Exactly
ACC 256 works for me, and millions of others, on the iPod, in the car, over the Hi-Fi even. It’s here to stay. My understanding is that providing 16-bit CD-quality files for sale would cause a logjam of the available bandwidth.
Having said that, I’m still roughly at 50/50 between downloads and physical CD purchases. I like to read lyric sheets and look at pretty artwork – it’s a carryover from having grown up during the 60’s and 70’s.
Quite true. If anything, the industry was slow to adapt to the digital revolution, which suggests that the accountants who saw opportunity there weren’t being listened to
I believe that’s economists who know “the price of everything… but the value of nothing” 
twilightsong said
I believe that’s economists who know “the price of everything… but the value of nothing” >
It’s actually “cynics”, but I prefer accountants (or economists!). 
…Major Record Companies to be abandoned by the End of 2012…
…more likely…
…Major Record Companies to be abandoned
Starting with EMI by the look of it. At least the Abbey Road studio is a listed building and so will remain a focus for tourists and pilgrims 
I guess this will mean the role of mastering suites will become partially redundant? As is the whole notion of an ‘album’ it seems…
This is by far the more tragic loss. And, unfortunately, probably true.
Sherz wrote
As is the whole notion of an ‘album’ it seems…
I think the concept of “album” is probably more important to the artist than the customer. No more “filler” tracks etc. I don’t remember a single album that I’ve liked every track - even Abbey Road had Octopus’s Garden!
I think folks are going to welcome the opportunity to purchase individual tracks and compile their own albums.
Oh no… That means the Concept Album is well and truly dead then
The Un-Concept Album!!!
I suppose there’s quite an environmental plus to this! But the industry has always surged profits with new formats. Getting everybody excited about a new and better ways of listening. What are they going to do now!!?
To any of the doubters here about this news, it’s been in the works for some time now. I won’t affirm or vouch for any exact date, but this announcement isn’t even news. Meanwhile, it’s rather nice that the vinyl LP is making a limited comeback. I’ve always thought vinyl sounds “warmer.”
Perhaps the younger folks don’t mind, but the notion of download-only really bothers me. At least with a CD, though not as large as a record, I have something to hold in my hands, sometimes also a small booklet or insert to read over, see the lyrics, credits and artwork. That’s what I’m going to miss, but I assure you I’m going to continue to release music on CD as well, or return to vinyl, even if it ends up becoming a break-even proposition.
Break even? Totally beyond my comprehension. I’m thinking ‘HUGE financial loss’ no matter what I do!
Ahhh, there’s the rub! The art of listening has died to a large extent. I believe the iPod generation(s) may have those ear-buds in their heads, but they are doing something else at the same time as the music plays, people are much less likely to sit down and listen to several hours of music anymore… there are too many other distractions, that to me is the saddest part of all. Yes, I am generalizing, but I believe if you were to poll the current 14-30 year old populations of the world, you’d find that they don’t mind having music on in the background, but they’ve got to be doing something else at the same time. It’s today’s compulsion, multi-tasking.
Both my kids could not study without music on, or do pretty much anything else without it on, but I rarely ever caught them just sitting and listening intently… and they are both over 30 now… So I will now encourage their kids to listen… hopefully they will 'get it". 
I don’t listen to complete cd’s as much as I use to but thats only because of time constraints with life. I still do though whenever I can, the other night was thomas dolby…the flat earth and sylvain…brilliant trees, 2 great albums that are to me an experience of art to listen all the way through, especially that I can hold and follow the cd while I listen.
I’ll still put out a cd even if its just for my friends who still like the format, its something to collect and show.
I am looking a designer usb sticks as a new possibility. having everything from graphics for each song, live interviews, album art, maybe even a video of a song as well as all the music. as with puters, game modules, stereos and portable players, now my new car and tv have usb ports, it just seems to open up a whole new world of viewing and listening enviroments.
You make a VERY valid point about the art of listening but I still think the answer lies in the art of making money. Music isn’t completely consigned to the background and I suspect I’ve spotted the next escape hole. I was looking for some cheap headphones recently. I mentioned what I do and regardless of what I was after the assistant dragged me to a part of the shop selling very expensive head phones called “Dr. Drea’s…something or other.” He told me everybody was wearing them and I had to hear them. Rightly enough, they were great but I was fascinated in his commodity lust. It was like the iphone all over again.
My old friend and maestro drummer Tom Nicols(Petula Clarke, Little Shop of Horrors etc) dropped in for lunch last weekend. One of his pupils had put some on his head and he was hooked - his son bought them next! My guess is something will come up that returns physical formats of music for the sake of a fat profit…and I’m looking forward to it. 
‘LIVE MUSIC IS BEST!’
+1
Better fidelity, too
Well said, that computer music composer!!! 
I think this is correct in a “structural” way but with computers/DAW’s we now have an edge on the past…
In other words writers/composers/engineers/producers can churn out more material in a given time span than what was possible until recently.
Especially with loops and things you can make production ready songs very rapidly.