do you buy music or download?

[Ihaguitar]

Do you still purchase CDs? Download on iTunes?

[Sonic Johnny]

I will see a band name or read a review, look em up on youtube, if I like what i hear I'll download the record and throw it on my phone, if it goes into a reasonable amount of rotation I'll buy it digitally. I prefer to use bandcamp over iTunes where possible. I spend probably three to four hundred bucks a year maybe?

[cardiac]

I've been torrenting for years unless it's a local band. It's not a thing I'm particularly proud of, but I just don't see the point in being cds anymore. If I had a bit more income, I'd probably enjoy buying a record player and collecting some vinyl, but for the time being I torrent the albums and import them to my phone.

Spotify Premium might be an option for me, but a lot of stuff I'm into is not there.

[fuzzyroes]

Originally Posted by cardiac

I've been torrenting for years unless it's a local band. It's not a thing I'm particularly proud of, but I just don't see the point in being cds anymore. If I had a bit more income, I'd probably enjoy buying a record player and collecting some vinyl, but for the time being I torrent the albums and import them to my phone.

Spotify Premium might be an option for me, but a lot of stuff I'm into is not there.

Yeah. Buying music regularly is a thing of the past for me. I went into HMV the other day and it was pretty much just t-shirts, dvds, knick-knacks with a small section devoted to CD's. I hadn't been in there in years, but it was a pretty big surprise. Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but the store was downsized to about 20 percent of the original location (the store changed it's mall location sometime in the past 3 or 4 years). It was mostly just new releases and the discount CD's. At the register the girl asked me if I'd like to purchase "any deals of the week" and it was like 6 CD's under the glass counter... A bunch of shit- the only one I remembered was the Joshua Tree and they were all like 5.99 or something.

Sure a vast difference from my childhood memories of the CD stores being packed with all of the cool listening stations being occupied with the eclectic consumer base moseying about the huge selection while music blasted over the loudspeaker.

On the bright side, I bought a cool Saul Goodman bobble-head for only 9.99

But yeah, the only CD's i buy nowadays are 2nd hand from thrift shops or to support an artist live.

[slunken]

I buy tapes and records and the download codes go on my phone

[pavementtune]

Originally Posted by cardiac

I've been torrenting for years unless it's a local band. It's not a thing I'm particularly proud of, but I just don't see the point in being cds anymore. If I had a bit more income, I'd probably enjoy buying a record player and collecting some vinyl, but for the time being I torrent the albums and import them to my phone.

Spotify Premium might be an option for me, but a lot of stuff I'm into is not there.

I hear this reasoning so often, by now it makes me puke.
"I torrent because CDs don't make sense and I don't have the money to buy everything on LP."

you people do realise that it would take you the same time - if not less - to open a page like bandcamp (with FLAC option), amazon or itunes and pay for the digital files you are about to download, 7 bucks for an album.

so this entire CDs blabla reasoning is not necessary - if you use a torrent page and download music at all, other formats have jackshit to do with it. you just don't want to pay for these particular albums.

it's fine, but ffs, just say so instead of making excuses.

especially fuzzy "I torrent because that shit store has only shit CDs."
pleeeeease.

[D.]

I have music on vinyl and mp3.

If I can find 320kbps mp3 for free, that's what I download. If I can't find it for free in 320 (or close to), I'll purchase it on Bandcamp (or if there's no digital, I'll buy the used CD so I can rip it).

With vinyl, I really am only collecting oldies, country, shoegaze, and some indiepop - and if I can, purchase them from the band I'm seeing at the show. If not, used/new at the record stores in town (of which, metro KCMO now has 4 or 5.)

[LaBelle]

I buy music on itunes.
Super handy for me cause then I just have to load it on my phone which is where I consume most of my music.

[coldestrose]

I usually torrent first and if I listen to it enough digitally I'll usually look for it on vinyl. In rare cases where I can't find something in torrent or vinyl format, then I'll suck it up and buy it on itunes.

[LaBelle]

I take a quick listen on youtube before deciding on what albums to buy, tho

[fuzzyroes]

Originally Posted by pavementtune

especially fuzzy "I torrent because that shit store has only shit CDs."
pleeeeease.

Well I mean, If I can't go into a store and buy the cd then why should I bother? I'm an old fashioned guy who doesn't really buy much online. And it's certainly not worth paying a bunch of shipping on a CD when It's much more convenient to download the torrent in 5 minutes.

I do go to all of the shows and buy t-shirts, and I do collect vinyl... But if I'm EXPECTED to buy a cd online, what's stopping me from downloading it online illegally?

I mean if I'm out and have money to spend and I'm at a music store, then I'd happily buy a few albums, but that's simply not the case anymore.

I kind of hate how everythings regulated to online use only.

[Ihaguitar]

Originally Posted by D.

I have music on vinyl and mp3.

If I can find 320kbps mp3 for free, that's what I download. If I can't find it for free in 320 (or close to), I'll purchase it on Bandcamp (or if there's no digital, I'll buy the used CD so I can rip it).

With vinyl, I really am only collecting oldies, country, shoegaze, and some indiepop - and if I can, purchase them from the band I'm seeing at the show. If not, used/new at the record stores in town (of which, metro KCMO now has 4 or 5.)

I had never used Bandcamp until now. I put "Smashing Pumpkins" into the search and it came up with complete shit. This wouldn't happen on a torrent site.

[D.]

Originally Posted by Ihaguitar

I had never used Bandcamp until now. I put "Smashing Pumpkins" into the search and it came up with complete shit. This wouldn't happen on a torrent site.

