Looks like CD's really are dead. At the very least, AnywhereCD.com is dead, or will be in a couple days. I've never heard of AnywhereCD until this post from the Michael Robertson (former CEO of mp3.com before it was sold off to AOL, and current owner of mp3tunes.com)

The idea behind AnywhereCD was a good one, some people want the CD, but they also want the music RIGHT NOW. On AnywhereCD when you buy the CD you also gain instant access to the high-quality mp3 download. Sounds silly at first, because people can always rip the CD to mp3 themselves, but the idea is that people who want the CD online also don't want to wait for it to come in the mail. They want the instant gratification of listening to it as soon as they push the [Pay Now!] button, and Michael Robertson figured this out.

Unfortunately, I think he figured it out too late. The release of AnywhereCD was lost beneath the media blitz surrounding I-Tunes posturing at selling Non-DRM music files. (Not actually *Doing* it mind you, just the mere mention of it). Michael lists other factors which undoubtedly contributed to the companies demise, including the fact that the CDs on AnywhereCD.com were listed at prices above what the American consumer believes fair (Strangely, he knew this but did not change his pricing.). Also, he was only able to pick up one of the major labels. Only Warner was willing to distribute through AnywhereCD. You should read how the rest of the major labels reacted to Michael's business model, it's pretty funny.

Oddly I've never heard of AnywhereCD before now, and if they missed me, it's because they simply weren't trying At All. I have read Michael Robertson's blog from time to time. I have an account on mp3tunes.com. I'm on the mp3tunes.com mailing list. Extremely strange that I haven't heard of them.

Not that it would have helped. Even if I had heard of AnywhereCD I wouldn't have touched it. I heard ages ago that Amazon was working on selling DRM-Free mp3's and you can already check out the beta site here. Walmart is offering Non-DRM mp3s *AND* they are undercutting the prices of I-Tunes. (Not that I would buy from WalMart either...) It won't be long before real brick-and-mortar CD stores like Best Buy, Down In The Valley and others jump in on the mp3 action. I'd be much more likely to buy a CD from an online store that has a location I can return or exchange problem merchandise, than some company with no phone number located in India.

I think Michael was simply trying to build up another company to sell off, like he did with mp3.com, only this time he was too late. If AnywhereCD had started up five years ago, had DRM-Free tracks, and ALL the major labels, it would have been the current I-Tunes, and Michael could have retired several times over. Instead, we get fucking Apple running the show, and making look like buying their DRM-Infected files is K-E-W-L. Hopefully, not for too much longer. I think that by Christmastime Amazon and Walmart will shove a sleighbell up I-Tunes chimney, if you know what I mean, and people at school will be teased for carrying an I-Pod.

Meanwhile, take advantage of Michael Robertson and buy up his surplus of CDs at $7 each before AnywhereCD shuts down...

Art Is Resistance
-Zero

Labels: Business Phenomena, music, Music Industry