Why do you invest in music?

[Magic]

I have been collecting 45 rpm, LP’s, 8 tracks, cassettes, CD’s, and digital music files for 50+ years. I love music. Music is my passion. Music makes me happy. Music is soothing & relaxing. Music also lifts my spirits when I’m feeling down.

So why do I invest so much time & money into collecting music?

When I was younger, I looked forward to the newest songs and their record release date. The feeling I got taking that 45rpm home and putting it on my record player was like a drug to me. Being able to listen to the music in my room, whenever I wanted, was like having special magical powers.

Fast forward a couple years, and I became obsessed getting vinyl albums. That dopamine rush of looking for the album through the massive record bins, finding what you want, and taking home that package of happiness. Peeling off the wrapper, smelling the new vinyl, and looking at the album cover….taking in every little detail of the cover front and back. Watching the needle drop for the first time and waiting those few seconds till you hear the first sound. Ahhh….it’s like heaven. Nothing compares to that level of personal happiness.

So a music collector was created! It’s worth every dollar spent if it makes me happy.


So……what’s your story?

 

[Delilah]

your music story sounds a lot like mine, Magic...I don't have any 8 tracks, but I have tons of cds and cassette tapes..and I have been collecting vinyl too for a long time...Music brings me much joy and I am always thinking what I am gonna get next...Rock and Metal is my favorite, of course, but I also love other genres..I like old country music, can't stand the new stuff..I love the blues and hip-hop, pop etc.

 

[Nai Noswad]

Nice thread and question....
(A year or so a go on here, i explained my fixation on 'Life As A Record Collector ') - or some such title.
I often lament back to those times and very much equate my passion for music and the formats available.... to being unhappy with my lot and things around - school and home life were dire, listening to the wireless or entering a Record Store was akin to Alice Through The Looking Glass! (same with books and Libraries.) And I was able to control it, with no interference from pesky parents, teachers or Authority.... to which I had an abhorrance to from the onset!
Disc and 45 were weekly pop comics that also had lyrics and often posters-as explained in Magic's original post, the 'unveiling' of an album from it's shrink wrap and all those vinyl receptors being alerted in your senses dept (lol!)
With having older Brothers a natural daily cross-over occurred from pop to heavy rock and progressive and folk. From 1968,say,i was well on the way. Labels interested me, Polydor, Harvest, Decca, CBS and Elektra were familiar examples - these early (unrecognisable at the time) events became a corner stone for my 60 odd year hobby, interest, fascination with all genres of music, coupled with that desire to own that song in varying forms.
I never forget taking a girl to a Rock Club beside the River Trent and hearing this song being blasted..... (and beaming because I knew it and only just purchased a gatefold copy)...... still get the buzz!

That song!

 

[BeatleMatt]

I will add a few paragraphs about my music investments.
I invest because I love having the choice and freedom to listen to music at times, when I want and what I want.
Music helps me express myself, validate my thoughts, create new thoughts, and simply unwind and relax.
I’ve been building a pretty respectable music collection for more than 40 years but have added very little physically to the collection over the past five. These days, I mostly organize and reorganize and make some things more accessible and convenient.
Several years ago, I began using iTunes and Apple devices to store and listen to pieces of my collection. Uploading or adding disc albums and digital files to computers with iTune installed. Invariably, the computers would fail or I would get a new portable digital device and I would again build and rebuild a library of music in iTunes on another computer and another Apple device. I think I have had four iPods, one non-iOS device, and three iPhones. Obviously the Apple devices I had crammed with music from iTunes because of my commitment to have music available and the convenience of iTunes.
I just upgraded to my third iPhone, 512 gb because I did not want to continue to compromise space for my music and space for other things.
About two years ago, one of the laptops I had been with iTunes had an error and the path to much of that music was lost. There were other issues with the laptop and I finally bought another laptop and began building another music library from the ground up. And today, I have the new iPhone loaded from that library and ready to use. There is a lot of space on this phone so I will make small adjustments now and then; move stuff in and move stuff out.
So, yes. I have years and tears and emotions and money happily invested in music in several ways because it is such a fantastic part of my life and my soul. The pure entertainment and diversion and pleasure it provides.

 

[Slipn]

So is THIS where all the cool people hang out??

