CDs are irrelevant to me

[Perpetual Change]

This has finally come true.

Thanks to streaming music, MP3s, vinyls, and BluRay/DVD audio. If I want convenience for travel, I go MP3. If I want sheer quality, I'll take the DVD audio. If I want nicer packaging and that warm, fuzzy feeling of holding a new record in my hands, I'll take the vinyls.

It's just occurred to me that I may have already purchased my last CD.

Anyone in the same boat?

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I can see the appeal of MP3s and such, but I prefer CDs. I don't know, it feels more "real" to me if I have something physical. Of course, CDs are technically digital, so....

I guess what I like is a physical representation of my digital media. Doesn't really make much sense when I think about it, but I don't care.

[Perpetual Change]

I can see the appeal of MP3s and such, but I prefer CDs. I don't know, it feels more "real" to me if I have something physical. Of course, CDs are technically digital, so....

I guess what I like is a physical representation of my digital media. Doesn't really make much sense when I think about it, but I don't care.

I do too, but DVD audio is physical, as are vinyls. So, I dunno. CDs just seem kinda lame in that regard.

[King Postwhore]

Well, in this digital area, I assume when you download Joe you still burn a copy to a blank CD.  I like it as a back up in case the hard drive dies.  Though I have a 1TB storage drive just for music and pictures.

[Perpetual Change]

Well, in this digital area, I assume when you download Joe you still burn a copy to a blank CD.  I like it as a back up in case the hard drive dies.  Though I have a 1TB storage drive just for music and pictures.

I used to, yeah, but blank CDs can have pretty inconsistent lifespans. Now that Amazon just lets me download what I buy over and over again, I feel no need to do anything other than occasional backups to my external HD.

[Ħ]

If you don't listen to vinyl, you don't listen to music.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

If you don't listen to vinyl, you don't listen to music.

How much of my life has been a lie?...

[ColdFireYYZ]

I'll keep buying CDs for as long as they're produced. I do download a large percentage of my music from Amazon and Bandcamp, but the only reason why I do so is because it allows me to buy more music with my money. If I was able to afford it, I'd buy CDs almost exclusively. I like having a physical product with the ability to easily transfer the music to my iPod. Plus, it's fun browsing through CDs at record stores.

[Mindflux]

I keep buying CD's for the artwork and the physicality of it, but I'll rip it immediately to MP3 (but at least I get to choose the bitrate I want, versus whatever the digital media store allows).  I think the artists also get more money for physical media sales.  I seem to remember Weird Al saying how little he got for MP3 sales versus CD's...

[rumborak]

Actually stood at the merchandise section of the Steve Wilson concert and debated buying the CD (I didn't own it at that point yet). Then I realized that all my physical CDs are down in the basement slowly rotting away and iv only ever listen through Google Music to my music. So, I purchased the mp3 instead from Amazon.

[Bolsters]

I suppose I'm getting to the point where CDs are becoming irrelevant to me, but I still like the own the physical product. However, like rumborak, my CDs nowadays just sit and collect dust, ever since I set up streaming music from my computer to either of the good sound systems in my house, and have been systematically re-ripping my entire collection into FLAC. It's just far too convenient for so many reasons that actually taking out a CD has become completely redundant, even a nuisance.

[Dimitrius]

I really don't buy CDs anymore, and haven't for some 5-6 years. Unless it's some special edition packaging from one of my truly favorite bands (like Coheed's The Afterman) I go digital and upload it to Google Music.

[rumborak]

Regarding the physicality of the medium, the last truly awesome medium in its presentation was vinyl. You get this huge beautiful piece of artwork. CDs tried to continue that, but the form factor just never made it have the same impact.

[BlobVanDam]

If you don't listen to vinyl, you don't listen to music.

LOL.

[Dr. DTVT]

If you don't listen to vinyl, you don't listen to music.

Guess I need to buy record players for my office (my fellow profs will love me for that) and start hauling vinyl albums everywhere.

Also, anyone know where I can get a good record player for my car?  Mine skips all the time.

[Ħ]

The life of an artist requires great sacrifice.

[The King in Crimson]

Also, anyone know where I can get a good record player for my car?  Mine skips all the time.

You just need to learn to drive (lrn2drv) better or get an 8-track if you want portable vinyl.

Cassettes are for pussies.

