CDs Still Preferred over Downloads

Everyone is talking about digital music these days, be it online stores or Internet radios, but a recent UK survey found that the majority of people still prefer buying CDs over digital copies even among teenagers. Coming from research firm The Leading Question, affiliated with Music Ally, the survey found that 73 percent of music fans bought CDs rather than downloading it.

“Digital is still the future but rumours of the death of the CD are premature. The continued popularity of the CD should be looked upon as an opportunity. We believe that labels and online stores could and should be doing more to build on music fans’ familiarity with CDs to provide them with additional digital content and to use the CD as a bridge into the digital world,” argues The Leading Question CEO Tim Walker. “Music fans have spoken and digital is evidently not the clear cut replacement to the physical CD.”

The survey questioned 1,000 UK citizens about their listening and buying habits and found that even among teenagers 66 percent of them still preferred buying CDs. When it comes to listening to music the CD is also the preferred medium, with 59 percent of music fans using one each day, compared to MP3 players, which were used only in 32 percent of the cases.

The research also found that, even if downloading is becoming more popular, those who buy digital music also buy CDs with no signs of online music replacing CD sales anytime soon. In fact, those who use subscription-based online music services, like Napster, spent more on CDs than the average music fan, with £16.87 per month compared to £11.37. Also, those who prefer streaming music also buy more CDs, £12.17-worth a month, and spend more on downloads – £7.02 compared to the regular £3.81.

When it comes to sharing, the CD was also the most used, with 23 percent burning one for their friends while only 18 percent sharing through Bluetooth; 17 percent shared single tracks online and 13 percent shared an entire album.