Why I Still Buy CDs, and My Music Listening Habits

Join Pete Pardo for a discussion about why he still buys CDs and physical product, and his normal listening habits.
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[@markwalker8589]

I miss the whole social aspect of listening to music , looking through other people's collections, trading albums etc. Your show helps fill that void, thanks

[@thealternative9580]

Yeah going over to a friends house for the first time was such a reveal back in the day with the movie and cd collections. Like how cool are you??? Let's see your collection of music or movies.

[@wobvandijk555]

Me too!

[@jerseymetalmike5111]

Yes! That was an instant conversation starter!

[@nectarinedreams7208]

There are countless websites where you can share your Spotify/streaming stats with all sorts of interesting and useful info. It's also much easier now to recommend and share music with others.

[@thealternative9580]

@@nectarinedreams7208 Spotify sucks. The streaming quality is just terrible. All these streaming services sound bad. When I find new music online mostly KZbin I rush to download it because it sounds so bad and you lose so much dynamic range and my hearing is shot I can't imagine a person with good hearing thinks streaming sounds good. Also I've found people rarely will listen to recommendations. I text people stuff all the time and they don't check it out. Then they come over and we hang and it's all dude why didn't you tell me about this band we are listening to. I did. I literally sent you their video. Wash, rinse, repeat. Over and over. You have to hangout. Play music for them. Play movies for them. Play The Sopranos for them. They would have already done it on their own if they were gonna.

[@DokkenSabbath]

I will always buy physical media, no matter what. CD's are really the only thing I buy for myself that isn't a necessity. It's what I spend my money on and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm proud of my collection and it's always expanding. Yeah, it's a lot and finding room is hard but it's worth it. But, I always make sure to back up all my music to a hard drive, just in case. I like supporting the artists by buying merchandise. One day, I hope to have a music room that showcases all my music stuff. I don't care if it's "out of fashion" or "old school". I don't care, it's my hobby. People still ask me why I do and I always say, why does it matter? It's my life and my money, who gives a crap what anyone else thinks. I'm old school (even though I'm 24) and I like owning physical products (DVD's, CD's, Cassettes, Books, Games, etc.). It's what I prefer and the way I do it. I do not care what people think. One of the reasons I started buying CD's was because the streaming services didn't have all the albums I like (and they still don't). Because I like a lot of obscure shit and I'd like to be able to listen to it without using KZbin or whatever. I don't even have a Spotify or apple music account. I have an iTunes, but that's for storing and backup, mostly. I also like a LOT of music, so I'm constantly buying and discovering new stuff. Everyone has to have something that they are interested in and music is what I'm interested in. Nuff said. Long live physical media!

[@DCToonTime]

I like the way you think, young man!

[@cranstonsnord4334]

I was the same way in my younger days when I was heavy into music! I bought the actual media even if I was given a cassette of the album. I also did not give into music trends and bought what I liked regardless if my friends liked it or not. I am still that way even though I no longer buy music. I am 62 and I still listen to new music as well as what I listened to back in the 70's.

[@michaelburnside4947]

I could not possibly agree more with you! I can't live without my music!

[@mordrid11man15]

I agree with all you say and I love music and have cds dropping through the door on a regular basis, like you I do not have a streaming account but do back up most of my music to a hard drive.

[@sunsin1592]

I'm the same way. And I love channels like Pete's where I learn about all kinds of music I'd never otherwise know about. This month alone, I've ordered like 6 CDs just from other people's top 30 countdown lists on Pete's show.

[@andiebrown7792]

I'm 24 and I buy CDs. I started when I was working at a used media/collectable store. I love owning CDs for the same reason that I know I own this music. My father who passed away loved music, and half the reason I collect music is to honor his memory.

[@USAMP926C]

I hope my son feels the same way about my music collection when I'm gone.

[@zoef234]

Visiting record/cd stores is the closest I’ve come to absolute positive therapy/meditation. “Free your mind … and your ass will follow”.

[@terrymtbnurse4760]

I really enjoy truly listening to an album from start to finish. Tv off, no distractions so I can immerse myself into the music. I also love the fact that I will give my son my vinyl/CD collection when I pass. He will always have a piece of me. Music can be spiritual for me.

