Taking this thread back to its source (ie the the question below) I have a few comments to contribute

         
I was wondering what others thought of the use of CDRs for commercial releases. I know the evil empire of Celtic Music has been heavily criticised for such practice, but I was amazed (and a little dischuffed) to order "The Waifs" CDs from Amazon and find they were CDRs.

They play fine on all my CD players and look and sound professional, but it is a little surprising given the amount of air play they have had through 2003. It was claimed (and I can believe it from the quality of their music) that they were the big hit of Cambridge after all. Can they really be selling so few CDs as to be unable to justify a "proper" pressing?

I also have a practical interest since we are about to press a CD!

I got some flack when I attempted to defend Dave Bulmer / Celtic Music for the manufacture of CDRs in another thread. At that time I stated that many artists (some very well established) and a number of labels were now switching to pressing on CDR for commercial reasons. I'm sorry if this upsets some of you, but the hard facts of the matter are that CDRs are the only commercially viable method for many artists to get a decent return for their endeavours.
Sure you can get CDs pressed for about a pound a time if you want 1000 copies. However usually you will have to pay additional sums should you require multi colour artwork, additional on body printing, etc. This is on top of the cost of having a glass master made, etc. By the time you have made a "true" CD your costs are aprox 3 pounds per disc. When you consider that most distributors buy in from labels at aprox £4 per CD this means there is only aprox 1 pound profit per disc.
Add into the equasion that it may take a year or more to sell these 1000 CDs then there is little money in it for either the artist or label.
However with todays technology, an artist or label can press to demand at a much lower cost per unit using CDR / home PC printing, etc. This avoids tying up capital and usually means the artist can sell the CD at gigs for around a tenner and still make enough to enjoy a beer after the show.
Airplay and publicity do not always equate with sales. I remember speaking to Robin Williamson a couple of years ago and he said that most of his recent albums were issued as 1000 copies only and generally were "on catalogue" for aprox 2 years before the initial run sold out. If an artist such as that, with a keen following on both sides of the Atlantic only presses in such relatively small numbers, what hope is there for the newcomer?
As sad as it is to contemplate, we are a minority audience. We love live music and all try to support it by turning up to shows large or small and buying CDs / CDRs. Sadly though, there are just not enough of us these days. This means that for our favourite artists to keep playing, they have to work on a cost effective basis. This means CDRs!

The same will apply to record labels. Take the following as an example.

HMV (or any other record chain) sells most new folk CDs for aprox £14 each.
They control the high street and "buy in" from distributors at aprox £7 - £8 plus vat per CD. and make between 70 - 100 per cent profit

The distributor buys from the label / artist at aprox 4 pounds per disc

If the artist sells direct to the distributor he makes possibly 2 quid per CD from "true" CD releases. If he sells all of his output to them, that is only 2,000 quid a year (presuming the artist releases an album a year). If the artist is signed to a label, the resulting profit is considerably less, as the label has to cover its overheads.

Given that the artists and labels make so little from sales ikt can be no surprise that they see CDR / PC technology as a lifeline. Its a sad fact, but true, that without utilising modern technology many artists and labels will not be able to continue.

Just as examples, these are a few artist's albums (new or re-issued) I have bought this year that have been produced on CDR. Visually and audibly I cant tell the difference though!

Michael Chapman
Jon Raven
Archie Fisher
Mike Waterson
Five Hand Reel
Sid Kipper

I'm not sure if they will last a lifetime, but I will certainly get my moneys worth out of them. I'm of an age that grew up with vinyl LPs and therefore I'm used to the deterioration in sound quality. It doesnt worry me, if CDRs will be worn out in 10 years time. If that happens, I'll just go and buy another copy and have another 10 years of pleasure. If you consider the small outlay as opposed to the pleasure a CD or CDR gives, it seems very petty indeed to criticise the medium you buy it in. If you enjoy the sound, thayts all that counts.

Anyway, thats got that off my chest. Back to my beer

tara