Ruminations On CD Players

I just read that online shopping hurts new product discovery. When you go to a grocery store, you buy whatever you like and come across. When you buy on Instacart, you buy the same thing as last time, so low variety. Online grocery shopping makes product demand less elastic.

People can buy whatever book they want on Amazon but by going to a bookstore you can buy what you weren't looking for. Online shopping hurts new product discovery compared to in-person shopping. 

Despite what you think you're doing online, an algorithm is pushing what it thinks you'll like base on past preferences and buying habits/records. Not what I'd call exploring but more of a guided tour. There are sites that map out music similar to the artist you like but I rarely, if ever, like them.

This is why I miss places like Borders where they used to have these vast collections of physical media (CDs) and plenty of listening stations with headphones. I'd spend inordinate amounts of time listening to all manner of music, making myself try out all types and genres of music. 

Call me a hunter-gatherer. It's in my DNA. I'll stick to CDPs.

All the best,
Nonoise

@nonoise

I appreciate your sentiments but your argument doesn’t quite hold up here. Streaming is exactly akin to places like Borders but at much much larger scale. You may be lacking the physical touch, human interactions, ambiance of shopping music in a store but with Streaming, you are gaining huge library of music at a bargain price of one CD.

I still buy CD and Vinyl but very selectively cause l like the enjoy the tactile experience.

+1 @lalitk I’ve found more new music on Qobuz than I ever have in a store.  I do admit I miss the smell of a real record store though. 

@lalitk 

No, it's not the same for the very same reason you brought up: physical touch, which was my point. Akin but not exact. Everyone who pushes streaming sounds like they're reciting ad copy from the manufacture. Others here have pointed out that all that's out there doesn't really appeal to them. Same with me. 

The main point of my take was that there's music out there in a store setting that you happen upon whereas with streaming you have to intentionally look for something you have no idea of exists. No algorithm is going to push that at you.

For the price of one CD you have a tenuous hold on all that music as the provider can change or drop it at will. You never really own it. You're just renting it, and by the sound of it, hoarding it. Some of the time it's not what they say it is (HiRez). There is also music that is only on CD that's not available online (certain versions, takes, special editions, rare venues, etc.).

If this were happening in China (which we're starting to emulate) you'd all be getting high marks for being that good citizen/consumer.

All the best,
Nonoise

@nonoise

I respect your decision not to embrace streaming for whatever reasons.