Do you guys actually buy music?

A buddy of mine is obsessed with vinyl and actually owns a turntable, so I find myself picking up old punk or rock records for him pretty regularly.

Charles Ramos4 said:For a second there, I actually thought you were a cop or maybe in the military, but then I realized this is just a typical week over in the States. It's basically going from the farm straight to the shooting range. ☕

If you're heading to the range, some heavy metal is definitely the way to go! 😁
Whether you're out on horseback, at the farm, or working in the garden—stick to the classics.
But if you're driving a truck or dealing with cows, it’s gotta be country! 🙂

Chris Myers said:There's zero debate here—vinyl sounds way better.

That’s a pretty loaded claim to make.

Lisa Davis46 said:you'll get over that fear before you know it. 😁

That initial collector's rush can easily evolve into genuine love and pure adrenaline once you finally track down something you've been hunting for ages.
It’s especially rewarding if you have other obsessions in life. Personally, when I travel, instead of picking up some tacky souvenir, I prefer to bring back a record
(and later on, it carries a completely different connection and memory of the place).

Since I don't have any travels or souvenirs to speak of right now, well, at least there's this little bit of vinyl happiness...
As far as ordering online goes, my experience has been nothing but positive so far.

I think that might be my greatest thrill—that exact moment when a favorite record finally arrives at the door. It's an intense feeling...

Gerald Jackson48 said:That’s a pretty controversial take right there.

I remember watching this cool documentary during a DORF event about this guy from the UK. He was super adamant about old-school record production and that classic vinyl warmth... he even mentioned turning down certain artists because they just wanted that hyper-clean, ultra-loud digital sound, blah blah blah.

Sure, digital tech gives us insane levels of clarity, volume, and pure sonic perfection. But honestly? Vinyl is special precisely because of its technical "flaws." If you set aside personal bias, those little imperfections are actually what make it so much more pleasant to the ear...

Steven Newman50 said:I saw this interesting documentary during DORF about this guy from the UK. He’s totally obsessed with old-school production and that classic vinyl sound. He was going on about how he turns down certain artists because they just want that super clean, ultra-loud digital sound, blah blah blah.

Digital formats offer incredible clarity, volume, and sheer audio fidelity, but vinyl is something else entirely. It’s special specifically because of its technical imperfections. If you set aside personal bias, those little flaws are exactly what make it so much more pleasant to the ear.

I was half-joking, but honestly, we could go on forever about this. You could spend all day debating everything from the "loudness war" in digital mastering to that whole "analog warmth" thing people obsess over with vinyl—you know, those specific low-end artifacts that make it feel real. There are actually plenty of ways to use digital tech to mimic that vibe, too. Those options definitely exist if you know what you're doing.

I don't want to dive too deep into the whole digital versus analog rabbit hole. I'm not trying to go there because those debates get exhausting fast, and honestly, I'm not an elitist. I’ve got vinyl, CDs, MP3s, FLAC files—you name it, I've got it sitting around the house. The last group I heard about who went all-in on analog techniques, from the very start of recording all the way to the finish, were Daft Punk on RAM. They were so obsessed with the tiny details that they actually managed to trip up Moroder.They'll figure it out eventually. They'll know.If you're a vinyl lover, do yourself a favor and grab this record. It’s the best way to get that pure analog feel in this digital age. I picked up a copy myself, so there's my answer to the original question. 😁

I was just reading this piece on Sound on Sound about how the PinkFairies era actually ties back to Daft Punk. It’s wild when you start digging into the connections. People always think electronic music came out of nowhere, but the roots go way deeper than most realize. Honestly, it’s fascinating stuff. Definitely worth a look if you want to see how those old-school vibes eventually paved the way for the legends we listen to today.

People always tell me that vinyl offers a superior sound profile... and honestly, I want to believe them. But will I ever actually experience that magic for myself? Between getting older and having my hearing pretty much trashed from years of attending loud concerts, not to mention—let's be real—my current bank account balance... 😁
I find that a well-ripped album at 320 KBPS through my budget headphones sounds perfectly fine to me.

