As contas da RIAA.

A associação americana de empresas discográficas tem uma página (aqui) onde explica porque é que os CDs são tão caros:

«Then come marketing and promotion costs -- perhaps the most expensive part of the music business today. They include increasingly expensive video clips, public relations, tour support, marketing campaigns, and promotion to get the songs played on the radio. [...] For every album released in a given year, a marketing strategy was developed to make that album stand out among the other releases that hit the market that year.»
(ênfase no original).

Ou seja, a maior fatia do que pagamos por um CD é o que eles gastam para nos convencer a comprar o CD.