I've been rebuilding my physical music collection for a few months now. It started because one day, I wanted to listen to a Matson Jones song and found that Spotify had just removed it. These removals are already happening at record pace and will continue to happen. The only way that you can ensure that our big tech overlords won't take away access to the things you love is to physically own them.
I've been rebuilding my CD collection for a few months now. & yes, it means that I can't necessarily have what I want immediately. New releases can be expensive. Shipping is annoying. But every time I pass by a thrift store, you can bet I go in and see what CDs they have. They're usually pretty cheap–like $1. If I go to a concert, I'll buy whatever CDs I want there.
You can also pick up a portable CD-rom, and copy those bad boys onto your computer, send them to your phone, back them up, do whatever. I got the one in the link for $30 at B&H.
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i have a huge collection of digital music still on my hard drive from when i was a heavy pirate bay user in the 2000s/2010s + copied my now lost cd collection. but my computer is too old to be compatible w my iphone so i had to switch to spotify. as soon as i can use my library again my plan is to put the money i would use for spotify in a lil jar and use that to buy cds instead. also, i used to always carry a usb stick on my keychain and whenever friends were playing cool music i would ask if i could copy it. borrow ur friends cds! buy random cds at flea markets! borrow cds from the library and copy them to your computer! tbh choosing what to listen to every time on streaming gives me brain fatigue. i remember it was very soothing to organize my collection and know that i could play it on shuffle and always find something interesting.
May 17, 2024
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the music streaming economy is soulless and unromantic and we all hate it. physical media is a great but i don't have space for records and a turntable, so as an alternative i've built a modest CD collection that has turned into my pride and joy. thrift stores and records stores (and ebay lol) have some amazing picks and i've found most of mine for $3-8. my next project is to digitize the collection, maybe after that make a server for 'em, who knows...
Feb 12, 2024
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While cleaning up the shed, my parents and I found some old cd's and a cd rack. We kind of have this idea that whataver is put on the internet will stay there and although, yes things can come back from the deepest or most abandont parts, just like all other things it somewhat decays.
So as of now, I got some cd's again (mostly secondhand). I'm not the type who then starts collecting and consuming for no reason. I'll probably get just enough for the rack to be filled. So my rec would be to think of your favourite genres or specific albums (or with any other media) and then get only those in physical media. Now whatever happens, you'll have it, while also not overspending or consuming <3
Dec 7, 2024
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No screen Sundays. If I want to listen to music its CDs or radio. If I want to watch a movie, no I don’t. If I want to see a friend, I will make plans with them on Friday or Saturday to meet up. As a result, I read more, write more, and sit with questions like “did Citizen Kane‘s 50 year winning streak in the Sight and Sound critics choice survey end in 2012 or 2022? When did Stephen Merritt come out? Whats the etymology of Whitsun?“
This is something that I have practiced off and on for many years but I’ve been doing it every week since December and I love the way that it just allows me one day of true freedom and rest.
Jan 22, 2025
Mar 3, 2025
My calendar this year has 52 of these week at a glance pages but I don’t think that way. So, I've been inspired by Ross Gay’s Book of Delighs to start recording the little moments and sensations that bring me joy throughout the day. An analog pi.fyi, if you will.
heres some of what I have so far:
- Waking up to the sound of my upstairs neighbor‘s footstep. It sounded nostalgic. Felt like company.
- Strawberry jam
- feeling tender for strangers: their lips, nail colors, their small wrists. Thinking of all the lives we hold gently.
- A young girl bought an LP at the bookstore just before I left. She stroked its cover with love
- Green tiles —the mint shade always makes me think of Jancie
- Charlie’s little bop and punch dancing to some German language punk
- lunch with Katherine, curry Brussels sprouts
- small talk at the photo studio. The photographer's brother was named after their dad, stole his identity, bought jet skis.
Jan 13, 2025