I can't even remember the last time I actually bought music. Ever since unlimited data plans became the norm, I just dive right in.

Honestly, I’d probably be broke by now if I hadn't gone digital. These days, I've been spiraling back into the past, mostly obsessing over late 70s and early 80s US punk. Who could afford to collect all that physical media? Instead, I just built myself a massive playlist on Spotify and let it rip.

I'm pretty much on the same page as those two guys above—honestly, physical media is way overpriced. There’s zero reason why a record pressed in a run of a million copies should be hitting $120-$50. In reality, it should be sitting somewhere between $30-$20, liner notes and all, especially since production costs are only about $5-$3.25.

Dennis Hall41 said:I’m inclined to agree with the two colleagues above—I maintain that physical media is way overpriced. There’s zero reason why, say, a disc printed in a run of a million copies should cost $120-$50. In reality, it should sit somewhere between $30-$20, including the liner notes and everything else, especially since manufacturing costs roughly $5-$3.25.

To me, it actually feels like modern CD reissues are incredibly (maybe even unrealistically) cheap compared to how things were throughout the entire 90s, the 2000s, and honestly just until a few years ago.
Of course, I’m not talking about prices in our local shops here; I mean the price of new releases on Amazon.com just a few months after the release date. By that point, you can practically find almost everything for $4.99 or $5.99. Back in the day, that was completely unthinkable.

Look, I pay for Deezer, so it’s not like I’m out here stealing music for free, right?

As for cassettes—I don't even have a way to play them unless I dig up some old Walkman from a thrift store. And digital files? Honestly, what's the point of hoarding files when I already have a streaming service? CDs are just... meh, I've always been too lazy to bother with them. I love vinyl, obviously, but I don't own a turntable. Between that and having zero space or cash for a setup right now, it's a struggle—but man, I really hope to have one someday.

I love buying merch, I really do, but I can't be bothered dealing with all that headache—sales tax, customs, insane shipping costs... you know the drill. It's much easier to just grab what I want at the show.

At the end of the day, nothing beats live shows. They're my absolute favorite way to support artists. 😍

@ analogbear40
That’s facts—for foreigners, music is just a trifle. When I was a kid, my whole dream was to work abroad—just so I could afford to drop cash on five albums a week.😁

@quietbison86/">@@quietbison86 For me, concerts are losing that edge. Em is basically cruising through routine territory now—I mean, if you're playing 100 shows a year, it’d be weird if it felt different—plus, I’m just not in the mood to drink crappy beer and stand around for three hours anymore. In 80% of cases, it really just boils down to watching the band play. After that Fleet Foxes show, I realized I was done with all that and now I only hit up gigs for artists who actually mean something to me. There’s no way I’m dropping 100, 200, $100 for a band I only listen to three times in five years.

Yeah, it's a mixed bag. I’m big into collecting Vinyl. There's just that warmth to the sound, you know? But the downside is I can't exactly scrobble them on last.fm (yeah, does anyone actually still use that in 2020?). So, I usually go for FLAC. If a FLAC isn't an option, honestly, 320 KBPS is plenty good enough—my hearing is shot anyway, so I probably wouldn't catch those high frequencies regardless.

When it comes to supporting artists, I feel like buying their merch and hitting up their shows does way more for them than just buying their music. I never touch digital purchases, even when there are killer deals. It’s pretty ironic, though, since digital is what I end up listening to most of the time.
The last few bands that absolutely blew my mind were Cult of Luna, Editors, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Swans, and Death Grips. Those guys really delivered the goods. So, if I'm not grabbing a CD or some Vinyl, I usually end up picking up a shirt or something. Usually, I just order stuff online so I can pick a design I actually like; I've never been a fan of those standard tour tees—they're just incredibly lame. For me, Vinyl is more about the vibe—hanging them on my walls, hunting down limited editions with unique covers, different mixes, or even different track listings.

