[Nick Zwar]

But beyond that, prices on CDs have risen far, far more than sheer inflation accounts for. As has shipping and other things.

It’s interesting that you say that, that is not my experience at all. Perhaps it’s different in Norway. The way I see it, CDs have been remarkably resilient to price increases, thereby becoming actually cheaper.

My first ever CD order from Amazon was in 2000, two Varèse Sarabande CDs, they cost €15,33 back then. (The McNeely recordings of MARNIE and CITIZEN KANE). I ordered them from Amazon at that time because a) I could not find them at my local store and b) the price was pretty good. When FSM first released CDs like Stagecoach and The Poseidon Adventure, they cost $19,95… that was in 1998! That was a normal price back then for a new premium release. The tomorrow released MOI QUI T’AIMAIS by Philippe Sarde from Music Box Records costs €16,80! The “regular” price for a new “major” CD in Europe and the US has been around $20 for a quarter of a century. Intrada now releases sometimes CDs for $21,99 something like that, but that’s a relatively small increase. There are STILL many new CD releases for around 20 (Euros or Dollars).

If you look at actual inflation rates in Europe and the US, considered for the last 25 years (from 2000 to 2025), a CD that cost 20€/$20 in 2000 should cost now about 32€ or even $37 in 2025 (the inflation rate over the last 25 years was higher for the Dollar than for the Euro). So in fact, CD prices have decreased by a considerable margin (by staying the same.)