I heard this from a good source that all of the major chains in the US will liquidate the cd market sometime in 2012. Anyone have any details on this?

"A good source" you say? Sounds totally reliable. Honestly, I don't see this happening for at least a few more years. I see CDs gradually becoming a niche product, but I doubt they'll disappear completely anytime soon.

The day they stop selling cds is the day I stop paying for music.

I love how one opinion blog post has been passed around so much that it's now being bandied about as fact.

I agree. That's why I was shocked when I heard this.

Is this a monthly topic now...?

Does your source have any word on Gold futures?

I can attest to the OP's source being accurate, since I have it from a different, although surely just as reliable, source, that the world will end next year, so it would make sense that there won't be a CD market in the US (or anywhere else) after that.

well now wait, the world can't end til I see the film version of 'The Hobbit'

I can't imagine the big retail stores are making that much money from CD sales. Anyone have any figures?

Dupe thread: CD-format to be abandoned by the major labels by the end of 2012.

I work in the industry, and this is complete BS as far as I know. Have yet to hear anything from any major sources I do know to back up this unfounded rumor. CD's aren't going away any time soon. People have been ringing their death bell for years, and they're still here.

They are meant to bring people into the store

It's quite a bit of shelf space devoted to just bringing people into the store.

CDs will be around until the 5 inch disc is abandoned for all forms of disc drives.

As long as I can download CD quality audio from services like Amazon and iTunes I don't care if CD's go. Note: 256kbps is not CD quality.

And this is the the exact reason why I keep buying CD's - sadly, I don't think this will ever happen though - not unless a new file type is introduced.

Guess we're all created different - I can hear such a big difference with the quality of a CD - and it's NOT a case of being picky....The sound difference for me is just too obvious. If we ever do get this quality from downloadable files.....then I will more than likely make the switch for good.

I heard from my sister's hairdresser's cousin's mother's babysitter that if you are driving at night, and have only one headlight on, if you pass someone who is being initiated into a gang, they will follow you home and throw old AOL installation discs at you.

I don't know if it is directly germane to this thread, but it is something to think about. Stay thirsty my friends.

http://www.snopes.com/isweartogodiheardthis

I will say this - I've been ripping CD's at 320 into iTunes for use in the car and I did some "loud" comparisons between CD and the 320 file and I was satisfied with the 320. I'm hoping digital services at least bump up to this quality.

I have to and was definitely pleased with the quality - I'm really hoping they do implement it.

The Mayans told me that the sales of CDs would end in 2012.

Someone should tell Coldplay.

Hate to tell you but one band selling a decent number of CDs is not going to sustain an industry.

I personally can't hear a difference between a high quality mp3 (320) and lossless. I would love to see how many people that claim they can pick it out in a hearing test. I'm more disgusted with audio clipping remastering than mp3s.

I've been doing 320 AAC since I got an IPod in 2004. I don't know that I would pay to upgrade what I bought on iTunes to go from 256 to 320 like I did with 128 to 256. Anyways this has been mentioned before but isn't 256 AAC = 320 MP3?