[@robertquant1122]

CDs will always be better and sound quality outstanding and u own the music 🎶 forever ima cd 💿 seller myself and ima keep supporting CDs 💿 until I die The best way to listen to music is always on CDs 💿 and u can see the pics booklets and lyrics

[@RobCaldera]

I still buy CDs too. People think I’m crazy but I love the experience of getting and having a physical product. For whatever reason, it still gives me joy and it’s one of the few things I spend my extra cash on. However, I rip all my CDs to iTunes for the portability issue and use Spotify to discover new music.

[@preving]

me too Rob. i still buy CDs

[@qwer8907]

i never stopped buying cds especially love finding at carboots and charity shops great value

[@robertquant1122]

Spotify sucks it’s still streaming Jusg use the CDs 💿 u buy better sound quality and I still own a lot of cd 💿 players

[@joedeez2762]

Me too 💿

[@martinhall60]

Hello my name is Martin, I am 68 years old and I live in Hull, in the East Riding of Yorkshire in the UK. I've just found your channel and I think you do your videos with a great presentation. Your way of listening to music is exactly the same as you in every way. Thank you for a great channel, I shall be watching again. Keep safe and ill see you soon. 😎👍

[@richardwillis6936]

Shows like this are the reason I love this channel. It's like listening to my brother from another mother. So many similarities, yet enough difference to make it interesting. You are a godsend to us music geeks that have no one in their circle of friends that quite understand what music means to us, you give us the outlet and the information that we need. Keep up the fantastic work!!!

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

Thanks Richard!

[@cindyfalstrom7231]

Well said - agree totally.

[@mikeruppert6762]

Agree wholeheartedly! The music nerd is me loves videos like this 😎

[@steelmonkey7609]

Yes we need shows like this because in a world where it's so easy to rip music I need someone to remind me why I still buy it, because after we go most of it will all end up in a yard sale or in a dumpster. I can already hear them "Hey what are we going to do with dad's stuff? I don't listen to this crap"

[@SuperStrik9]

Great comment. When I found this channel it felt like "Ahh I've finally found a place where there's people like me!". I'm a total music geek and love it. I'm fortunate that I have a close friend from high school who's exactly like me with music and it's rare that a few weeks go by without us talking music. Music is the biggest passion in my life.

[@slipwagon7944]

I collect CDs and vinyl. I feel the relative strengths and weaknesses of each format compliment each other perfectly.

[@user-qr7ee2cp4y]

They both have their place but dollar for dollar, I prefer cd's. I do have vinyl and I play against each and buy whichever of the two is priced better. Sometimes it's cds, sometimes it's vinyl.

[@JCridford]

I'm a CD guy too, Pete! To the point of vinyl sounding 'more authentic', I think this: Music fans by hardware to listen to music; audiophiles buy music to listen to hardware. Great video and really cool to hear your thoughts on collecting.

[@GBCR]

LOL, u have a point.

[@scottlowell493]

It really is true. It's about bragging rights. Heavy, shiny and expensive. It's about bending the tonality of the music until it suits them, it's not about accuracy or music. They just don't feel right unless the system costs as much as a car with cables so big that they could run power from a substation.

[@rabarebra]

Not true at all. I enjoy when the metal sounds its best. I turn off all the lights and enjoy the music on audiophile equipment.

[@robertquant1122]

Same here I love CDs 💿💿💿 there easier to use and clean and it’s more smaller to put them on bookshelves than records are more expensive and take up more space in the shelves

[@w-james9277]

I love CD's. They're cheep, easy to store, you can play them in the car and they sound crisp and clear. I also love the feeling of owning physical copies because it feels like it's mine. As you said, Spotify or iTunes can remove music whenever they like but they can't take my CD's away. I mostly use KZbin to discover new music. If I like it i'll check out more of the bands discography and if I like that then i'll buy their albums on CD.

[@wolf1977]

I'd say that cd's are cheaper (than vinyl) but not exactly cheap. In fact when you look at cd pricing over the years I'd say they haven't really come down in price like I would've expected as the technology matured (and has basically peaked). Like with other technology like BD's & Laserdiscs which were really expensive when first introduced but then got relatively affordable over time. To me it seems that cd's reached a certain price point & then basically 'froze" there. By contrast vinyl used to be pretty affordable (back when I still bought them) but especially lately seem to have boomed to new highs - which to me seems strange as it's older technology, I'd expect to pay more for the newer tech

[@douglasdalida1902]

Never heard anybody say this before. I agree with everything you said. I love my CD's. Yes I was a vinyl collector. I like to read about the album like you.

[@w-james9277]

@@douglasdalida1902 I was a vinyl collector as well but Iv sold most of them as I don't have the space to store them. I also never noticed the difference in sound (apart from all the crackling) and yet they're more expensive.

[@robertquant1122]

Amen physical media forever let’s keep buying and supporting cd 💿 streaming is garbage 🗑

[@danishred72]

“I’m a stuff kind of guy” - now, there’s a cool t-shirt. Couldn’t agree more!

[@jasoneubank514]

I will continue to buy and collect CD's and I still love listen to albums start to finish and I think a CD sounds really good.Thanks Pete for doing this one on KZbin.

[@robertquant1122]

Amen 🙏 CDs 💿 better sound quality and u own the music 🎶 Streaming and USB’s are garbage 🗑 🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮 they sound like crap

[@jepomo]

Hi, I'm like you but in Spain. 55 years old, passion for music all my life, I have several thousand CDs, rock music is my favorite and whenever I see your videos I feel reflected in you. And yes, I'm still buying CDs in 2022 for my collection. Is the soundtrack of my life. Thanks for your chanel and long live rock & roll.

[@nigelleaney8266]

Totally agree with having ‘stuff’. I like my home to reflect something about me: the books I read, the music I listen to, the movies I watch. A home without this seems sterile, it doesn’t convey your personality. As you mention, it doesn’t stimulate good conversation, unless, maybe, you’re an interior designer! In fact, I agree with all the points you made. Maybe it’s a generation thing, but I hope it isn’t just that. These aesthetics need to prevail. Rock on!

[@thealternative9580]

Yeah combine that with minimalist movement for home décor and it is just weird man.

[@craigmcnair8455]

I’m a CD and DVD guy. I have a large collection also. In order to condense my collection, I started saving just the CD and booklet in case logic booklets and tossing the cases. For DVDs, I do the same minus the booklet and toss the case. This has helped me to save space and my marriage. Haha

[@randysatarsky1789]

I still buy vinyl, I still buy cd's. And I like seeing the collections on my shelves. I also appreciate the liner notes, where it was recorded, what gear was used, etc.... I don't use streaming services either. The masses that use streaming services really don't care that the artist's are barely making a dime! Being a musician, I also realize it's a necessary evil!

[@michaelschafer6379]

"I like to have stuff!" Exactly my words, EXACTLY!

[@Leo-ci9kc]

That's why I'm a big fan of yours Pete. I'm the same way. I still buy CDs, DVDs, books, magazines, etc. I love physical media! It's what I've known all my life

[@robertquant1122]

Same here buddy physical media for life CDs 💿 blue rays dvds all physical media is owner ship and we grew up in the 1990s with all this stuff the way it was intended Music was also never was meant to be free that’s why artist don’t make moneh off their music Even Taylor swift doesn’t like streaming she wanted. All her favs to buy her CDs 💿

[@sanderberkvens6270]

This is like watching, hearing myself talking : ) way to go Pete… we’re ‘stuff’guys … the experiences from when I was a little kid… sitting on the floor of my bedroom, with a Kissalbum.. playing it and just staring, gazing at the cover… pure happiness and love…

[@hauskahirvi]

Same here! :)

[@williamhodges1777]

This guy's thought and reasoning for buying music and collecting are very similar to my own music habits. One thing I seriously miss in our modern culture is the dying tradition and practice of physically going to "The Record Store", browsing and shopping all the newest (and oldest) releases, all right there at your fingertips! The social aspect alone was worth it, some of the most interesting people I've met in life entered my life via a trip to the local "record shop"! And I can't even imagine how many new bands and artists I've discovered over the years while randomly (but very systematically!) scouring the racks, rows, bins and aisles of these coolest of cool shops and stores.

[@DropAnchor1978]

So true. It was a true pleasure browsing. Now, it seems sadly quaint but I would hop back into that world if we only had stores like Tower, etc.

[@rabarebra]

But there is more to it in a vinyl record thrift store than the few stores left selling new records. The thrift-stores has more charm to them, and you actually talk with people there, opposed to the "Walmart"-type stores.

[@DropAnchor1978]

@@rabarebra That is true, too. I used to love to scour the New York hole-in-the-wall record shops in the Village. I miss those adventures.

[@rabarebra]

@@DropAnchor1978 We still have a couple of those stores left. Records everywhere, and nothing is more fun than digging for records.

[@DropAnchor1978]

@@rabarebra I will say that the fun of vinyl hunting is that you can find anything. By that I mean, a title either was released on CD, or it wasn't. If an album was never put on CD, you are out of luck. Whereas with vinyl, it could be an out-of-print title not seen in years and suddenly you can discover one in a search. I do admit, I am a fan of the sound of CDs. I will always have a soft spot for the snap and crackle of vinyl but don't miss it.

[@scurry2175]

All the years, I have only encountered one human that also owns many CDs like I do. I hadn't played any of them since I just mostly buy them if I really like that album, and then ripped them out as MP3 files. Now that I inherited a great audio system from my dad, I'm planning to get a decent CD player and let them really be played. I can still recall the days when I used to listen to my first few albums on that set and read through the booklets.

[@iceclimbers22]

Pete, not sure how you reached into my brain to say everything I’ve always thought about music and CDs. Awesome episode, made me say “wow I’m not alone!” I really enjoy the ritual/routine of listening to physical music. Every morning before my drive to work I stand in front of my shelves to pick an album for the day. Standing in front of 1000 odd CDs all at once can’t be replicated by scrolling through a streaming service. All well said Pete.

[@elektroskeptic481]

other than 'CDs are easier to store' which they aren't))

[@robertquant1122]

Streaming is garbage 🗑 and USBs are worse 🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮🗑🗑🗑 CDs 💿 will always be better and u can take them anywhere. People that stream are losers and will never own anything but cheap cell phones while renting their music 🎶 🤣🤣😂

[@matthewjachimiec]

I am much younger than Pete, so I am blessed that the first band I ever fell in love with was Pink Floyd. I was obsessed with them throughout high school and because their best work is all concept albums they quickly made me realize the beauty of listening to an album front to back as a cohesive work of art. I have never stopped listening to whole albums and giving full albums a thorough chance before dismissing. Best decision I ever made as a listener.

[@lateramae]

I grew up with CDs. Whenever an upcoming Disney Channel Original Movie released the soundtrack before the film was released, I'd ask my parents to take me to Walmart so that I could have the CD. As I got older, I stopped buying CDs, and relied on KZbin and Spotify. It wasn't until 2019-2020 that I started buying CDs again. I prefer it that way because I like having the physical product and I enjoy listening to music without having to rely on the internet. And like you said, it's so much fun reading the booklets.

[@paulkazakoff9231]

I was buying records in the early 70's and onwards of course then when CD came along it was the NEW direction which I took to like most did.I was quite happy with the way they sounded and off we go.I sold a lot of my vinyl and replaced a lot of that with CD.Like to still play both formats today but I have to say that buying albums on vinyl was always more fun thing and more enjoyable thing to do.There was a sense of excitement in going to that big shop in the city and checking out the new releases,etc.Was never quite the same when CD came in.I'm still blown away by those wonderful album covers today !CD is very convenient as we know but I still have a little love for good ol' vinyl.Just to expensive now !!! .

[@mikeharradence6549]

Pete, I'm younger than you at 38 but I couldn't agree more with you. I'm all about owning physical media, whether that's music, video games or movies. I want to own something and collect it, and also support the artist/developer. Streaming services offer nothing like this. It baffles me how so many people these days don't have any stuff, as you said. You look around around a house and there's no CDs, games, movies or anything on display. It's like they own nothing at all, because it's all on a phone or tablet. It's depressing to be honest. Like you said, everything is disposable these days.

[@bryanmcfadden4071]

Living off grid, having a generator in order to still listen to your music without interruptions is why I buy physical media. I normally only buy records

[@RealJeffTidwell]

I’m interested in knowing… what do you use for a generator?

[@BlindArthurBlake]

I am vinyl guy myself

[@robertquant1122]

I like CDs 💿 better

[@brichards989]

I agree with you 100% Pete. I like to own the music and vinyl isn't practical for most people these days. Spotify, as much as Twitter, is a platform I couldn't care less about. I am surprised at how many people are fine with an algorithm determining what they listen to. I think it's contributing to the supply and demand issues with new music, going into the future.

[@dennisedinger2676]

CD buyer as well (61 years old)....and its been a gold mine the last 5 years or so with the used CD market. I've picked up so many over the last few years for anywhere from $1 to $5 from artists that I missed out on years ago because my funds were limited with raising a family....and I still buy new CDs as well. For those who have gone all in on streaming and want to sell their collection....please continue to do so as it enables me to buy more. LOL

[@jonfargo7321]

Nothing better than hitting a good record/cd shop and skimming through everything. I’ve started buying cd’s again. To Pete’s point, very portable. Radio is unlistenable now so my daily commute includes my cd of choice.

[@mck7646]

I used to mow lawns on weekends, and use the extra money to go to the music shop and buy a CD. It was like a ritual for me. Downloading music never appealed to me. I'd research a band I wanted to hear and buy a few albums at a time. I miss that. Listening to a single album and enjoying it in the moment front to back. It was a special thing to own an album, actually having something physically in your hands. I now listen to vinyl records and use streaming platforms but will still listen to a CD in the car from time to time. Nothing wrong with having a CD collection, the appeal is easy to see. I still don't love streaming and Pete brings up many valid points.

[@AudiophileTubes]

I agree 100% with you, Pete. I love to own the physical albums and/or CD's, and I have invested thousands of dollars on my many stereo systems interspersed throughout the house. I have several really nice sounding, fairly high end CD players, and i'm extremely happy with my main system (McIntosh amp, tubed preamp). I love to listen to complete 'albums', and I love sitting in the speaker's 'sweet spot'. It's all about passion and detail.

[@blakeeden3917]

I will always buy physical media! Cassettes, CD’s, and vinyl. I love it!

[@robertquant1122]

I only stick to CDs 💿 that’s the best format for me

[@justamops]

The part of this that I related to most was when you talked about being a “stuff guy”. Some people don’t understand why I feel like I need so much stuff. But I love being surrounded by lots of things I value - it makes my life rich.

[@ronaldsmith1484]

Listening to the whole album is the best way to experience the music..... when I jam on music in my own mind..... it plays out track by track just like listening to the record album.... I am so used to listening to the whole album!

[@robertquant1122]

Yes that’s how artist intended to listen to their music on CDs 💿 and full albums not like cheap ass streaming jumping from song to song it’s annoying

[@stevelambert1891]

Totally agree, you and I are the same. I listen to my CD's start to finish, like Dime said, "respect your music!"

[@andymudrock322]

Hey Pete. A subject near and dear to my heart. I started buying vinyl in 1968. I have thousands of them stored on heavy duty shelves. Did you, after purchasing an album, just stare at the album cover and posters the entire time you listened to the record? I loved that. The last brand new vinyl album I bought was an AC DC Album back in 1990. After that, for a few short years, I switched to cassettes as opposed to CD's for pricing purposes alone. Soon, say from 1992 to 1996, it all went to CD's. So convenient as you just discussed. I like to read along with the little booklet and having something to look at. Streaming to, to me, is ether. Not interested in that at all. On picks with SOT, if I don't actually own the physical album, then I won't pick it . There's nothing wrong if others pick a you tube listen or a streaming listen. It's a hard and fast rule for me only. As far as storing CD's, I now buy CD shelves that store, something like 250 discs each. More with cardboard casings. I keep those units in the basement. Everything is alphabetized so that I can find anything in my collection, many thousands, instantly. I'm now 65 years old. When I get a new album, man it's like Christmas for me.

[@ingarchris]

:^)

[@davidschecter5247]

You are I are exactly alike in our buying and listening habits. I always know what I want to listen to at a given day or time and it's always an entire album. Even if I'm going to skip a track or two, it's never single songs I'm looking for. I have two flash drives in my car with about 300 albums on them, and I make more flash drives all the time and rotate them. When I started my own label, I wrote 40-page liner books for people who consider their purchases more than just playing the music -- it's an entire experience where you can read about the music while you listen to it. And some albums I didn't like for many years, I've finally "discovered" them and love 'em as much as the albums I loved from the first spin. Sometimes you have to listen to something quite a few times before you "get" it. Went 40 years listening to The Youngbloods "Greatest Hits." Then all of a sudden I decided I needed everything from the group and from Jesse Colin Young. Seems like every year I find a new artist to collect, read about, and enjoy. One of the most enjoyable things in life for me is adding to my CD collection, and occasionally albums when I find something never digitally released.

