While collecting music, which of these ways do you prefer?

[Musikwala]

I'm curious about how you guys go about collecting and listening to music?

Do you prefer to go for the established classics that you still haven't discovered? Do you always feel like you need to "complete" your collection with "essential" albums? Do you wait for an album to become a classic before buying it?

OR

Do you have new releases always at your fingertips? Are you the type who doesn't care whether a new release becomes a classic or not?

OR

Do you like to have a healthy balance of discovering established classics as well as staying in tune with new releases? The only problem is: this option pinches the wallet quite a bit!

I lean much more towards buying classic albums than buying new music. There are so many classics to discover, it's staggering! I think I can safely say that I have a decent sized music collection (in my opinion, at least). I have about 300 something physical CD albums and around 8000 songs in my hard drive. And while that may sound tame compared to many of you fanatics, I think it is in line with how much I can afford to support my music hobby.

But how the heck do you keep up with new releases when there are several classic albums that you haven't even listened to? It's mind-boggling!

 

[Soot and Stars]

I replied to the third one as I listening to both established and new music constantly. The statement I agree with most is that I decided what I think is a classic! Also I don't care if a band I like ever drops an album that is considered an established classic. I like to share and obviously it's awesome to be the one who turns great music to others but I don't need approval individually or in a larger social sense to know what's good! I just love music period though so I don't have a need to have any albums in my collection by rep but I will try anything to see if I like it or not. I've bought plenty of established classics for cheap just to give them a closer listen in the same way I'll chance a newer artist for the right price!

 

[Riff Raff]

Bit of each. I do lean towards the classic one though. Since I explore numerous kinds of metal if I want to get into a band sometimes I will go towards what someone considers a classic of theirs to get started with but a fair amount of times too I have introduced myself to a band by their newest album.

 

[Musikwala]

It's great to collect both established classics as well as new releases in tandem. But it usually requires a huge investment of time, energy and money! lol. That is why I tend to lean towards getting the classics I guess. But even with that, the sheer number of highly rated albums out there is staggeringly huge. I've been collecting CDs since the year 2000 (was collecting cassettes before that ) and I still haven't even come close to covering all classic albums ever. I guess it is impossible.

This year, 2014... I was thinking of maybe giving a bit more importance to new releases as well. Last year's record for me was pathetic! I downloaded a grand total of 2 new albums haha! Over the last 5 years or so, I've been getting fewer and fewer new releases as many of my favourite bands started splitting up or producing less output. R.E.M. and Oasis broke up, U2 hasn't released anything in freaking 5 years! There are so many new artists/bands out there now! Maybe it's time to start getting into one of them. lol.

 

[LG]

Mostly old stuff for me, and in vinyl for the last 2+ years has been my focus. Before that I was collecting all kinds of new hard rock/metal predominantly European bands.

I'm not sure what the future holds, the music industry is in a state of flux right now or some might say it's death throes.

 

[AboutAGirl]

That's an interesting question. And come to think of it, I'm not sure how to answer. How new is new? The amount of brand new material -- say, 6 months or newer -- that I discover is virtually zero ever since they stopped adding new releases to the playlist at work. In 2013 my largest purchases were several Ani Difranco albums from the 90s.

So I wouldn't say I'm someone who thrives on new releases. But at the same time I have absolutely no interest in collecting all the classics. I have idiosyncratic taste and I only like bits and pieces of things, I'd never resolve to collect ALL the classics for that reason. And I'm not a completist, I never buy anything just to have it. Even today, after having them rule as the crowned monarch of my music collection for literally the majority of my life, there are still some small releases from Neil Young and Tom Petty that I don't have yet. I'm saving them so I can listen to them new at the point in time when I'll be able to enjoy them most!

I take almost a hippy dippy, voodoo approach to discovering music. I just let it happen to me, I don't go searching for it. I'm very picky and it takes a long time for me to warm up to something new, so rather than wasting eras scouring the net, I just let it come find me. Whatever sticks, sticks. And I really like variety.

Like, 2010 for me was all about Neil Young, Tom Petty, and newly getting into great 90s acts I missed. Then 2011 was 100% all about new pop music, all kinds of new releases. Then 2012 I only got a few albums: new releases from my old favorites. Then 2013 it was back to Neil, Petty, & the 90s, plus my new favorite Taylor Swift. 2014 so far has been a year of going back through my oldest CDs and rediscovering lost gems.

I don't have any kind of philosophy to it, I just listen to whatever inspires me in any particular moment. One thing I can agree with: I definitely don't care if a new release becomes a classic or not. This week I've been listening to all kinds of music from local artists I collected back in my coffee house days circa '05. Most of these bands ceased to exist many years ago and I doubt even the band members still have some of these records in their collection... but shit, there is some really awesome stuff here! For one or two of these bands, they really did deserve to 'make it.'

 

[Musikwala]

Nice post, AAG!

 

[Khor1255]

I never buy an album just because it's a classic unless I'm already into the band or one of it's members or am interested in hearing a different style and feel this album is the best representation of it. Neither do I just go fishing for new music just because it's new. Actually I usually only buy music if I have sampled and at least like a few of the band's songs or am very impressed with the one song by them I did hear.

 

[LG]

^^There are a few bands I buy as soon as they release a new album, Gamma Ray, Primal Fear, Iced Earth but otherwise I do the same I will find a sample before deciding whether to pick up the new release or not.

 

[AboutAGirl]

Nice post, AAG!

Aw thanks! That's really nice of you.