Ozark Mountain Daredevils to phase out CDs

Members of The Ozark Mountain Daredevils say an industry change has resulted in a business decision: The band is phasing out CDs.

The rock and country band announced on Facebook yesterday that it will not renew its CD contract with A&M Records.

"Many years ago, our friend and associate Benny Smith went to great lengths to secure the ability to convert our first six albums with A&M to a CD format. It was a time-consuming process, but necessary at the time, to get the music in a format where our fans old and new could still access the tunes at what was the technology of choice at that moment in time," the post reads. "Well, technology has changed again and now CDs are not the method of choice in the way our music is consumed."

"Slowing sales and minimums required to maintain those contracts" factored into the decision, according to the Facebook post.

Band officials say "a good inventory" of CDs remains for sale in its online store.

"However, when that inventory is depleted of those A&M projects, that will be 'it' as far as CDs are concerned," the post reads.

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils have been creating music for five decades, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.

In an SBJ article last year about reaching the milestone, Dwight Glenn, the band’s manager, spoke to music industry trends.

“There’s been a resurgence because of Spotify and Facebook,” Glenn said in the June 2022 article. “Our Spotify numbers are up 35% or 40% in 2022. Every time I look at them, it’s like, wow – and it’s increasing.”