Old Records Are Outselling New Ones

[mlsstl]

There's also an alternative explanation.

It is hardly unusual that new music is often dismissed as inferior by the older generation. My parents thought the Beatles and such were a poor substitute for Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra and the others they grew up with. Remember that Bach was almost fired from his first job as a church organist 300 years ago. The church elders thought his weird playing was distracting the congregation.

It's really pretty standard stuff throughout history that new artists and composers are often reviled by their elders. It's hardly news that there's a lot of new music that middle aged audiophiles don't like. (And yes, there are always exceptions, but we're talking general trends here.)

Now, combine that with the trend of falling CD sales for the past 10 years (CD sales are about one-third of what they were in 2000) and you have a modern generation that simply isn't buying music the same way as prior generations.

As such, it is no surprise that "catalog records" (i.e., the old stuff) is now a high percentage of sales. They are reselling new copies of the same music to old customers at cheap prices.

[RGA]

Well what is surprising is that I can buy any new release Madonna, Lady Gaga, Sarah McLachlan, Jackson Browne and EVERY other major selling artist's album on vinyl or even suped up 180g pressings but yet I can't get any of them on SACD or other hi res formats.

[mlsstl]

Well what is surprising is that I can buy any new release Madonna, Lady Gaga, Sarah McLachlan, Jackson Browne and EVERY other major selling artist's album on vinyl or even suped up 180g pressings but yet I can't get any of them on SACD or other hi res formats.

First of all, of the 4 artists you mention, only Lady Gaga has any attraction for young people, and I think she's more teeny-bopper based. The other three are aged dinosaurs selling to the people who liked them 15, 20 or more years ago. (McLachlan's debut album was 1988, Madonna's was 1983, and grandpa Browne hit the scene in 1972.) This pretty much illustrates my prior observation.

As for hi-rez, the various formats offering it simply haven't taken off.

[Feanor]

Well what is surprising is that I can buy any new release Madonna, Lady Gaga, Sarah McLachlan, Jackson Browne and EVERY other major selling artist's album on vinyl or even suped up 180g pressings but yet I can't get any of them on SACD or other hi res formats.

High resolution is superfluous to their style of music.

[E-Stat]

High resolution is superfluous to their style of music.

I beg to differ. The dynamics and punch from a nearly uncompressed 12" 45 RPM Madonna single will knock your socks off. Ironically, there are zero hi-rez digital equivalents.

The only time I opened up a fuse with my older Acoustats (fuse case was hot!) was playing a series of them.

[Feanor]

I beg to differ. The dynamics and punch from a nearly uncompressed 12" 45 RPM Madonna single will knock your socks off. Ironically, there are zero hi-rez digital equivalents.

The only time I opened up a fuse with my older Acoustats (fuse case was hot!) was playing a series of them.

I understand what your saying, but consider (1) that market simply doesn't demand hi-rez sufficiently to invoke a supply, (2) most of the music is significantly compressed which negates one (but not all) of hi-rez' advantages, and (3) I was partly just dissing that style of music.

[E-Stat]

I understand what your saying, but consider (1) that market simply doesn't demand hi-rez sufficiently to invoke a supply,

That is ultimately the problem regardless of music genre.

(3) I was partly just dissing that style of music.

BTW, I'm more of a Prokofiev guy, but I do enjoy some EMI versions of the Shostakovich 5th and 8th symphonies. Kinda heavy stuff, but nice.

[Feanor]

That is ultimately the problem regardless of music genre {lack of hi-rez recordings}. ...

I suppose this was RGA's main point.

...
BTW, I'm more of a Prokofiev guy, but I do enjoy some EMI versions of the Shostakovich 5th and 8th symphonies. Kinda heavy stuff, but nice.

Shostakovich is a favorite of mine ... gets my vote for greatest 20th century composer. But arguably there been more great, (not to mention very fine), composers of classical music in the 20th century than any previous.

Check out Shostakovich' chamber music. He wrote 15 string quartets that are amongst the finest in that genre; No. 8 and 10 are likely the most famous. Other really great chamber works are Piano Quintet G Minor Op.57, Piano Trio No.2, E minor Op. 67, and Sonata for cello & piano in D min Op.40.