Do you still buy Cd's?

I just had this huge discussion with a friend about purchasing albums from our favorite bands. In this day of age it seems digital is the way to go and my point was basically. If I want to hear an album, I will go check it out on youtube or some other sources like Spotify and if I like it just make a playlist from there.

Spotify allows me to listen to any song I want from any album available on there and that to me is more perfect than buying an album for maybe 1 or 2 songs I enjoy.

My friend gave the point that it's about supporting the band and I get that but there is just wayyyyyyy too much music to be supporting, so I go with the digital way..

Your thoughts and opinions...

These threads seem to pop up every few weeks.

Yes, I buy CD's. The best way I know of to "own" an album. I like CDs. It's nice to have a collection that is yours and yours only. Listening is only half the fun. You choose what gets in.

There's also the fact that if you invest severe money into an audio system, you don't want compressed music or streaming sub-par files.

If I can get vinyl + download (which seems to be the case with a lot of vinyl releases these days) I do that. If not, I'll get the CD

Lari wrote:

There's also the fact that if you invest severe money into an audio system, you don't want compressed music or streaming sub-par files.

You don't have to use sub par files (or compressed ones for that matter) most downloads let you choose whatever file type you want.

I don't think I will be buying music once they stop selling physical copies of albums.

I guess it's worrisome that these threads pop up more regularly as the years go by.

Anyway, and this is going to be beside the point, so feel free to skip, but the thing I've been thinking about a lot ever since I first started listening to music online, ie. whatever I find on youtube/spotify/etc or friends' recommendations they've linked to me, is that a lot of times it's the decision to purchase the CD that makes or breaks if I like a band or not. After hearing a few random songs, I may end up buying the CD and then I listen to it intensely and come back to it several times. Even if I don't like it as much at first, I always give it more chances and usually end up liking it more because of it.

Sometimes I wonder if those bands I give the thumbs down on would actually also be able to make their way through to my list of favourites. If I just one day ended up buying one of their records...

It's a big thing to me. Band "X" that I heard some songs from, but did not even bother buying a single release from, cannot be among my favourites. But I can easily justify to myself that Machine Men are an awesome band that I like a lot because I own all their albums.

I personally believe it's a f*cking huge honour for a band to have an album on Lari's shelf. Better than the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, for sure. Everytime someone visits, they see that I like Saxon a lot. And if you are visiting my house, there's a good chance you put some value into what I think.

Unless you're breaking into my house, or maybe sleeping with my wife while I'm away. Why would you do that?! Asshole! What did I ever do to you? Think of the children.

I used to have over 500 physical cd's when I bought a ton every week when I was younger but now I just use these music libraries to listen. It's a lot easier to find new music that way for me and I can just randomize it. There are very few albums out there that I like every song off of..

Yes, absolutely I buy Cd's. I went through the digital phase and I still want a physical product to hold and look at and read.

jettafiend wrote:

Yes, absolutely I buy Cd's. I went through the digital phase and I still want a physical product to hold and look at and read.

I think that's another thing that I don't bother with, is reading the booklets. I just wanna hear the music. I used to be all into that but now I just DGAF anymore...

Depends. On some I only want the music but some I want the whole package.

I was a CD-only guy for the longest time but pricing has finally forced me into the digital world.  I just can't justify spending about $10 + now 3.99 shipping for a used/new CD from Amazon Zshops when I can download the thing for $8.99 and have it right away.  Plus since I do 99% of my listening in my car, I don't really care about audiophile quality so I've drifted more and more into legal downloads of albums I want.

I'm stuck in the past. I still buy cds exclusively. I have no desire whatsoever to do downloads until it becomes the only option available.

Lari wrote:

These threads seem to pop up every few weeks.

Yes, I buy CD's. The best way I know of to "own" an album. I like CDs. It's nice to have a collection that is yours and yours only. Listening is only half the fun. You choose what gets in.

There's also the fact that if you invest severe money into an audio system, you don't want compressed music or streaming sub-par files.

 Ditto

I buy cds and vinyl. Until the major retailers - itunes/amazon - move to lossless files, I won't be buying downloads. I am not satisfied with a crappy 256k mp3. Frankly I doubt I will ever stop buying physical product.

Ultimately, the ideal for me would be vinyl with a lossless download.

I love CD's and I will keep buying them til they stop making them. I love looking at my wall filled with music, and I am dinosaur that is what I like.

I will always buy CDs. I like artwork and lyrics. If I preview an album online before I buy it, it helps eliminate the risk of getting a dud.

Witchfinder wrote:

Ultimately, the ideal for me would be vinyl with a lossless download.

Yep.

So far over the last year I buy cd's only when something catches my eye on the bargain bin. The last full price I paid was for the new Van Halen. Since then strictly VINYL or iTunes. Still need to get the new Hendrix and may have to get it on cd from Target to get the bonus Capt. Coconut tune.

Hell yes I still buy CDs!!

Even though I end up listening to most of my music on my computer/iPod, pretty much all my music purchases are CDs. The only I'll buy something as a download is if it's out of print and the CDs are going for astronomical prices or the rare occasion that it's something I really want but just isn't available as a physical CD release (and I can only think of two such instances out of close to 1000).

If I have a CD I feel a much greater sense of ownership, and having the artwork and booklet does seem to add something to the listening experience even though I don't look at those very often. Just knowing that I have them does something for me.

In addition, if I ever lose my iPod or my hard drive crashes then I won't lose my entire music collection. Although I do have everything backed up in more than one location, so that's perhaps not so strong an argument in favour of having the CDs (and it would been a monumental effort to re-rip everything).

Of course, the downside to buying CDs is finding somewhere to store them all. I'm running a little short of space at the moment.

And I do have a number of albums that have been made available as free legal downloads, but that's because I'm not so desperate to have CDs that I'll overlook the fact that I'm not paying for it.  

I still buy.

Yep, still buy CD's..... some things I will buy via DL... HDTracks is great place to buy online, can't beat the quality!

i still buy but not nearly as much as i used to.

I still buy physical product. I have downloaded things that are not available any other way or through Amazon's AutoRip offerings (free DL after purchasing the album). Like others have mentioned, I want to be able to hold the album and read the liner notes and lyrics. Guess I'm old... Hey!! Git off my lawn!!! *mumbles* damn kids....

Long story short: I sold my CD's in my early 20's for the same damn reason Scott (ultmetal) did, and then recovered from fundie blindness and discovered Napster, pirated music for about ten years, had an ipod full of shit, and one day noticed I wasn't really listening to music, so I started buying CD's again. What I first noticed is that I had made a sound investment in the product which was so tangible in my hands--first CD was Accept's Stalingrad--that I had to listen to it first to last with earnest ears. The music came alive because of this, and I started "investing" in more and more albums, rebuilding my own collection and adding more. Digital can be an underwhelming purchase...so quick, with no tangibles to heighten the experience...but buying CD's, vinyl, what have you, gives you this visual library to fully compliment the audible experience. Now all I do is purchase CD's with very few exceptions.

And YES, vinyl with lossless would indeed be ideal.