Changing stations

Apparently BBC radio stations are changing the way they work out their playlists.

Given the increasing importance of downloads over actual physical releases the Beeb have decided to start playing a song on air based on the digital release instead of the physical release.

This could mean that a track could have stopped being played on the BBC before it’s actually released in the shops.

People have been signalling the death of the CD since Napster - it hasn’t happened yet and there are two really good reasons for this. One DRM is an arse that can be easily avoided by getting a CD and two digital downloads don’t come in a high enough quality for audiophiles.

The CD will die eventually, and this might be one of the big turning points but it will be at least another ten years before it dissapears completely - hell I saw a cassette tape in HMV a couple of months ago.

I think it’s more likely that the record labels decide to stop putting CDs out than music fans stop buying them. Yes downloads account for more sales than CDs, yes the chart favours downloads to CDs, yes radio stations are playing to the download schedule BUT I’ve already explained why downloads aren’t yet perfect.

In fact, with only really one company selling downloadable music (in any significant volume) I’m not sure the record labels would want to risk putting all their eggs in that basket (and stop selling the CDs).

What I’d like to see is the record labels coming together (indies included) and setting up a rival to the iTunes music store but selling music DRM free - something I think the indies could do REALLY well out of.

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