Indie prog artists, what do you do with unsold CDs?

[zeprogmeister]

Hey just a question for anyone who has pressed their own CDs. What do you do when your release has been out a number of years so it isn't really selling anymore, and you have hundreds of leftover CDs?

I was thinking I could hit up the remaining prog dealers and see if they want free copies, but I'm not sure that would move many. Recycling? Any alternatives to sticking them all in the trash would be helpful.

Thanks!

[CarvinAbuser]

Wait for CD's to come back like vinyl.

Actually that's a good question, bands usually end up just giving them away.

[Rick L.]

Keep them under my bed.

[Steve F.]

We threw away 18k CDs in 2016......

[dropforge]

We threw away 18k CDs in 2016......

Maybe you could offer a bunch at cost in "bundles" to PE members. Not sure if that's better than writing them off, but...

[Steve F.]

I did think long and hard about it.
I’d rather throw them away, honestly.
And we did.

The end.

[dropforge]

[3RDegree_Robert]

Hey just a question for anyone who has pressed their own CDs. What do you do when your release has been out a number of years so it isn't really selling anymore, and you have hundreds of leftover CDs?

I was thinking I could hit up the remaining prog dealers and see if they want free copies, but I'm not sure that would move many. Recycling? Any alternatives to sticking them all in the trash would be helpful.

Thanks!

They sit in your basement and become a bone of contention between you and your wife. Your wife then files for divorce leaving you in the basement with your unsold CDs.

[Poisoned Youth]

They sit in your basement and become a bone of contention between you and your wife. Your wife then files for divorce leaving you in the basement with your unsold CDs.

It could have been worse. She could have won them in the settlement.

[Scott Bails]

They sit in your basement and become a bone of contention between you and your wife. Your wife then files for divorce leaving you in the basement with your unsold CDs.

Yeah, but those unsold CDs will never ask you why you were out so late last night.

[progmatist]

It could have been worse. She could have won them in the settlement.

That would've been a good thing, not bad. I'd rather give my ex something worthless than something of actual value.

[Mister Triscuits]

Earlier this year, when new tenants moved into the building, my landlady mistakenly assigned them my storage space, and had the handyman cut the lock off it, telling the new tenants to throw away anything they found inside. The tenants figured out it was mine when they opened a sealed carton containing 200 23-year-old copies of The Brandnewbug Concertos. I should have told them they had to keep them.

[zeprogmeister]

Earlier this year, when new tenants moved into the building, my landlady mistakenly assigned them my storage space, and had the handyman cut the lock off it, telling the new tenants to throw away anything they found inside. The tenants figured out it was mine when they opened a sealed carton containing 200 23-year-old copies of The Brandnewbug Concertos. I should have told them they had to keep them.

I'm not moving or anything so I'm not in any hurry but was just wondering if others had done something. Eventually though they'll have to go.

[progmatist]

Earlier this year, when new tenants moved into the building, my landlady mistakenly assigned them my storage space, and had the handyman cut the lock off it, telling the new tenants to throw away anything they found inside. The tenants figured out it was mine when they opened a sealed carton containing 200 23-year-old copies of The Brandnewbug Concertos. I should have told them they had to keep them.

If the new tenants would've thrown them away, you'd have grounds for a lawsuit against your landlady. She would've had to reimburse you for the "value" of the CDs, which you'll never received otherwise.

[3RDegree_Robert]

Well you can do what I did. I had loads of jewel case CDs in my basement from a largely failed 1996 album. What did I do?

1. I reformed my band in 2005-6.
2. We put out an album in 2008 and embarked upon creating a fan base.
3. All subsequent albums would be 6-panel eco-wallets-much lighter...and inspired by a world wide fan base in need of expensive shipping made less so with a lighter cd! They also take up less than half as much room as jewel cases so...marriage saved!

By 2015 those 1000 CDs from '96 were all but gone and I had to make 100 more!

[Koreabruce]

I had mine recycled since they'd long stopped selling. They were being stored in a warehouse in New Jersey, for which I was paying a monthly fee. I don't regret doing that.

[Yodelgoat]

I still have a couple 250 count boxes unopened in the barn. That's what barns are for, unsold CD's. Seems funny, I still sell a few dozen downloads at CD baby, but no one wants an actual CD anymore. I will keep them until they all sell out in 2917.

[progmatist]

^^ Most millennials don't even own a CD player.

[Yodelgoat]

I just found a use for them. I have started "playing out" live, as a solo artist - brushed up on my guitar playing, and started playing live shows. Even though I only play acoustic versions of the music, I am slowly getting rid of the remaining 400+ cd's. I've only sold about a dozen, but I am slowly - very slowly building a name as a live musician - something I never thought I would ever do.

I play almost exclusively original music, with just a few Gordon Lightfoot, and Some old Leon Redbone songs. Oh and Roads to Moscow.. simply because it has such an interesting story behind it.. Since I dont sound anything like a country singer I am actually doing something unique here in Fort Worth, I do foresee that I could possibly build a name for myself locally. I'm doing it basically because as I approach retirement, I may find myself with sufficient free time to do this - and do it with a decent quality. I'm only taking small gigs at this point, but I've done a few shows, and sold a couple CD's at each performance. People dont seem to care that they havent heard the music before. So much of the live music here is crap, that with even my mediocre guitar skills, I have gotten some good responses. People seem hungry for music that isnt terrible. Not saying its great, but I am not embarrassing myself, so far. If I can eventually sell all 400 disks, I may pay for the manufacturing. I am not planning on recording anymore music, - unless it is a live show. People will have to attend a show if they want to hear the music. Just like the old days before the recording industry successfully monetized recorded music. Since my music is not worth anything on recorded media, I'll just try to be a live only musician. And the day that is no longer any fun, I plan on stopping. But this is how I plan on getting rid of the two boxes of Contra Mantra I bought back from Progrock.

Oh and I have a great sound system, and "light show", so it looks and sounds pretty good, but its just a one man thing. I am considering inviting a guitarist to come and play leads to enhance the show a bit, but havent worked with anyone so far.

I hope to be able to take this anywhere I want to and play anywhere I happen to find myself. I have contacts in LA, Seattle Long Island and Florida, who have said they can possibly set up gigs for me, but first I have to get the show really nailed down.