It’s ironic how CDs (compact discs) replaced vinyl records and floppy discs as the storage method of our time, but now, are CDs being 
gradually phased out by mainstream culture? Digital media is steadily biting into the precious market which was formerly dominated by CDs. Many technology sites claim that CD is now a dying format, something that enthusiasts will mourn for due to nostalgia but that normal, everyday users simply will accept and adapt to. If we can claim Myspace and Cassette Tapes as something “so out-of-date”, the viability of CDs in an increasingly digitalized society that embraces “cloud storage” is under concern.
CD Drives or Cloud Storage? – In 2008, Apple released a new, ground-breaking computer model that fascinated consumers—the MacBook Air. Igniting excitement with its seemingly impossible thinness, the Air shown in commercials to be able to fit in a manila envelope. What was more shocking, though, was the lack of a built-in CD drive; Apple may have a record of being a trend-setter as opposed to a follower, but a design decision like this indicates that companies no longer view CDs as an essential component to an enjoyable computer experience. CD drives are now the brand-new target to be sacrificed for lower costs and slimmer profiles, such as in Netbooks and other thin laptops. Cloud Storage, or storing data and information on the internet, is now the preferred method instead of burning CDs with data to carry around. And if you have a game or software you NEED to install, there’s a high chance that the maker has included a digital download link online or even in the CD case.
Music Pleasing to the Ears – Replacing Vinyl records, CDs were adopted by the mass in the 1980s as manufacturers strived to create a more portable media for music and other audio materials. While we still appreciate the outstanding quality, high-quality music files on the computer can match CDs. Digital Music Stores are becoming the norm of our culture today; many people can claim they have a wide iTunes collection, but no longer necessarily a CD collection. Even then, more people are importing their CDs into audio files on the computer. In theory, discs can shatter, but cloud storage can’t. The one-step process in purchasing music online is leading to more digital album sales.
Rest in Peace or Searching for a Place of its own? – While HMV’s chief executive claims that CDs will be dead in five years, the avid collector will eventually cherish the antiquity of this “legacy technology”. Digital methods, while argued as advantageous, still have its flaws; a “hard copy” is still valued by many, and cloud storage can still lead to errors. Those estimates may be over-exaggerated. Multimedia content is still as rich as it used to be, just under a different medium.
To each his own, different methods of storage are preferred by different demographics groups. In the big picture, however, the use and reliance on CD as the dominant storage format is gradually decreasing. Even reputable media sources such as CNN are reporting that this format is dying out—in a world where many things are only given a minute of fame, Compact Discs have endured through a long lifespan. I know I’ll enjoy the amazing artwork in the jewel case better than if it was on the computer, though.
