Your favorite hits don’t have to stay in your streaming library. Collecting physical music media, such as vinyl records and CDs, is making a comeback, allowing you to hold your tunes in your hands.
Streaming has made it easy to keep a library of all your favorite songs and albums in one place. The internet makes it easy to listen to whatever you want on demand. You have an inventory of all the music you want in your phone at all times. But why keep that collection limited to your devices instead of bringing them into the real world?
Collecting things does not end with figures or trinkets. A great way to start collecting things that serve a functional purpose is by buying your music. On the surface, purchasing physical media is pricey. However, making what you like to listen to affordable is simple.
Physical media
With the introduction of streaming platforms, physical music media like CDs and records lost purpose. Yet, they have recently risen back to prominence as more artists have started releasing their tracks on discs and vinyl. But what’s the purpose of a CD or a record?
CDs, which stand for compact discs, are discs that store audio and are read by a small lens inside a player. Typically, CDs are used to store music and can be played using stereos or CD players. Additionally, CD-R discs are CDs that allow users to record their own audio onto the discs. This means that you can make your own mix or playlist by burning your music onto a CD.
Vinyl records have been around since the 1940s. They are larger discs than CDs and are priced higher. Vinyls are played on specific record players where a needle on an arm is placed onto the record, which reads the audio stored on it. Records need more caution when stored to keep them functional. While records are less convenient nowadays, they are still suitable for display, novelty, and listening.
Why you should buy CDs and vinyls
Buying music is a way to support the artists who produce it, more so than simply streaming a couple of songs on Spotify or YouTube. Adding onto that, CDs and records don’t leave you listening to ads in the middle of your jam session.
Vinyl records are often offered for sale by larger artists in recent years due to the high costs of record production. When vinyl records were the only way to store music on a disc, they were more convenient to purchase. They now serve a more decorative purpose.
CDs can be sold by any artist, regardless of the size of their fan base. Since they are easier to produce at a lower rate, CDs are a more affordable alternative to supporting your favorite local and large artists. They are also easy to store since they are kept in either a sleeve or a case. Fabric or canvas CD cases are also an option online, allowing you to keep your CD collection in one place in a more compact way.
Where you should buy your music
The best way to buy music directly to support the artist is from them. Musicians with websites that sell their merchandise, including CDs, are the most convenient. It helps ensure that most of the money you put into supporting their music goes directly to supporting the artist, and not a larger corporation.
Next, large retailers like chain bookstores or department stores keep vinyl records and CDs in their electronic and music sections. Retailers like Barnes & Noble or large department stores carry both CDs and vinyl. The latter carries players for both as well. Department stores also have exclusive editions of popular albums, so keep an eye out for special versions of your favorite albums.
Another great way to support small businesses and artists at the same time is by finding a local music, CD, or record shop. From small towns to big cities, music stores offer a wide selection of vintage records and current hits. Purchasing from record shops not only helps keep them afloat but also exposes listeners to local musicians and producers. It also makes it more affordable to buy music than the rates charged by large retailers.
Thrifting music is also an option! Going through your local secondhand store is an easy way to discover new music. You pay next to nothing for what you want to listen to. However, the money you spend on secondhand CDs doesn’t reach the artist.
You don’t need to buy your music if you have a local radio station you enjoy listening to! CD players that have an FM radio feature allow you to tune into your favorite radio station without being in your car. Try finding a local radio station or college station that you enjoy and tap into what they have to offer. This allows you to listen to new or familiar music without spending more than your player and to support a local organization.
How to store and display your music
Since the music you’re buying is in a physical format, you need a way to store it. The cool thing about buying what you listen to is that you form a collection you can look at and show off. Shelves, cubbies, and drawers are the easiest way to display your tunes.
CDs are easy to store and maintain. Fabric cases are easy to buy or make, allowing listeners to keep their discs out of their cases. Storing CDs outside of their cases in a fabric case prevents the discs from getting scratched and provides compact storage. Another option is a CD rack, which holds all the CD cases on a compact display rack. Finally, a shelf can store your CD stacks and show off all your albums.
Similar to CDs, vinyl records can be kept on shelves and racks. However, the size of the discs makes them easier to scratch or warp. There are things you can do while storing to prevent records from getting damaged.
Keep them in a cool, dry place on a tough shelf out of direct sunlight. Keep the vinyl in its sleeve when it isn’t in use. Avoid stacking the records lying flat, because this is what often causes them to warp. When your record warps, the disc becomes deformed, distorting its ability to be read. Or worse, warping can prevent records from playing at all.
Play what you want, when you want
While buying your music is an investment, you get to have a physical memory of your music through CDs and records. Collecting physical media keeps the memory of a point in time in your life. You can hold on to your CDs and vinyls for the rest of your life. Or, you can hand them down to the next generation of musicians and listeners.
CDs and records take on-demand listening to a different level than streaming. You get the chance to listen to more than just what you’ve bought, but also to local stations you like.
Ultimately, it’s up to you how you listen to your favorite hits. However, having a physical representation of your taste makes music an even more personal experience.
