YouTube and Netflix are fast killing off the music DVD

THE music DVD is doomed by the rise in popularity of YouTube and streaming sites. A music critic says we’re sacrificing audio quality.

Cameron AdamsNational music writer

4 min read

March 23, 2017 - 10:00PM

News Corp Australia Network

Sales of music DVDs have dropped drastically in the last two years ... but Pink is still popular Down Under. Picture: News Corp Australia

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THE music DVD is being killed off by YouTube and streaming.

Sales of the format have dropped drastically in the past two years.

The No. 1 music DVD in Australia this week — Adele’s Live at the Royal Albert Hall — sold just 332 copies nationally.

In the last 12 months the most popular music DVDs in the country have sold as low as 190 sales in a week, with around 400 copies a week being an average for a No. 1 — even a new release by a major musician or music group.

This week’s highest new entry, an Eric Clapton live DVD, debuted at No. 4 with just 118 sales.

“There are extremely ugly low figures for music DVD sales now,” says Paul Cashmere of music website Noise 11.

Pop singer Pink is still popular in Australia on a DVD.

“The No. 1 title is only selling in the low hundreds and it’s literally dozens of copies needed to be sold to make the Top 10. It’s not even like the start of the end of the music DVD, it’s already dead and buried.”

The highest-selling music DVD in Australia is Pink’s Funhouse Live in Australia, released in 2009.

The DVD is 32 times platinum, which equates to 480,000 sales. Pink is easily the queen of the visual format, with Michael Jackson the king.

Last year’s highest-selling music DVD was the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo concert, filmed in Melbourne, which only achieved platinum sales — which is 15,000 copies.

Technology has left the DVD behind. Younger music fans can watch film clips and concert footage on You Tube for free. Many laptops now have no DVD or CD drive. Streaming services such as Netflix and Stan are increasingly adding music titles to their libraries, making physical copies redundant.

“YouTube definitely killed off MTV and music TV and now it’s probably going to kill off the music DVD next,” Cashmere said. “YouTube has made it very easy for people to watch a video very quickly, wherever they want to.

The Eagles’ DVD was filmed in Melbourne.

Australia’s No. 1 DVD this week sold 332 copies.

“Netflix and other streaming services mean you don’t have to store bulky DVDs, you can watch them instantly and not have to worry about storage space. The minute Netflix puts a show up it kills off the potential to sell that show to DVD. There’s the Rolling Stones’ Crossfire Hurricane documentary on Netflix, why would you buy the DVD when you can get it instantly on your TV or phone or laptop or tablet?”

However Cashmere said the music DVD fading out is technically bad news for fans.

“It’s a shame the music DVD is a format that’s dying out because it’s probably got the best audio quality, even better than a CD. When you get a live DVD and play it at home you’re getting an excellent sound that’s far better than what you’d get from a digital service like streaming.

“I’m amazed no major record label is marketing the audio quality of a CD and a DVD but they’re happy to market digital downloads and streaming which are like the fast food parts of the music industry, they’re cheap and the audio quality is pathetic.”

The biggest selling music DVDs in Australia are by Pink, Michael Jackson, the Eagles, Andre Rieu and Neil Diamond — artists who appeal to an older audience generally.

Rieu has literally released dozens of music DVDs, however his fans can regularly watch the concerts on Foxtel.

Pink Funhouse DVD is 32 times platinum in Australia.

Michael Jackson’s music videos are DVD catnip.

“If you look at the singles chart that’s what kids are buying, then the album chart is what older to middle aged people are buying and the DVD chart is an older demographic,” Cashmere said.

“A 40 or 50 plus market remember spending a lot of money getting a good quality stereo system, they’re the ones that appreciate the sound and the vision. They probably spent money on a TV and a good sound system and they’re buying the music DVD.

“These days kids haven’t been raised on the concept of the CD and the DVD. It’s not the first port of call when they want to experience the artist after seeing their concert. Their first port of call is to get onto You Tube and watch really bad quality footage filmed on a phone their friends have put up on line.”

Once a stand-alone format, record companies have returned to including DVDs as ‘bonus discs’ of repackaged CDs, most recently for artists including Ed Sheeran and Delta Goodrem.

TOP-SELLING AUSSIE MUSIC DVDS

1. Pink — Funhouse Tour: Live in Australia

2. Michael Jackson — #1s

3. Andre Rieu — Live in Australia

4. The Eagles — Hell Freezes Over

5. Pink — Live from Wembley

6. Pink — The Truth About Love — Live from Melbourne

7. Neil Diamond — Greatest Hits Live

8. Michael Jackson — Live in Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour

9. The Eagles — Farewell Tour 1 (Live from Melbourne)

10. Delta Goodrem — Delta

11. Robbie Williams — Live at Knebworth