[KevShmev]

Sadly, I have almost reached this point as well. Even the ones I still buy the CD of, I get the CD and then almost always listen to the mp3s in my car or on my computer.  But with over 700 physical CDs, I simply cannot bring myself to sell them.

[Dr. DTVT]

Also, anyone know where I can get a good record player for my car?  Mine skips all the time.

You just need to learn to drive (lrn2drv) better or get an 8-track if you want portable vinyl.

Cassettes are for pussies.

I also need a portable version, because I walk to work.

[?]

I keep buying CD's for the artwork and the physicality of it, but I'll rip it immediately to MP3

[black_biff_stadler]

I still like CDs for the following purposes:

-Easily showing new music to friends on a whim when computer/mp3 player tomfoolery involves more effort (like if someone's swinging by to give me a ride and I can just pop a CD in their car.)

-A way for me to support the small core of bands I like despite the fact that torrents are obviously available. I refuse to spend money for something that's identically available for free elsewhere.

-Having a hard copy of the artwork and liner notes for albums by the core of artists I choose to financially support.

-Nostalgic link to the dominant medium from my generation.

[ariich]

Vinyl is way too big and inconvenient, and DVD audio isn't as tranferrable (can't play it on a CD player).

I still love and buy lots of CDs, but I do buy quite a lot of mp3 albums as well, simply because I don't have space to store every CD.

[The Silent Cody]

I buy CD's because I like to have an album physically. I also have a lot of mp3, but only for "one time". If the music is good, I buy an album.

[Implode]

I like CD's because I can easily stack them on shelves to display in my home. I like the idea of someone being able to glance at the collection like books on a bookshelf and get of an idea of what I've listened to.

[wasteland]

If you don't listen to vinyl, you don't listen to music.

The life of an artist requires great sacrifice.

[Ħ]

I raise you this:

[PuffyPat]

For the records I really, really love, I'll buy it on vinyl if it's available, and CD if it isn't. For records I want, but are much more expensive on vinyl, I'll just get the CD. Only on rare occasions will I ever get a digital version only; I just don't trust it. I'm also a fan of colored vinyl, and other collectible aspects of owning a physical copy of the music I love.

I try to buy everything new so bands get more of the money, but I do love a good deal on used merchandise. I also like browsing at my local record stores because you never know what gem you'll find buried in a pile of old records. Plus it helps to keep a great business going.

I will buy physical media for as long as it exists (which is hopefully my entire lifetime) because there will never be any amount of arguments that will convince me that the digital version is just as good.

[?]

If you don't listen to vinyl, you don't listen to music.

The life of an artist requires great sacrifice.

So this is now our official "Steven Wilson lols at you" reaction pic?

[Zydar]

FLAC is the shit, yo.

[wasteland]

So this is now our official "Steven Wilson lols at you" reaction pic?

On this particular occasion is more like "Steven Wilson is delighted"

[Zantera]

I buy vinyl over CD's, but I still get the latter as well. It's nice to have a CD and play it in the car, and so on.

[Bolsters]

Only on rare occasions will I ever get a digital version only; I just don't trust it. I'm also a fan of colored vinyl, and other collectible aspects of owning a physical copy of the music I love.

I'm the same with digital downloads. I'll only do it if the physical copy is difficult/expensive to get, or in some cases, when the physical copy doesn't exist.

FLAC is the shit, yo.

[Phoenix87x]

I came to that realization in 2007 after getting my first ipod. I resisted all through high-school since i was such a contrarian, but finally gave in and immediately after I got an Ipod, I knew I was never going to listen to CD's again,

but...

I still buy a shit load of CD's and let me tell you why. Right now, nobody wants CD's so they are on Amazon for like a dollar or two. So I just order them, burn them onto my computer and throw them in a closet. Some are even a Penny. For example



I was able to get a ton of cd's from the 90's and 80's and barely paid anything, so even though I'll never listen to a physical CD, I still get a lot of use out of them. 

[Perpetual Change]

Heh, I've noticed that too, Phoenix. Kinda silly, if you ask me.

[Ruba]

Physical copy is a physical copy, no matter what. I don't own a mp3-player or iPod. I use a portable CD-player (srsly), whenever I want to listen to music, I pick the CDs I like and go.

And digital copies don't have artwork and booklets. They are one reason why I like CDs.