Over twenty years ago I worked in a record shop (..part of a small independent chain in the Northwest). Even Back then, in order to make a (relatively small) profit on a full price LP you were looking at over £20. Full priced CDs had to be retailed at between £15 and £20.
Unless we got significant deals from the labels, we struggled to match prices with Virgin, HMV, and the supermarket chains. Eventually, in 1999/2000, the shops had all been closed. All this before internet culture became what it is today.
I'm sick of hearing people say physical formats are too expensive whilst simultaneously bemoaning the loss of independent ( and big name) stores.
People seem happy to spend a fortune going to the cinema, or to gigs these days, but seem reluctant to actually pay an artist for their work.
Streaming services pay artists in millionths of a penny per play, making it impossible to financially recoup from then unless you're Beyonce.
If people stop buying music on physical formats (preferrably direct from the artist a la HH), it's over. Virtually all artists will no longer be able to afford to make new music.
Even without allowing for inflaton, most Records and CDs are cheaper now than they were twenty years ago. So it's a simple choice; support the artists or watch them disappear.
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