I'll have to come back to this thread and read the responses..

 

[Slipn]

Well.. I read what everyone wrote, and see myself as different with HOW I aquire all the music that I have.

First off, I like tangible things I can touch and feel and absorb. Therefore I spent loads of money on albums, cassettes, CD's, and gear. You would find me hitting up yard sales and thrift stores looking for all those albums that I had heard growing up.

And of course everything I could buy to play them on. I have destroyed and blew up so many amps and speakers, cassette decks, turntables, CD players just putting them through recording hell and loud drunken nights..

My occupation for years also required me to be "musically involved". So I belonged to DJ clubs and got great deals on Vinyl 12 inch promo copies.

Trouble was everytime I moved I, I would have to lug all my stuff from place to place. Recently, I moved around the corner and all my albums and gear was the last thing I moved because it was in a room that was nothing more than the ultimate mancave for enjoying music.

Now the bone is that I'm frugal and retired. So I have to be considerate of my wife flipping the bill so I keep things to a "USED" condition and minimal amount of dough to add to my ever growing new mancave..
She knows I love music and is always willing to buy what ever I want. (Spoiled shit I am). So I still keep the new toy spending as low and if needed as I can..

Last night I asked her the question of why do some people have such a desire to live a lifetime with music endowed in us?? It's like you love it so much you know it's a addiction.

In my case, Music is my life force. It is a urge that I cannot satisfy. It is apart of my DNA and without it, I wither into a state of solitude.

My thoughts are, where will all my toys go when I'm gone?? The mass amount of stuff I have and my collection would be something of awe in the hands of someone like me who would enjoy, HOURS of listening pleasure..
A lifetime of my moments like a book written by me exist in the confines of a lonely blue room where my personality shines in every corner.. $$$$ Is it worth the money spent??

 

[Nai Noswad]

A fine post slip.... it's in your blood - I couldn't imagine life without hearing Lucky Man by ELP or the Original of Sitting In The Park and it would be game over without Tappa Zukie!
I've often wondered what it's like to sit and watch a crumby soap opera or a Love Island TV show..... and believe it! Or having never read Steinbeck or viewed post impressionist art.
My old old lady was playing some s.hitty Neil Sedaka, K Tel CD the other day.... Dreadful live cheapo gas station purchase - walking back through the kitchen i handed her two fine studio albums on CD.... (she's still humming to 'em)
I wonder if other members listening experience differs to mine or indeed the participants who have commented so far?

 

[dr wu]

Well......I have always just liked music and as a teenager many of my friends were in 'garage bands' and I (and my brother) always hung around with them so music (mostly various rock types) has always been a part of my life. We started collecting 45rpm singles in '63 or '64. Not that unusual for a person growing up in the 50's and 60's...I started college in '69. My best friend still owns multiple electric guitars and still plays them for fun.
Never thought of it as a monetary investment in that regard ,but many of my older vinyl pieces are now worth some extra cash if I cared to sell them. Got rid of the cassettes and 8 tracks years ago (used to have a 1965 Ford Falcon with an 8 track player). One of my daughters and my son in law have some vinyl so they will probably end up with the vinyl. I also have many hard to find psych and prog cd's,,,,,,not sure where they will end up.

 

[dr wu]

A fine post slip.... it's in your blood - I couldn't imagine life without hearing Lucky Man by ELP or the Original of Sitting In The Park and it would be game over without Tappa Zukie!
I've often wondered what it's like to sit and watch a crumby soap opera or a Love Island TV show..... and believe it! Or having never read Steinbeck or viewed post impressionist art.
My old old lady was playing some s.hitty Neil Sedaka, K Tel CD the other day.... Dreadful live cheapo gas station purchase - walking back through the kitchen i handed her two fine studio albums on CD.... (she's still humming to 'em)
I wonder if other members listening experience differs to mine or indeed the participants who have commented so far?

'Sitting in the Park',,,,'Tappa 'Zukie ?....never heard of them.....must be a Brit thing'.

 

[Nai Noswad]

'Sitting in the Park',,,,'Tappa 'Zukie ?....never heard of them.....must be a Brit thing'.

Maybe but Tappa was Jamaican and this guy hailed from DC...

"sitting in the park"