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'There’s endless choice, but you’re not listening’

I have posted similar - I dislike CD as much for the fact that it is a full LP with no breaks as I do for any other reason. I'd never use a remote for similar reasons and dislike most music radio for the same reason again.

Choose - 20 or so minutes of music, break, think, pour another glass, have a pee, flip the record or change it. Repeat.
 
I really like CD, but I got onboard at the time all the ambient house/IDM thing was happening and all those Warp AI records etc work so well as complete hour to 70 minute works. Much better than a side at a time on vinyl IMO. They are atypical though and I certainly think a lot of rock and jazz of the vinyl era has a very distinct ‘side one’ and ‘side two’ that is hopelessly lost on CD and culturally destroyed as individual tracks on a streaming platform if the album context is lost. Obviously classical benefits from freedom from side/format lengths entirely. An opera or whatever long work is what it is and placing any additional interval should be with the listener.

That said I’m way too much a collector to be interested in streaming beyond an exploration tool, and for me YouTube fits that bill perfectly. I’ll check an artist there and if I think it is interesting then order the vinyl or CD. I’m obviously lucky in having a record shop so I can move stuff on with minimal loss if I find I don’t like it as much as I expected to.

I like the fact streaming exists as it certainly means I’ll have access to music as long as I’m capable of say using an iPad and a pair of headphones. No need to ever be without the full Miles Davis catalogue or whatever even in the crappiest nursing home or hospital bed.
 
I like it for background and try-before-you-buy but I can't move beyond that: I never sit down and think, "Now to stream that new X release!" But I think it's just because I'm too attached to buying and owning stuff.
 
Same applies to Netflix and co I suppose, just too much choice
I sometimes find I spend far too long choosing what to watch on Netflix and by the time I've chosen something it's getting a bit late to actually watch it.
Maybe it's time to cancel...

As for music, I'm very much into full albums, so CD and file-serving suit me well even if I still use vinyl occasionally.

As for streaming, I never really got on with Tidal although I had two extended free trials thanks to people forgetting to remove their IDs :) Firmware updates put an end to both but only once, each time, I'd come to the conclusion that I didn't use the service enough to justify even the most economic and basic of subscriptions.
 
This thread has prompted me to cancel my Qobuz subscription. It only recently renewed on an annual basis so I’ll try to adjust over the next 11 months.

What I’d really like to do is buy just one or two CD/LPs a month, chosen via recommendation by friends (mostly here I suspect), so will concentrate on the annual Album of the Year threads.

Possibly because of the streaming avalanche approach I’m subjecting myself to I think I’m currently buying too much stuff that doesn’t really have/get a chance to stick. Perhaps I’ll also curate the physical collection to reflect what I’ll actually likely listen to.
 
What I’d really like to do is buy just one or two CD/LPs a month, chosen via recommendation by friends (mostly here I suspect), so will concentrate on the annual Album of the Year threads.

I subscribe to two or three newsletters from bricks and motar retail outlets, plus Music On Vinyl, and have loaded most of my favourite artists to Music Butler (around 180 so far), and. like TonyL, rely heavily on YouTube for screening new releases before I place an order, which always brings up links to potential purcahses in itself. Only very occasionally do I find anything here in terms of new music.

That generates a shopping list of 5-10 ( very occasionally more) purchases per month - I actually bought 121 albums in 2021. Even approaching new music (to me) in that way, if I get loads to try to assess, I order the very occasional turkey (to me).
 
I've never really gotten into streaming even though I buy a lot from bandcamp and have the ability to stream from there I just use the files Ive downloaded. Youtube to check things out. My main problem is (I've left the vinyl back home.....) I have most of my collection ere with me on a HDD and sometimes find it hard to choose.

I'm more a whole album listener and rarely play one or two tracks or make play lists. Tony mentioned upthread that the longform ambient thing works better as a whole and I concurr......
 
I enjoyed this article in The Guardian about people quitting streaming services when they realised how it negatively impacted their relationship with music. I've had the exact same rant here multiple times...

