Manages CD counts differently (8)
I believe the answer is:
conducts
'manages' is the definition.
(conducting is a kind of managing)
'cd counts differently' is the wordplay.
'differently' is an anagram indicator.
'cd'+'counts'='cdcounts'
'cdcounts' anagrammed gives 'CONDUCTS'.
(Other definitions for conducts that I've seen before include "Directs an orchestra" , "Directs musicians" , "Directs, an orchestral performance say" .)