On Physical Media

I was digging around for some Christmas decorations this weekend and ran across a couple of boxes in a closet. They’re filled with CDs. A good number of those are mementos, so I hang on to them for that reason alone. For example, I still have a copy of Common’s Resurrection album from when he was still known as Common Sense. I’m never getting rid of that.

But, the other reason I keep them is just in case. I think about relying on physical media more all the time. I’m a little uncomfortable with the idea of relying strictly on streaming platforms. I own none of it, so I’m essentially renting. What if they decide not to offer something anymore? What if something about the version they have changes? For example, the 1975 just deleted tracks from their most recent album because the artist’s vision of the album changed. Spur of the moment, songs disappeared. It didn’t matter if fans liked the tracks or not. Or on a basic level, what if my internet goes out? I tend to want control.

The funny thing about CDs is I currently do not have an option for playing them in my home. I do in my car, as it has a six-disc changer in it. Fancy, right? But, no option at home. But, I do have a record player. This makes me want to collect vinyls. This is a very expensive habit to get into, as LPs can run anywhere between $20 to upwards of $100 (looking at you, Robert Glasper, FFS).

I like the idea of focused listening. In the same way reading a physical book limits you to that one piece of literature, putting on a CD or vinyl is an intentionally limiting act that forces you into immersing yourself into that particular album. CDs will allow you to skip tracks, but otherwise, this is what you’re hearing for the foreseeable future. You can look through the liner notes, see who played or produced whatever, read the lyrics, and in some cases get some background to the making of (The Roots are great at that last part, thank you Quest). It’s an experience you don’t get with streaming. There’s nothing to hold, nothing to physically connect you to the music you’re listening to.

This is one of my goals for the new year. I want to browse record stores with my friends. I want to geek out over my finds. I want to put music on and lose myself in it. Maybe this will be part of times when I fully disconnect from the outside world. I put my phone and smartwatch away, put an album on, and I’m unavailable for the next hour or so. I remember the first time I heard the older albums and the memories I made with them, and I fully analyze the new material I get ahold of, making new memories along the way. All of this to try to recapture something that actually worked for us just a little over a decade ago.