If you don't listen to them, how can you be sure they're a waste of space? I'm all for constructive criticism and all that, and some of the CDs I enjoy more than others, but I've discovered some fantastic music through them - and surely that's the point?

...I'm not quite sure why but I've almost never listened to any free CD with any magazine and I end up having to dump all of them. But it's a bit like junk mail - for those (probably many) of us who dump the stuff unread/unheard, there are obviously enough who make financial decisions based on the receipt thereof, hence perpetuating the situation, and it obviously goes some way to helping artists who can't get much airplay etc.

I wonder has anyone ever done any genuine research into whether a business model of offering an option of subscribing to Mag + CD or just Mag is viable or indeed potentially more profitable (if it brings new subscribers on board)?

Certainly, as a Word subscriber who rarely listens to the CDs (for all sorts of reasons, none important here) I'd happily save a few more quid and go for the latter. I accept that there will be compelling reasons to stay with the +CD format in retail environments, but I do think the 'no CD' option might be at the very least possible, if not necessarily easy to administrate, for subscribers.

If the Word CD is truly selected by the mag without any shady label/advertising tie-ins - as is certainly the case with some other publications - then it will not directly cost the magazine anything in lost marketing deals to offer a 'vanilla' version to subscribers. Indeed, it would be - for some people - 'value adding' (to their cash-strapped pockets) by actually REMOVING an element that some others would see as 'value adding' in other ways.

If The Hepmeister is in the house perhaps he could elaborate, or even ponder aloud...?

Each to their own but I pay my $1 a month to Paste mainly because of the CD download. I also look for other samplers to introduce me to stuff that I wouldn't hear elsewhere.

..CD..I just don't get it.
Are you mad, Sir?

I bin most of them. I would be more inclined to listen to them if they were spotify playlists.

You mention 'dumping the CD and charge 3 nicker and I'd buy'. I think my subscription price works out at about that - have you considered that option?

AND you can dump the CD before the non-subscribers! :-)

As an aside, there is always a Word CD (and Uncut etc) in my Oxfam Books & Music store. Give your CDs to them.

So I doubt the CDs cost very much to manufacture and can even be put together by record company sponsorship of some sort, thus leaving th cover price untouched. The Word is not just competing with other CD-bearing music mags but national newspapers that carry complete CDs by major artists as well as the-same-old-tracks compilation CDs.

Well said kb. I buy loads of the free Mail/Express/Times CDs from charity shops and flog 'em on eBay - with 100% of the proceeds going to charity - mainly outside the UK. The Peter Gabriel freebie went for a fiver! Just think of The Word CDs as tomorrow's antiques.

Oh BTW, I'm on the second play of this month's CD and rather good it is too. Do the management welcome feedback on the CD? If so they should set up an online poll to find the favourite track of the month.

ever an occassion when dropping something like this resulted in a price reduction to magazine. The Guardian is busily cutting staff and supplements and yet the price has actually risen recently.

I usually listen to the cds, though I've got a couple I haven't got around to. Sure I will though.

My preference though would be to change the cases. I'm glad they don't use jewel cases (too bulky) and they are athstetically pleasing, but due to the space they take up I'd be happier with a flat slip-case. The artwork/track info could still fit on nicely. I've never got rid of any of the magazine cds, but they're starting to take up a lot of space in my flat.

I've got to track 7 and haven't had to use the skip button once. The Boxer Rebellion track was superb.

Part of the reason I switched from Mojo to Word was the crap CD's.
Apart from the fact that Word magazine is far better their CD's have a surprisingly high hit rate of really good music. My problem is deciding which one(s) to keep or chuck just because, like many of us, I have far too much music to listen to anyway.

this mag comes with nothing but wot's inside

this otyher one comes with a free cd that i can listen , give to a friend or enemy, ditch immediately , use as a coaster or to scare the birds

...thinks ..thinks harder ... I'll go for the one that gives me nothing extra ! ...... hmmm again

the price wont go down - we all know it wont ...just doesn't happen

for the record I like most of them or at least parts of them and my partner likes listening to them too .

The consistently good CDs are the main reason I became a subscriber rather than a 'pick it up when it looks interesting' occasional buyer.
Used to get other music mags with CDs and apart from the very occasional gem they were mostly rubbish.

Another thing I perhaps shouldn't mention but will, is that I often find the track picked for inclusion by the Word chaps turns out to be my fave off whichever album it's from, thus not requiring me to spend any more money or waste any more downloads at eMusic.

Hats off for the CDs!

Always worth a listen - usually find something worthy of further investigation.

More arguments/comments this way - http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/yet-another-way-that-subscribers-g...

Can you just survey the subscribers or something on this so we dont have to go through this debate every five weeks

And then when you've done the survey keep producing the CD whatever the result because its excellent.

..of the podcast, me.

be a nice idea for the Christmas issue.

I have a near neighbour, who unfortunately has MS, which restricts his mobility, but he loves making compilations, so I pass him the cover CDs.

His compilations are usually very eclectic - he also got me listening to Connor Oberst, who had passed me by, but will keep trying to convert me to Amy Lavere fandom, whence I am slightly underwhelmed.

I will rip the CD onto my ipod as soon as it arrives in the post and listen to the podcast avidly every week. Reading the magazine is my third priority. I need to have the time set aside to give it the concentration it deserves.

The whole point of the CD is for the inquisitive reader to listen to and latch onto new music from up and coming/less top profile artistes. I have come across so many new groups etc as a result of listening to Word CD's. This leads me to wonder why dont people listen to them - and are they the sort who never try anything new - the sort that think U2/Coldplay/... etc are cutting edge because they are popular.

Please leave the CD on the magazine. Dont waste money producing two different versions - one with and one without. If those small minded enough to winge about saving money really want to do something - give up weekend newspapers - these are bloated and just a waste of time to read.......

had a good listen to it while moving house - put it on repeat

an excellent compilation

those seeking its abandonment are barking.