I know I'm going to get slated for asking this but... I have just realised that Stand By: Light Coming... is only the second CD I've bought this year that has come in a plastic jewel case. So far this year I've bought over 50 CDs so 2 is a very small proportion, but the norm seems to be card packaging, I believe. Is card environmentally friendly and plastic not? I'm no expert! I have noticed though that some of the multi CD sets have plastic inserts, but conversly a lot are boxed with cardboard sleeves for the individual items. Most single CDs I've bought seem to be card in card.
I ask readers; what is your view?
Yes, I guess that being part of an established (?) 'record company' enables them to better promote your music and to put your cds out in a more eye catching package, and with a lyric booklet. ie; the digipak option.
I always feel that knowing the correct lyrics (from the booklet) makes the album seem even better.
Obviously this is a cost that Bill can't commit to with only producing a small run of cds.
As I remember, the drawback of DigiPak is that it costs more to produce than the
more traditional jewel case format. This obviously makes a big difference for a small
cottage industry where Bill produces 500 rather than 5000 units. No problem for me.
Some of the more special projects like Modern Village are very welcome in DigiPak.
It's also a good idea to store them so that the edges don't get faded by sunlight. I used to have all my cds on a bookcase ( took up quite a few shelves just for Bill's cds). The edge of Whimsy has faded to a pale yellow from the original bright orange.
Actually, Whimsey is in an especially nice package...and the music is pretty awesome too.
Sometimes over time DigiPak CDs ripple and look terrible but then again that’s what happens to most things over time
I must agree that the cardboard 'DigiPak' arrangement is much nicer than a plastic 'Jewel' case...that was the standard packaging for CDs. It must be slightly better for the planet too! Now that you mention it, most of the CDs that I've bought recently, are in a nice cardboard package. This arrangement allows the album artwork to shine and be appreciated more...like you say, just like a 'gatefold sleeve' on albums in the glorious golden age of LPs. Nice one's that I've recently bought are.. Nad Sylvan, 'The Regal Bastard' Roine Stolt's Flower Kings, Manifesto Of An Alchemist' Jon Anderson & Roine Stolt, 'The Invention Of Knowledge'. The Tangent, 'Proxy' Rosalie Cunningham (her new self titled solo album) yep, all these great albums came in cardboard digipaks. It seems to be the way forward.
That's an interesting point, just looked at the last few CDs I've purchased recently and the majority are in cardboard packaging (Paul Weller; Tom Petty; Public Service Broadcasting; Big Big Train; Kate Rusby).
The Tom Petty is a 4 disc set and the package is more like a book. Is it that it's cheaper to produce them rather than using the plastic jewel cases, or is it an attempt to hark back to the days of LPs and the value that was associated with LP sleeves (their tactile nature, the complexity of some of the designs, art work you can actually see, words you can actually read - I appreciate this may be an age related thing!)?
For one, well I like the card sleeves