Practical consumerism might be about to do what the looming specter of disc rot could not: Potentially spell doom for the humble CD. Billboard reports tonight that electronics retailer Best Buy is whipping up plans to abandon the compact disc, stating that, as of July 1, 2018, it’ll no longer be selling them in its stores.
Although CD sales outside the U.S. have remained relatively strong, sources report that the big-box retailer only made about $40 million from selling them last year. The company isn’t abandoning physical music media entirely though; it’s committed to continuing to carry vinyl for at least two more years, presumably as a way of encouraging shoppers to pick up turntables in the process.
Meanwhile, Target is also dialing back on its CD plans. Although the company isn’t dropping the platform outright, it’s started demanding deals where it’ll only pay record distributors for units sold, rather than buying in bulk and hoping for the best.