Alright, let’s dive into how I actually buy music these days. It’s changed a LOT over the years, lemme tell ya.
First off, ditching the physical stuff (mostly): I used to be all about CDs. Loved the liner notes, the whole package. But honestly, they just collect dust now. Space is precious, and who even has a CD player anymore?
Streaming is king (obviously): I jumped on the Spotify bandwagon years ago, and haven’t looked back. I started with the free version, enduring the ads. Then, I got tired of the interruptions. So, I ponied up for the premium subscription. Totally worth it for ad-free listening and downloading music for offline playback on flights and when I’m hiking.
Building playlists is a hobby: Seriously. I spend way too much time curating playlists for different moods, activities, and friends. It’s kinda fun! I dig discovering new artists through Spotify’s algorithm, too. Sometimes it suggests real gems.
Bandcamp for the indie love: I still like to support artists directly when I can. Bandcamp is my go-to for that. It’s great for finding smaller, independent bands and buying their music directly from them. Plus, you often get a choice of formats (FLAC, MP3, etc.), which is cool.
YouTube Music sneaking in: Okay, I admit it. I sometimes use YouTube Music. Mostly because I’m already paying for YouTube Premium to get rid of ads. If I’m searching for a live performance or a rare track that’s not on Spotify, YouTube Music is where I usually find it. It’s not my primary music app, but it comes in handy.
Vinyl’s occasional comeback: Yeah, I said I ditched physical stuff, but… sometimes I’ll buy a vinyl record if it’s an album I really love, or if it has cool artwork. It’s more for the experience, you know? I dust off the old turntable and give it a spin. Feels good.
Avoiding the iTunes trap: I used to buy a ton of music on iTunes back in the day. Now? Not so much. I feel like I’d rather rent access to everything through streaming services than own individual tracks that might just sit there. Plus, transferring iTunes files to other devices can be a pain.
The overall process:
- Discover: Hear something I like on the radio, a movie, or from a friend.
- Search: Pop the artist and song title into Spotify or YouTube Music.
- Listen: Add it to a playlist if I dig it, explore similar artists.
- Support (if applicable): Check out Bandcamp if it’s an indie artist and consider buying their album.
So, yeah, that’s pretty much it. A mix of streaming convenience and occasional direct artist support. How do you buy music these days?