Keeping the music alive

HOW WILL THE VENERATED RECORD SHOP SURVIVE MUSIC'S VANISHING ACT?

First came the death of the 8-track tape, followed by vinyl and cassette tapes. Now music lovers are bracing themselves for several new realities. Could the death of the CD be just around the corner? Will music exist only in cyberspace? And is the revolution in downloading also sounding a death knell for traditional music stores?

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Music downloaders predict the compact disc has about five years to live.
(Sun-Times Illustration)