Seedy CD's Transfer Users to Digital

"US CD Sales plummet as people turn to digital music downloads" - Breitbart.com

The iTunes Music Store has sold over 2 Billion songs since it started in April of 2003. - Apple

Record - 8-track - Compact cassette - Compact Disc - MP3, MP4, etc.
THEN-----------------------------------------------------------------------------NOW

If you don't stay ahead of the times, you're going to be left behind. If the record companies and independent bands or artists don't switch to digital, they won't survive.

Why don't they switch to solely digital?

Digital Music Store v. The CD

Some ideas:

- Listeners may miss out on autographed copies. Easy remedy: go see the band or artist 'live'.

- Concerned about your underage child listening to music with explicit lyrics? The digital music store would require a credit card for billing, and the parent or guardian gives the permission on what the child may listen to. Upon registration for the user, he or she would put the child's birth date. Each family member has a password and media library. The store regulates the music being downloaded. They can be shared, but the underage child would not be allowed to listen to the "parental advisory" labeled music.

- An exclusive DVD sometimes comes with the CD. This can be offered separately in the store. Or if you purchase the whole album, it comes with it free. It can then be downloaded to instantly watch or be transferred to a digital music player to be watched at a later time.

- What about album art? That comes free when you purchase a song. This way the graphic artist can be even more creative in their design. Even better, it can be interactive. Music videos can also be interactive.

- The "Thank You's" can be in the digital album store. Not many people care about them, but sometimes they thank other bands whom they have toured with - and the listener checks out those bands. (I do this, anyway.)

- A link to the band's Web site is available by simply clicking on the band name. Instant gratification.

Your thoughts?