I wanted to write an article quickly addressing one of the biggest misconceptions in underground music. This is the idea that CD’s are no longer relevant. I’m here to tell you that not only are CD’s still relevant they should be the basis of what you are trying to do with your band. I know that sounds crazy, but trust me on this one, if you are trying to get anywhere with your music, you NEED to have CD’s. I am going to break this down for you by talking about how CD’s are the bulk of record sales, the fact that they make the most economic sense, talk about why they are such an important medium and of course what you can do to sell more CD’s. By digging into this I hope you’ll see the real value the CD can provide.
4. CD’s Are The Bulk Of Sales!
This is the one people often don’t believe. But time and time again I see that for basically every label I work with CD’s represent 60-70% of sales. They sell like hotcakes and there’s a lot of reasons that we will get into later. I know this might surprise you, but who am I to lie about the market? On top of that – even for labels in the most vinyl heavy genres, someone like Ripple Music, for instance, we still print the same amount of CD as vinyl. It’s because it sells! People really like them and they want to buy them. So by not having CD’s on your merchstand you are literally letting money slip through your fingers – no one wants that!
3. They Make Economic Sense!
Vinyl costs somewhere between $6-10 a piece depending on a variety of factors and that’s if you order at least a few hundred. You can sell a single LP for around $20. This means you have at minimum a 100% markup – pretty good right? Well – CD’s can be had for $2 or less from a site like Discmakers and you can sell them for $10-15 a pop. This means that you are making a 500-1000% markup! This is crazy! Why not have them then? You are more than making your money back with each sale AND they are what people are primarily interested in. It’s kind of amazing that we don’t all focus on CD’s all the time. Except label people do – because again they realize that that is where the majority of the sales are going to come from.
2. Why They Matter!
So who is buying CD’s? Why do they matter? Well, there are CD collectors just as there are vinyl collectors – but the thing is – the CD is so much more multi-functional. Not only can you throw it into your car, but also you can rip the files from it. You can run it on a huge variety of devices and it’s a lot more portable than an LP. Not only that but it’s also packaged in a nice case so the risk of it breaking is lower and the risk of warp is completely nonexistent. That is why CD’s matter. Because they are a much more durable and flexible format than LP’s and will continually be so. It’s really that simple. Don’t overthink it – embrace the magic and realize that it will continue to pay off over time. People love ‘em because they bring functionality.
1. How To Sell More!
Now in terms of selling more CD’s – well it’s a lot easier than an LP because they are by nature more portable. Because of the lower price point to create them, they are also great for mixing into bundles and even as free giveaways. Again, at $2 or less per piece – why not invest in more of them? It’s really that simple. They bring value, but are cheap to create and have high perceived value, so take advantage of that. Showcase them on your merch stand and remember that the turnaround time to get more is minimal so placing a focus on moving more CD’s will never penalize you!
MATT BACON
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Matt Bacon is a consultant, A&R man, and journalist specializing in the world of heavy metal. Having worked with everyone from Glam Rock icon Phil Collen of Def Leppard, to post Black Metal titans Alcest, by way of legendary thrashers Exhorder as well as labels including Prophecy Productions and Ripple Music, he has dedicated his life to helping young bands develop. Having started his own blog at the age of 14 he views his career in artist development as ‘a hobby that got out of hand’. In 2015 he formed Dropout Media in order to better support the artists he loves. We sit here now, years later with countless tours booked, records released and deals signed, and loving every minute of it.
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