ugh, sorry to hear!
Hey can you give us some background on the CD? Mainly I'm wondering whether you're the original owner and if so, what sorts of conditions it's been routinely stored in. (I.e., was it ever stored in a car, did you keep it in a sleeve instead of its jewel case, what sort of climate you live in, etc...)
Disc rot is one of those things we're all trying to avoid and the more info, the better.
>Disc rot is one of those things we're all trying to avoid and the more info, the better.
The quality of manufacturing has much more to do with disc rot than environmental conditions. Leaving your discs in unfavorable conditions doesn't help, but you can store discs in a perfectly controlled environment and still get disc rot.
Long story short: don't worry about it. You'll either get it, or you won't. It's not really up to you so long as your collection isn't sitting in direct sunlight or anything.
I don't worry, I exercise due-diligence so I don't have to worry. :)
[https://blog.discogs.com/en/say-no-to-disc-rot-how-to-look-after-cds/](https://blog.discogs.com/en/say-no-to-disc-rot-how-to-look-after-cds/)
[https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/49360-scientists-discover-fungus-that-eats-cds](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/49360-scientists-discover-fungus-that-eats-cds)
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1402533.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1402533.stm)
I bought it new probably back in 2013. It’s not really an album you listen to while out doing stuff, so it stayed in my room with all my other CDs that I’ve had no issues with. It stayed in the original jewel case, I was never a fan of the multi-disc case things. Kept em either on a shelf or in a drawer depending on my storage situation at a time.
I live in a very hot and humid place (avg summer high temps in mid-high 90s, relative humidity usually around 90%), but my discs have always been stored inside in a climate controlled environment and kept away from direct sunlight.
I know this may not be the most helpful but it’s all the info I’ve got. I’ve honestly got no idea why this happened to this one disc and none of my others, since they have always been stored the same way
Actually it is helpful. The 90% humidity climate may be a factor. Most fungi need about 60% relative humidity for a constant 10-12 hours in order to multiply, (AKA spread.) With 90% humidity outside, even the average climate-controlled system is only going to drop the humidity into the 60-70% range. Given that some fungi "eat" silver oxide and the plastics, this is a potentially damaging problem which people may mistakenly assume is due manufacturing deficiencies.
I posted this link in another reply, but doing so again here because it may be relevant.
[https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/49360-scientists-discover-fungus-that-eats-cds](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/49360-scientists-discover-fungus-that-eats-cds)
Edit: Not saying it’s definitely fungus. Yes it could also be poor manufacturing standards. I just don’t rule out the slow spread of fungi if in humid environs. I'll add this - I've grown my collection for the past thirty years. So far all of the ones I've stored at 45-55% humidity are OK. However, I did keep one box of CD's down in the basement for several years and the humidity was often over 60. Out of a box of 50, four of them ended up with disc rot and those four were stored in sequence.
I bought a brand new album a few years ago online and it arrived already rotted. If they fuck up the manufacturing process they can deteriorate rapidly.
I bought this CD not long after it came out and have had it since then. Probably my favorite thing that both Steven Wilson or Mikael Åkerfeldt ever made. Tried to give it a spin only for nothing to happen, so I looked a bit closer and found what you see in the photos! My heart is broken, it’s one of my favorite albums ever
This should be a good reminder to rip every CD you get to lossless and back it up on a cloud. I just got done doing this. It took a couple weeks but worth the piece of mind.
This. Ripping a cd is the first thing I do after I buy one, it’s much nicer to worry about just having a blank disc to burn them onto than worry about getting a whole new one if something happens to it
i have a few prized cds that this has happened to. im looking at you Death In June. to deal with this, i burn a lossless copy to cd-r and package it in with the original to satisfy the brain worms.
RIP - Gone too soon.
Some good news is as of Feb 2021 Steven mentioned that he was currently remixing the record for a pissible 2022 release for the 10 year anniversary.
He has also expressed wanting to record a follow-up with Mikael.
That's unusual! 2012 should be too young for disc rot. Has to be a manufacturing error. Maybe some kind of paint is eating through the protective layer of lacquer.
Reply two years later, but I've had a rash of CDs not playing all of a sudden and they all date from 2012. Makes me think something may have been wrong with the manufacturing of discs then.
The CDs in question: David Byrne and St. Vincent- Love This Giant promo.
Beach House- Bloom
Sub Pop's Mixed Nuts 5 Record Store day compilation.
Looks interesting. The white spots look like they are on the surface, the brown spots look like they are on the aluminum. Or are the brown spots the shadows of the white spots?
The spots also look identical to some that appear on my Sub Pop compilation CD and they do, indeed, look to be on the surface of the disc. They will not wipe off with a microfiber cloth.
I can't imagine it's some kind of disc-rot if it's on the plastic. But where can it come from? Looks like something was sprayed on the CD, is that a possibility? On the other hand, if it's on the surface it can probably polished off.
Why are there spots on the outer rim where there is no aluminum layer? I guess the protective lacquer layer is dissolving. But where do those spots come from? Was there some kind of condensation of humidity on the disc? I'm sure you have tried to wipe those spots off, right?
ugh, sorry to hear! Hey can you give us some background on the CD? Mainly I'm wondering whether you're the original owner and if so, what sorts of conditions it's been routinely stored in. (I.e., was it ever stored in a car, did you keep it in a sleeve instead of its jewel case, what sort of climate you live in, etc...) Disc rot is one of those things we're all trying to avoid and the more info, the better.
