardcore/indie label worth its salt should only sell vinyl with a digital coupon. you get your collectible artwork and a convenient way to listen to the music.

Crashtester (November 28, 2008)

Wow, the whole "digital" community must be thrilled. Fuckin stupid.

Features

Exclusive Streams

see more streams

Newest Reviews

see more reviews

Punknews.org Team

Other Places to Go

Punknews.org Flickr Pool

View All Photos