SP is too big for Bandcamp. Same reason you don't see Mumford and Sons on there. Those bands don't need Bandcamp for exposure or to make money. Bandcamp offers exposure, the ability to hear the music, and to buy directly from the artist.

But you will see most bands on their if they have their shit together. Smaller bands need as much exposure and a direct connection to fans (and fan money) and Bandcamp offers that.

[reprise85]

spotify. i torrent it if i really like it. im cheap and poor, no other excuse.

[pavementtune]

Originally Posted by fuzzyroes

Well I mean, If I can't go into a store and buy the cd then why should I bother? I'm an old fashioned guy who doesn't really buy much online. And it's certainly not worth paying a bunch of shipping on a CD when It's much more convenient to download the torrent in 5 minutes.

I do go to all of the shows and buy t-shirts, and I do collect vinyl... But if I'm EXPECTED to buy a cd online, what's stopping me from downloading it online illegally?

I mean if I'm out and have money to spend and I'm at a music store, then I'd happily buy a few albums, but that's simply not the case anymore.

I kind of hate how everythings regulated to online use only.

no no I get that, I didn't mean buy CDs online and get them shipped.
but if you like the album good enough to torrent the digital files, you could as well pay for them, is what I'm saying.

I bought CDs until this year, actually, and now I just say goodbye to that format. for the rare moments when I'd have use for a physical format at home, I get vinyl.
everything else digital. only super special editions that come with a bundle including CDs, and those bands where I simply have everything they ever put out, yea I still get CDs, the collector in me can't stop.

but otherwise CD as a format is just going nowhere, I listen to more music away from home than at home, what am I going to do with a disc. plus I'm pissed off that a good bunch of my CD collection is ruined by now, 90ies mainly. they are done, material is going to shit after 10-20 years. so why keep buying them.

[Ihaguitar]

I'm trying to set up my hifi system so that I have all my music stored on hard drives and am going to use a Raspberry Pi with PiCorePlayer and Logitech Media Centre to stream it to my hifi.

[Dogfighter28]

1) streaming - I am on the Apple music trial and I am a BIG fan. The bigger artists are involved in designing their own pages. And the playlist curation is done by humans who know music instead of just an algorithm.

2) I buy lots of vinyl. Sometimes it's stuff I already love, other times it's random stuff that or heard of and see in a record store and decide to buy without knowing what it sounds like. That's very fun

[Mals Marola]

i'll buy cd's, mostly used mind you, but my main thing is i guess the "deluxe editions" for albums i really like, & then of course a lot of new albums get it as well. for new bands/artists, it'll just be the regular ol' cd, sometimes vinyl. lotta downloading, itunes' prices are for the most part way higher than they should be (the physical element is out, but you're still charging me as much as if there were production costs? fuck that and fuck you)

& yeah, bandcamp has been cool

[slunken]

Originally Posted by Dogfighter28

2) I buy lots of vinyl. Sometimes it's stuff I already love, other times it's random stuff that or heard of and see in a record store and decide to buy without knowing what it sounds like. That's very fun

Yea this is my favorite part about records. It's often easy to take chances. Yesterday I bought maybe 10 60s female french pop ep's in picture sleeves because they were so cheap. They're amazing. I would never have thought to actively search for it.

I look at each type of format as a unique listening experience. I buy a lot of gatefold 2xLP ambient records because those are heavy like furniture and good to have around the house. serious wallpaper. i have a lot of oldies 45s because stuff like that is all about the individual song. tapes with download codes and bandcamp material are my portable music; i put all of that on my phone.

the stuff i stream is generally everything else. things that i would normally maybe own on cd. i don't stream music that much though. when i do its usually when i'm looking to hear a particular artist i don't know much about. i love using spotify for that.

the only thing i buy that i usually regret are 80s maxi-singles

i think i could walk into some shitty mall chain cd store and pull something good, though. it would probably be under $10 too. i mean sometimes you're stuck in your car and or you're away from home and you just need a cd real quick. i've fallen in love with a lot of artists doing this.

[slunken]

Originally Posted by Mals Marola

i'll buy cd's, mostly used mind you, but my main thing is i guess the "deluxe editions" for albums i really like, & then of course a lot of new albums get it as well. for new bands/artists, it'll just be the regular ol' cd, sometimes vinyl. lotta downloading, itunes' prices are for the most part way higher than they should be (the physical element is out, but you're still charging me as much as if there were production costs? fuck that and fuck you)

& yeah, bandcamp has been cool

the only albums i've downloaded in the last year have been sp reissues

[freshfacedyouth]

i buy the cd if i really, really like the album, or i just stream from rhapsody

[slunken]

i guess my point was that any type of music has a format that it's best suited for. if i was listening to newer hi-production stuff i would want to hear it digitally, in its intended format.

vinyl isn't necessarily always the best choice. you have to do a different master for every intended medium, weather its tape, digital, or vinyl. this is why i think it's best to stick to whatever the original source was.

i think when you start collecting anything you always want to have the first edition or the first proper pressing.

[Disco King]

I buy CDs still, torrent music, and download from Bandcamp.

I like buying CDs because I like having physical copies of music with album art and liner notes and all that jazz.

I get most of my music from torrenting, because it's cheap and easy and I'm a contemptible lazy pirate.

I download music from Bandcamp from small bands, like local bands, for example. I'd feel worse about pirating from people who pretty much just make gas money from their shows than I do about pirating from Queens of the Stone Age or people who are already dead.

[FoolofaTook]

i am philosophically opposed to buying anything i can steal

this has not worked out well for me