Re: [ARSCLIST] music distribution + radiohead

[Don Cox <doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 07/11/07, Steven C. Barr(x) wrote:


> One of the problems is that music buyers have never adjusted to the
> change in recording prices that accompanied the introduction of
> CD's...?! All of a sudden, a "new album" went from around $5 to around
> $20...in one fell swoop!
> 

> 
However, they have gone back down again. I generally expect to pay less
than $10 for a single CD, and in box sets they are now commonly around
$4 each. (Plus shipping costs of course - there are no serious retailers
around here.)



> The reality is that the increase can be justified in terms of
> inflation; in 1966, my new Mustang convertible cost me $2900 (the
> dealer knocked off the eight bucks...?!)...a new version would
> probably cost me *$29,000* (or more...) or a 10x increase...! (there
> are other figures I can cite...?!).
> 
> BUT...at the same time ('66), a hit album cost me around five
> bucks...! Using the same 10x multiplier, a new hit CD should cost me
> about $50...?! In fact, c.1910...when usual working-men's wages were
> about $1/day, a single-sided Victor Red Seal 78...ONE song...could
> cost as much as $7.50 (or just over a week's wages...!) Given that as
> a pre-inflation price (and assuming prices have increased a
> hundredfold, which may be on the low side...?!)...we arrive at a price
> of $750/recorded tune... or $10,000.00/12-song CD...!
> 
> Steven C. Barr
> (even if we use the 75-cent price per DF disc, the CD is
> $500.000...?!)
Regards
-- 
Don Cox
doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx