How many times do you play a CD/LP?

I think everyone has albums that they've bought only to find they don't like them and just filed away. However, I've often found that several years down the road I'll pull a few of those out and rediscover them - and LIKE them.

Good example, when I first started listening to jazz I bought a three-fer of Mingus's Bethlehem recordings. I was new to jazz so they were a little more far out than I was(and the cds sounded terrible). I put them away for almost ten years before rediscovering them and now (with a different cd player) they are a listening staple.

Your own tastes will change over time.

The ones I like the most, I play the least. If I play them a lot, I'll tire of them. So my favorites get played once or twice a year.
That makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

It sure does make sense, Rubber. At least for pop/rock music which is comparatively simple music. There are great albums that I no longer wish to hear anymore because I've just heard them too many times. The first one that comes to mind is "So" by Peter Gabriel. A great record, but I just heard it too much and the radio stations still haven't stopped playing it. It sits on my shelf and may never be played again. You never know. Rock and pop music is generally not complex enough to reveal new things to you on the 200th listen.

On the other hand, I still get a rush when I hear "My Generation" by The Who. I've heard that song about a million times. I can't explain (Who pun intended) why I never tire of that one.

Then there's the paradox of money. When I was 10 I listened to Led Zeppelin II about 600 times before I had enough money to buy my next record. Now I buy records a dozen at a time, and rarely do any of them get more than 10 plays.

Finally, as we get older our music taste expands and there's the realization that our time is limited and we can never hear all the music in the world. We didn't think that way when we were kids. So now we plow through the records, giving little time to those that don't really pull us in, and go on searching...

Happy New Year, everyone.

Tom

I own around 2000 cds. Started collecting in 1988, so mine have been listened to several times each. We all have faves that get more attention...

here's the deal...the more you have, the fewer you play, and the more you need.....what you collect says a lot about who you are.