Why Listen to Music You Can Touch?
You’re missing out if you stream music.
There’s a question I hear all too often, particularly among my peers: “Why would I go to the store and buy music when I can just stream music for free?”
Born in the late 1990s, I’m caught in the grey area regarding the Millennials and Generation Z.
To many people, especially those born after me, the idea of going and buying music in a physical analog copy seems like too much work.
I use CDs, cassette tapes, and Spotify and can safely speak from both angles on the topic at hand.
What could possibly work better than just typing a name into the streaming service’s search bar and pressing play?
Let me tell you what makes physical music the best.
•Nostalgia
In Guardians of the Galaxy (2014, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures), protagonist Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) carries around a battered Walkman with a cassette mixtape his mother made in his childhood playing for him (the fictional character) and us (the audience) as the soundtrack to the film.
Something stands out to me about the ability to tangibly interact with our music and form connections between music and our everyday lives.
I grew up listening to CDs and cassette tapes.
Many of the ones I have left from childhood hold a sentimental value to me, in part because I can open them. I can read the booklet with the artwork, photos, dedications, backstage content, and notes from the artist, and have the pleasure of loading an album into a playing device.
Record labels in general who eliminate physical formats of their music risk alienating older consumers who grew up with or simply prefer these forms of technology and may not have fast enough internet to support streaming.
Think of all the old rock songs that modern-day commercials and movies use. There’s a powerful historical and emotional connection to those songs for the older portion of the audience. Nostalgia makes for a powerful tool in selling a product, especially with music.
Something stands out about the ability to physically interact with your music the way you may have done when you heard an album, single, or mixtape for the very first time.
It may bring back memories, like sitting with your grandpa when he played his favorite for you.
It may allow you to relive singing songs in the car with your friends, or getting an autograph at a concert.
After all, you can’t exactly get your smartphone autographed.
Physical interaction with music can help you reconnect to yourself.
•No Compression
When you see people listening to music on headphones, you often might hear them turning up the music very loudly.
Compressed music will not sound nearly as loud as an uncompressed format might, like cassettes, CDs, and vinyl.
According to Scientific American’s Which Sounds Better, Analog or Digital Music, when digital music gets released onto digital retailers and streaming services, the editors virtually compress music files in order to lower the amount of space a song or album takes up on the device you use.
Music compression, such as in AAC or MP3 files, often can lower the quality of the music much like a low-resolution YouTube video, affecting elements such as the range of the instrumental sounds and vocal performances.
Would you want to listen to music that is not presented to its fullest possible extent and plays at a softer volume than possible?
•Collection
Let’s just face the music (no pun intended): when you have a music collection, which option looks more impressive: a 3,000 song library on Apple Music/Spotify/SoundCloud, or a massive CD/cassette/vinyl collection decorating your living room?
For me, I have experience in both areas. But I can tell you when people come over to my place, they can’t believe how much music I own, and my collection’s reactions remain a great source of joy to me today.
The idea of physically going around and collecting music says something about you.
Collecting music in physical formats may bring you new friends and new experiences, and may take you to new places.
Sometimes, simply taking a trip to the local Goodwill or thrift shop may hold the key to discovering your new favorite album or artist.
Collecting music says you take your musical library seriously.
A collector’s library exists not just for listening, but for art, for display, for pride in your favorite artists and tastes.
•Supporting Musicians
Speaking as an amateur musician myself, I participated in multiple bands and performances. I can’t begin to tell you how much work goes into making music.
To some people, the idea of using only digital formats and streaming services does a disservice to supporting their artists and musicians.
Digital music purchases or plays usually earn a musician pennies per play and small pocket change amounts for singles and albums compared to the sales made on physical formats.
According to Forbes’ Report: Physical Albums Sell Significantly Better Than Digital Ones, the profits earned in physical sales tend to outdo the money earned on digital plays and sales put together.
Remember a few years ago when Taylor Swift refused to release her music to Spotify? She refused because she remained aware of physical sales and their profits.
Though looking for profits certainly isn’t the case for all musicians, it’s probably safe to say your favorite artists and bands will appreciate your purchase of a physical copy.
They can use those profits in order to continue making you the music you love.
And after all, isn’t music all about making more?