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2...-quitting-spotify-to-save-their-love-of-music

(Sorry wasn't sure if this should go in Music or Off-topic)

I am pleased that I rejected streaming and indeed Napster stylee file sharing pretty much straight away.
If I was severely disabled, then I can see a use for such a tool, and devices such as Alexa - but whilst I have capacity to stand and make a selection from my physical collection, I only regard streaming etc. as a medium that is actually disabling.
 
I mostly listen to records and CDs. My wife and daughter mostly listen to Tidal, often random playlists. Tidal is great for my daughter especially. She is learning how to play music, and likes all kinds of things, stuff a 9 year old girl is "supposed" to like, and stuff she loves because I play it for her and she gets it. I like the fact that Tidal allows her to explore without limits. At her age it's what she needs. I have a massive music collection but its deficient in lots of things she likes, and I want her to discover her own taste as well as being guided by what I like.
 
Wouldn't be without Bandcamp to prehear potential purchases but get the idea of streaming ruining music. I have a gig buddy who when we are sitting round listening to music can't make it to the end of a track before moving on to the next on his mobile. Absolutely exasperating. But I'm getting a bit disillusioned with vinyl in that chat online or in person at gigs is always about the latest lathe cut, splatter limited test pressing (admittedly not so much here funnily enough). There was a time when we would talk politics, girls etc but now I suppose I'm too old for the latter and too 'extreme' for the former.
I am at the stage where I prioritise vinyl purchases on the basis of who's touring and a few firm favourites. Penury helps a lot in this regard.
 
Sad reading this, as I’ve just worked out that none of my children (eldest 11.8) have never, ever, listened to a record or CD in full.. :(

The poor artists.
 
Good food, good wine, good music.......................so, so similar - to be enjoyed at a leasurely pace, idealy with good company, with time to absorb and appreciate.

’ve just worked out that none of my children (eldest 11.8) have never, ever, listened to a record or CD in full.

Sad, very sad. They'll grow out of it :)
 
Had a similar discussion with a pal recently. I doubt I will ever listen to a particular album with the same attention and intensity as I did in my youth (late 70s/early 80s) because I am so spoilt for choice. I “use” all forms of music these days, vinyl, CD, streaming as I see fit and no matter what I do I will never be able to focus on an album like I did when I could only afford 8/10 albums a year.
In March 1978 for some reason I was unusually flush and I bought two albums on the same day; This Years Model by Elvis Costello and Another Music In A Different Kitchen by Buzzcocks.
I listened to nothing other than those 2 for several months. They have always been 2 of my favourite albums. And I think they are great by whatever means or measure one uses but…does this mean my entire musical listening life has been a complete sham as it was so limited to what I could afford to buy or borrow from a mate?!
Crazy, innit?
 
I blame the parents…

Me too! It’s not like I don’t have both formats in the house, I have loads of vinyl and 30 years worth of cds and they are all out on shelves, it’s just the way they listen is different…

“Alexa, play George Esra” might be the command (my 6yo likes him!) but then Alexa plays George Esra tracks in an order the algorithm chooses, not a whole album in track order…

I’m going g to see if there’s a setting where I can change this…
 
Me too! It’s not like I don’t have both formats in the house, I have loads of vinyl and 30 years worth of cds and they are all out on shelves, it’s just the way they listen is different…

“Alexa, play George Esra” might be the command (my 6yo likes him!) but then Alexa plays George Esra tracks in an order the algorithm chooses, not a whole album in track order…

I’m going g to see if there’s a setting where I can change this…

:)
 
This is just dreary moaning about first world problems. We have lots of choice in life because we are very lucky.

This is the golden age of music appreciation; old dudes like us can still buy CDs & Vinyl, we also have the world of streaming at our fingertips. The ‘yoof’, have Spotify, they can explore the world of music & develop their own tastes.

I certainly had much more limited opportunities to enjoy & explore music when I was growing up.
 


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