After it virtually killed off the cassette tape and the short lived mini-disc, the compact disc may be dead within two years according to industry insiders.
According to Side Line Music Magazine, the shelf life of the CD is set to expire before 2013. The magazine reports that most major labels are planning to stop producing the little shiny discs that were all the rage in the 80′s, and replace them with streaming and digital download options. Most of these plans are set to take effect at some point in 2012, with the only CD’s still available being limited edition prints — which will only be made for major artists.

The magazine attempted to get an official statement from some of the major labels to confirm these reports but none would oblige the request. However, shortly after the initial report the magazine was approached by several employees and associates of those labels who confirmed plans to nix the CD do exist and will be executed before 2013.

The format’s popularity has decreased drastically since the rise of digital retailers such as iTunes and Amazon. Another contributing factor in the discontinuation being the drop in overall music sales due to the exponential increase of online piracy over the last decade. This move doesn’t really come as a surprise, but it is somewhat sad for those who grew up with and still utilize the format.

-banana1015.com