Press Release - Think Fast! Records - "It's 2009. CDs are dead."
In a sense, the music industry has almost abruptly come full circle,
especially in the punk rock and hardcore scenes. Some of you, if not
most, may be too young to remember that there was a time in
punk/hardcore that the only physical copies of a record you could buy
were on vinyl and maybe cassettes. Then CDs came along. It was an
exciting time with this new revolutionary music technology. Think
Fast! Records is here to tell you, that the music technology that we
know as CDs is, in 2009, borderline obsolete.
Baring any unforeseen opportunities that would warrant a CD release,
Think Fast! Records is announcing that starting mid-2009 (after a
couple of upcoming releases that are already finalized) we will stop
all production of CD releases on the label. Releases in mid-2009 and
onward will be available on vinyl and digital download formats only,
with an instant free digital download with all vinyl purchases.
With this shift in the industry, we were tossing around the idea of
turning into a "digital-only label". While we admire anyone who was
forward-thinking enough to do just that, we also feel that it is very
important to the artists we work with and the people who listen to
these bands to not lose sight of the importance of holding a physical
copy of a record in our hands. The artwork, lyrics, and substance of
the physical product is essential.
Let's face it, CDs are dead. The digital world has taken over. Our
new effort will give Think Fast! Records (and we believe many other
labels who are eventually going to follow this model) an opportunity
to offer more for our bands and their fans including more vinyl, more
merchandise, and less wasted on CDs that the world is quickly losing
especially in the punk rock and hardcore scenes. Some of you, if not
most, may be too young to remember that there was a time in
punk/hardcore that the only physical copies of a record you could buy
were on vinyl and maybe cassettes. Then CDs came along. It was an
exciting time with this new revolutionary music technology. Think
Fast! Records is here to tell you, that the music technology that we
know as CDs is, in 2009, borderline obsolete.
Baring any unforeseen opportunities that would warrant a CD release,
Think Fast! Records is announcing that starting mid-2009 (after a
couple of upcoming releases that are already finalized) we will stop
all production of CD releases on the label. Releases in mid-2009 and
onward will be available on vinyl and digital download formats only,
with an instant free digital download with all vinyl purchases.
With this shift in the industry, we were tossing around the idea of
turning into a "digital-only label". While we admire anyone who was
forward-thinking enough to do just that, we also feel that it is very
important to the artists we work with and the people who listen to
these bands to not lose sight of the importance of holding a physical
copy of a record in our hands. The artwork, lyrics, and substance of
the physical product is essential.
Let's face it, CDs are dead. The digital world has taken over. Our
new effort will give Think Fast! Records (and we believe many other
labels who are eventually going to follow this model) an opportunity
to offer more for our bands and their fans including more vinyl, more
merchandise, and less wasted on CDs that the world is quickly losing
interest in.
http://www.thinkfastrecords.com