If you were hoping to snag a copy of Michael Bublé's latest album with your triple venti non-fat, half sweet caramel macchiato (extra hot, of course) on your next trip to Starbucks, you'd better act fast. The mega-chain coffee retailer has announced that it will cease to sell CDs in its coffee shops as of next month.
"We will stop selling physical CDs in our stores at the end of March," a Starbucks rep told Billboard. "Starbucks continually seeks to redefine the experience in our retail stores to meet the evolving needs of our customers. Music will remain a key component of our coffeehouse and retail experience; however, we will continue to evolve the format of our music offerings to ensure we're offering relevant options for our customers. As a leader in music curation, we will continue to strive to select unique and compelling artists from a broad range of genres we think will resonate with our customers."
The decision came following a 15 percent drop in CD sales during 2014. Starbucks began selling physical discs at their stores back in 1999, after acquiring Hear Music. After achieving success with music sales — in 2006, the company brought in $65 million in revenue from CD sales — and exclusive releases from artists like Paul McCartney and Joni Mitchell, the company has made the decision to focus on food and drink related endeavours.
In fact, it was reported earlier this week that Canadian locations of the chain would be expanding to include beer and wine on their menus by the end of 2015.
So while you will no longer be able to purchase the latest albums from acts like Taylor Swift, the Postal Service or Ryan Adams, at least you'll be able to drink. We recommend holding the whipped cream on that glass of pinot grigio, though.
Below, relive the glory that is Vampire Weekend covering Andrea Bocelli's "Con te Partiro" from a 2014 Starbucks Valentine's Day compilation.
"We will stop selling physical CDs in our stores at the end of March," a Starbucks rep told Billboard. "Starbucks continually seeks to redefine the experience in our retail stores to meet the evolving needs of our customers. Music will remain a key component of our coffeehouse and retail experience; however, we will continue to evolve the format of our music offerings to ensure we're offering relevant options for our customers. As a leader in music curation, we will continue to strive to select unique and compelling artists from a broad range of genres we think will resonate with our customers."
The decision came following a 15 percent drop in CD sales during 2014. Starbucks began selling physical discs at their stores back in 1999, after acquiring Hear Music. After achieving success with music sales — in 2006, the company brought in $65 million in revenue from CD sales — and exclusive releases from artists like Paul McCartney and Joni Mitchell, the company has made the decision to focus on food and drink related endeavours.
In fact, it was reported earlier this week that Canadian locations of the chain would be expanding to include beer and wine on their menus by the end of 2015.
So while you will no longer be able to purchase the latest albums from acts like Taylor Swift, the Postal Service or Ryan Adams, at least you'll be able to drink. We recommend holding the whipped cream on that glass of pinot grigio, though.
Below, relive the glory that is Vampire Weekend covering Andrea Bocelli's "Con te Partiro" from a 2014 Starbucks Valentine's Day compilation.