Starbucks, long the purveyor of lattes and cappuccinos, announced that it will stop selling CDs at its registers at the end of March. “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,” a Starbucks rep told Billboard about the decision.
Based on the recent trends in music consumption, “relevant options” certainly does not leave much room for CDs. The retailer has given away cards with free music downloads in the past, but it’s less clear how Starbucks will capitalize on the continued trends toward streaming.