Chris, I really admire your ability to dig through so much data, and your analysis of it, all for the benefit of your readers. I’ve learned things I never knew I needed to know by reading this Substack. Props!!
A very interesting article, Chris as someone who is currently replacing vinyl with CDs (where tracking down the early releases with original mastering is a fun challenge).
The other thing that is still big in Japan is CD rentals, since making a single copy for personal use is not considered piracy. This made Japan the only country where MD disks for making such recordings were ever sold in big numbers, although now computers are used for ripping instead.
One of my biggest regrets was getting rid of my old CDs. I've tried to start rebuilding my collection. I love them. Here's a good video about why it's good to still buy and listen to CDs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfbzH6gCXp4
I live in Japan now and noticed that the degree of interest in music and who is making it seems to be different than in the US. Probably similar to why German and UK fans prize physical media too. Streaming seems more aligned to convenience and that is the American way yes? It's basically your own radio station that just plays what you want to hear when you want to hear it. And on a more esoteric note, CDs are preferable to streaming in terms of absolute sound quality with very high-end audio setups.
The point Billie Eilish makes about deluxe, limited items intending customers to make multiple purchases of the same, or similar, items does not extend to the choice between distinct items like LPs and CDs, on one hand, and streaming/downloads, on the other. As far as I've read, the latest evidence suggests that there is as much wastefulness in data centers as there is with the manufacturing of items. There is no non-physical option; you're just accessing files stored on a hard drive somewhere instead of on a CD. Matthew Yglesias-style emphatic statements ("And that's a good thing") lacking explanations are not helpful.
Chris, I really admire your ability to dig through so much data, and your analysis of it, all for the benefit of your readers. I’ve learned things I never knew I needed to know by reading this Substack. Props!!
Just discovered you here on Substack. Really enjoyed your article AND new single!
A very interesting article, Chris as someone who is currently replacing vinyl with CDs (where tracking down the early releases with original mastering is a fun challenge).
The other thing that is still big in Japan is CD rentals, since making a single copy for personal use is not considered piracy. This made Japan the only country where MD disks for making such recordings were ever sold in big numbers, although now computers are used for ripping instead.
One of my biggest regrets was getting rid of my old CDs. I've tried to start rebuilding my collection. I love them. Here's a good video about why it's good to still buy and listen to CDs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfbzH6gCXp4
I live in Japan now and noticed that the degree of interest in music and who is making it seems to be different than in the US. Probably similar to why German and UK fans prize physical media too. Streaming seems more aligned to convenience and that is the American way yes? It's basically your own radio station that just plays what you want to hear when you want to hear it. And on a more esoteric note, CDs are preferable to streaming in terms of absolute sound quality with very high-end audio setups.
The point Billie Eilish makes about deluxe, limited items intending customers to make multiple purchases of the same, or similar, items does not extend to the choice between distinct items like LPs and CDs, on one hand, and streaming/downloads, on the other. As far as I've read, the latest evidence suggests that there is as much wastefulness in data centers as there is with the manufacturing of items. There is no non-physical option; you're just accessing files stored on a hard drive somewhere instead of on a CD. Matthew Yglesias-style emphatic statements ("And that's a good thing") lacking explanations are not helpful.
In addition to what you mentioned, it seems like CDs in Japan often have rare bonus tracks or are mastered in an unusually high quality. For example, The Who have a famously chaotic discography, and there are a number of rare tracks only available on obscure Japanese compilations, which also have songs which sound much better than the UK or US equivalents. I am not sure why this is. https://www.discogs.com/release/5901194-The-Who-%E3%82%B6%E3%83%95%E3%83%BC-Whos-Missing-Twos-Missing-%E3%83%95%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA%E3%83%9F%E3%83%83%E3%82%B7%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B0-%E3%83%88%E3%82%A5%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA%E3%83%9F%E3%83%83%E3%82%B7%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B0