Dennis Hall41 said:@quietbison86/">@@quietbison86 Honestly, concerts just don't have that same edge for me anymore. A lot of them feel stuck in this routine loop—I mean, if a band is pulling 100 shows a year, of course they're going to get predictable—but I’m just over the whole struggle, you know? Dealing with cheap, watered-down beer and standing around for three hours straight... it's exhausting. In like 80% of cases, it just boils down to watching a band go through the motions. After that Fleet Foxes show, I was like, "That's enough," and decided I'm only hitting up gigs for artists who actually move the needle for me. There is zero chance I'm dropping $100 or $200, $100 for some band I only bother to listen to maybe three times in five years.

I totally agree—instead of serving that watered-down Žuja, they should actually stock some decent beer. If people want something better, let them pay a few extra bucks for quality, right?

Anyway, I still love the vibe at shows. Obviously, some are better than others, and half the time that's entirely on the performers themselves.

The real headache for me is that the acts I actually care about mostly play big festivals, and trying to hit every single one of those is basically impossible since they're always halfway across the country.

I caught a rather intriguing broadcast today centered on vinyl enthusiasts
https://www.mixcloud.com/yammatFM_sh...inil-07072020/

rustypanther13 said:I caught a really interesting broadcast today all about vinyl enthusiasts
https://www.mixcloud.com/yammatFM_sh...inil-07072020/

It’s a real shame the mixing was such a mess, though. The background music is just way too loud, making it a total struggle to actually catch what they're saying. It would have been much better if it were just clean dialogue—especially since the conversation itself is actually quite engaging. It's like trying to enjoy a fine meal while someone is blasting a jackhammer right next to your table.

There is just so much music floating around on YouTube. Honestly, some of it is actually good.
It’s pretty much impossible to not stumble upon exactly what you're looking for if you dig deep enough...

Digital platforms have completely taken over the music industry. Downloading tracks is almost a thing of the past—now, CDs are basically vintage collectibles, much like vinyl or cassettes. These days, physical media is mostly sold just "for the sake of it."

The big digital services are everywhere here in the States. We've got Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer...

And those monthly subscriptions? They are incredibly affordable. You're looking at maybe $15 a month, sometimes even less—honestly, it's about the price of one drink and maybe a slice of pie😬. Plus, they usually throw in a few free months to get you started. For instance, Apple Music offers the first 6 months for free.

We all use the internet, and mobile data is super cheap these days, too. There’s no real fear of accidentally leaving it on and seeing a massive chunk of change disappear from your bank account.

On top of that, these streaming services have apps for everything—Smart TVs, desktop versions, you name it.

In short: for very little money, you get incredibly easy access to a massive catalog of music.

I get what some people might say—between $15 and $0.00, I'll take zero. But then again, I can't imagine the hassle of downloading music via torrents just to transfer it to my phone and such; I really don't feel like dealing with that kind of headache$15.

I totally understand why people used to skip buying music back when everyone was just downloading stuff for free. Especially considering how much a single CD used to run—nearly $33 per disc!

But honestly, does it even make sense to refuse a small monthly sub and stick to illegal downloads now that music has become so cheap and accessible?

Just like in the world of cinema, there simply isn't a complete catalog of all the music ever made out there. That’s why I don't bother with anything other than YouTube... For instance, if I look on Spotify, I can't find a way to listen to Nada Mamula's entire discography organized properly by singles and LPs. I guess I'll actually start using those other services once every single song that pops into my head is available in lossless quality.

Same here... what I’m really hunting for—those true gems from the 80s—won't show up on those mainstream platforms 90% of the time. It's just like how so many 7" or 12" vinyl singles from certain eras, like the 80s, will never see the light of day on CD. Because of that, they'll always be high-demand items, specifically for that tight-knit circle of collectors.