Starbucks to stop selling music CDs
By the end of March, Starbucks will no longer sell music CDs but will continue to offer digital downloads and the Starbucks Digital Network via free Wi-Fi.
This Seattle Starbucks barista, Jay Rapp, will no longer be selling music CDs by the end of March, but Starbucks' free WiFi digital network will still be available.
Ted S. Warren/AP/File
But … now where are we going to get our adult-alternative fix with a venti vanilla latte?
Starbucks says it will stop selling music CDs at its 21,000 locations, instead focusing on digital downloads.
A Starbucks spokesperson told Billboard that the physical CDs are going away at the end of March.
“Starbucks continually seeks to redefine the experience in our retail stores to meet the evolving needs of our customers,” the spokesperson said. “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.”
Until now, the company has stocked 20 or fewer titles at a time to sell — often by coffeehouse-friendly singer-songwriters or themed compilations.
Billboard reports that, in 2006, Starbucks sold 3.2 million CDs for more than $65 million in revenue. But sales have been slipping since then, and sales dipped 15% in 2014.
Starbucks presumably will continue offering free music downloads. The chain’s stores also offer the Starbucks Digital Network via free Wi-Fi. The network features music videos amid a roster of other content.