>Disc rot is one of those things we're all trying to avoid and the more info, the better. The quality of manufacturing has much more to do with disc rot than environmental conditions. Leaving your discs in unfavorable conditions doesn't help, but you can store discs in a perfectly controlled environment and still get disc rot. Long story short: don't worry about it. You'll either get it, or you won't. It's not really up to you so long as your collection isn't sitting in direct sunlight or anything.
I don't worry, I exercise due-diligence so I don't have to worry. :) [https://blog.discogs.com/en/say-no-to-disc-rot-how-to-look-after-cds/](https://blog.discogs.com/en/say-no-to-disc-rot-how-to-look-after-cds/) [https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/49360-scientists-discover-fungus-that-eats-cds](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/49360-scientists-discover-fungus-that-eats-cds) [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1402533.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1402533.stm)
I bought it new probably back in 2013. It’s not really an album you listen to while out doing stuff, so it stayed in my room with all my other CDs that I’ve had no issues with. It stayed in the original jewel case, I was never a fan of the multi-disc case things. Kept em either on a shelf or in a drawer depending on my storage situation at a time. I live in a very hot and humid place (avg summer high temps in mid-high 90s, relative humidity usually around 90%), but my discs have always been stored inside in a climate controlled environment and kept away from direct sunlight. I know this may not be the most helpful but it’s all the info I’ve got. I’ve honestly got no idea why this happened to this one disc and none of my others, since they have always been stored the same way
Actually it is helpful. The 90% humidity climate may be a factor. Most fungi need about 60% relative humidity for a constant 10-12 hours in order to multiply, (AKA spread.) With 90% humidity outside, even the average climate-controlled system is only going to drop the humidity into the 60-70% range. Given that some fungi "eat" silver oxide and the plastics, this is a potentially damaging problem which people may mistakenly assume is due manufacturing deficiencies. I posted this link in another reply, but doing so again here because it may be relevant. [https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/49360-scientists-discover-fungus-that-eats-cds](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/49360-scientists-discover-fungus-that-eats-cds) Edit: Not saying it’s definitely fungus. Yes it could also be poor manufacturing standards. I just don’t rule out the slow spread of fungi if in humid environs. I'll add this - I've grown my collection for the past thirty years. So far all of the ones I've stored at 45-55% humidity are OK. However, I did keep one box of CD's down in the basement for several years and the humidity was often over 60. Out of a box of 50, four of them ended up with disc rot and those four were stored in sequence.
Wild, it's not even 10 years old
I bought a brand new album a few years ago online and it arrived already rotted. If they fuck up the manufacturing process they can deteriorate rapidly.
I bought this CD not long after it came out and have had it since then. Probably my favorite thing that both Steven Wilson or Mikael Åkerfeldt ever made. Tried to give it a spin only for nothing to happen, so I looked a bit closer and found what you see in the photos! My heart is broken, it’s one of my favorite albums ever
This should be a good reminder to rip every CD you get to lossless and back it up on a cloud. I just got done doing this. It took a couple weeks but worth the piece of mind.
This. Ripping a cd is the first thing I do after I buy one, it’s much nicer to worry about just having a blank disc to burn them onto than worry about getting a whole new one if something happens to it
i have a few prized cds that this has happened to. im looking at you Death In June. to deal with this, i burn a lossless copy to cd-r and package it in with the original to satisfy the brain worms.
RIP - Gone too soon. Some good news is as of Feb 2021 Steven mentioned that he was currently remixing the record for a pissible 2022 release for the 10 year anniversary. He has also expressed wanting to record a follow-up with Mikael.
i can piss the record album? like a kidney stone? or is it fluid?
My worst fear! So sorry for your loss :(
That's unusual! 2012 should be too young for disc rot. Has to be a manufacturing error. Maybe some kind of paint is eating through the protective layer of lacquer.
Reply two years later, but I've had a rash of CDs not playing all of a sudden and they all date from 2012. Makes me think something may have been wrong with the manufacturing of discs then. The CDs in question: David Byrne and St. Vincent- Love This Giant promo. Beach House- Bloom Sub Pop's Mixed Nuts 5 Record Store day compilation.
Looks interesting. The white spots look like they are on the surface, the brown spots look like they are on the aluminum. Or are the brown spots the shadows of the white spots?
The spots also look identical to some that appear on my Sub Pop compilation CD and they do, indeed, look to be on the surface of the disc. They will not wipe off with a microfiber cloth.
I can't imagine it's some kind of disc-rot if it's on the plastic. But where can it come from? Looks like something was sprayed on the CD, is that a possibility? On the other hand, if it's on the surface it can probably polished off.
Wait, photo number two, at the edge where your finger is, there seem definitely to be holes in the aluminum coating.
I checked mine to see its condition. All is ok on my side, CD and Blu-Ray Disc are clean. I hope you ripped it to lossless…
I did rip it to an old computer (which I still have). Next time I’m home I’ll have to go make a copy!
Why are there spots on the outer rim where there is no aluminum layer? I guess the protective lacquer layer is dissolving. But where do those spots come from? Was there some kind of condensation of humidity on the disc? I'm sure you have tried to wipe those spots off, right?
Yes I tried to clean it but didn’t get anywhere with it. I think this disc may be a loss!
How does one prevent this from happening?
Awww man such a great album too. Ljudet Innan might be one of the most beautiful things Ive ever heard.
Ljudet Innan is probably my favorite song ever honestly. Not one I listen to every day, but one that is just super special
Is it possible to wipe it down with a moist microfiber cloth?