Music industry experts predict that digital music sales during 2013 will overtake the sales of physical CDs in the UK for the very first time in history. It appears that the music buying public no longer browses for the music in stores like they used to. To the contrary, many people nowadays opt for the instant gratification of purchasing their music and downloading it online. However you may wonder what we will do if CDs become extinct, will we lose anything in exchange? One thing to consider is that many people buy CDs or albums because of the creative packaging that comes with:
Creative CD design strikes a chord with people and increases sales.
Many music lovers will buy a CD if it has exceptional cover art.
A compelling cover can give a band iconic status.
In short, this is why creative CD packaging works so well; and another reason the CD isn’t going anywhere soon.
Who is still buying CDs?
While we saw CD sales fall 21% in 2012, they still make up a sizable portion of the music market. Despite all the news touting the dominance of digital downloads, many music experts still prefer the sound quality of the CD. Not only that, there still some genres where the CD is still king- for example, country music and indie rock still tell high CD sales. This means it’s still in most artist best interest to try to appeal to as many people as possible, and to not ignore any possible music sales.
The importance of identity and brand
The artwork on the CD cover is a part of any artist to image. This is the one element that the public first sees from any band. Outstanding cover art serves to reinforce the message of the artist music-this is true whether it’s dark and Gothic or raw and stripped like punk. Everything contributes to the entire package of the band’s brand.
In addition, many rabid music fans just aren’t satisfied by downloading something. They want something physical they can hold in their hands. This type of buyer is always hungry for new releases from their favourite artist, and they want the entire experience. With the properly packaged CD, fans get artwork, inserts, liner notes, and lyrics. This type of music lover appreciates the artistic efforts that were put into the packaging. It serves to help them buy into the brand identity.
Wise marketing For artists looking to break into the music business, high-quality CD packaging can be a calling card. In order to be taken seriously in the serious music world, your work needs to look professional as possible. It’s also much more difficult to have digital tracks reviewed played on the air by DJs. So when you hand your work to someone in the music industry, it will be the artwork of the CD that’ll make it stand out from the rest. If it looks professional and screams quality, the chances your CD will be missing two greatly improves.
It’s also important to have CDs to give out during any gigs. This is because having CDs on hand to sell capitalises on the mood and energy of your life event. Having your audience wait to go home to download your music loses a sense of urgency. This is another reason you should have eye-catching artwork on your CD cover – it sells.
While producing only digitally can save money, it’s still important to have access to physical CDs. Unsigned artist shouldn’t worry too much about cost-these days innovations in printing and CD pressing means you can have CDs printed rather cheaply. You can also have CDs produced on demand for any amount from 1 to 100.
The album still lives
No matter what changes come in the music industry there always be hard-core fans who want artwork along with the music. There’s a reason why iconic images like the Sgt. Pepper album, Pink Floyd’s the dark side of the moon, and Andy Warhol’s velvet underground album are still on T-shirts and posters today. If you visit any music lover form you will still see heated debates over which is better- CD, Vinyl, or digital download. With that kind of heated passion, there’s no denying the desire to own a physical copy of your music will be around for a long time.
By Geoff Roy
Creative packaging advice for the music industry from Geoff Roy.
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