[@loudseywillingham5522]

Preachin' to the choir!! DITTO on EVERYTHING you said,sir!!

[@jeffreyflint6286]

Good episode. I'm a vinyl man since 1966 and still am. I've got close to 7,000 at this point. Also I agree with still buying cds. I have thousands of them. More of them than vinyl. CD players all over the place. Moving records lol. It takes alot of manpower to get it done. Still have about 3,500 cassettes and a few hundred 8 tracks lmao. Dinosaur tapes. No reel to reel left. Keep rockin ya'll

[@keviniles8748]

As a 31 year old music fan, I 100% agree with everything you said here. I am right there with you. I do buy vinyl on occasion if it's something I really like, but by and large I still go for CDs as my primary medium and I have never gotten into streaming. It's why I like this channel. We are very much alike in that regard.

[@samlaser1975]

"Back In The Day" ('60s and "70s) I used to collect Vinyls. Except we called them "records" or "LPs". Vinyl was what we walked on!

[@archibaldsalyards926]

Thank you Pete for all your insights!! I get criticized by my 10 year old sons Mom for still "buying physical CDs!" She is 100% streamer. She says Im a dinosaur! I dont care! Im 55 years old. And love physical media for all the same reasons you listed! More recently, my 10 year old son asked if he could purchase a vinyl copy of QUEENS News Of The World. I was able to give him the copy my father bought me when I was 8 years old!!! So yes... one never knows how our collections will support the lives we live today!!

[@ingarchris]

:^)

[@TBaggins96]

I love collecting CDs. So many childhood memories of browsing the shelves, not knowing what anything was, picking one or two out, and knowing that for better or worse that was the only new thing I'm getting for a month or two. Pouring over the booklet, staring at the art, remembering the lyrics... It's an experience that can't be replicated. I tell myself I don't need anymore but I keep getting them.

[@rite-note1702]

As someone who started collecting vinyl in the late 60's I whole heartedly agree with all of your sentiments. First off I can think of 15 solid reasons to buy cds over vinyl and only a few to buy vinyl over cds. The number one reason to buy vinyl over a cd for me is nostalgia. Yes I still own a large record collection and have a lot of memories attached to those records when I bought and played them to death. But don't even get me started on those who say vinyl sounds better than cds because they don't. 99 percent of all vinyl released in the last 30 plus years has been digitized at one point or another in the manufacturing process. This renders the argument moot. MOFi anyone? The return rate for Pink Floyd's vinyl edition of Animals was close to 45% as it was found to be poorly pressed. I have yet to return a purchased cd. Unlike you Pete I have a great sounding system and will make my vinyl records sound quite good. But when I play a cd from forty years ago it sounds as good as the day I bought it, the records from 40 to 50 years ago do not. CDs rule. Keep up the good work Pete.

[@jefffloyd9671]

Without streaming (KZbin music) I wouldn't be able to listen to all of the wonderful music SoT has exposed me to. If I buy physical media it is a resale or a big deal I budget for.

[@wvdavidr]

I agree with you on everything you said! I'll add: I like to pick my music for today, whether in the car, exercising, or grilling, just by the mood I'm in. I'll look at my cds and pick what hits my mood. Another thing: cds don't require maintenance. Cleaning vinyl albums is a touchy issue, and can be expensive. I also don't know what I will do about my next car, if it can't play cds.- it's like we are going back to the early 1990s!

[@JesseeSage]

You have to admit though, when opening the case of that very 1st CD, that tiny disk was something to behold, a piece of jewelry. For myself it was Survivor greatest hits. I realized at that moment I was on a mission to upgrade my favorite LPs to CD. 💿

[@gmegbert]

I felt like you were expressing my thoughts, exactly! I think we're very close in age. I owned around 900 albums my senior year of high school. Had to choose carefully which ones to move West with me soon after. Remember the days when Wish You Were Here, Animals, Physical Graffiti, Some Girls or Technical Ecstasy came out? I cut class to be at the record store those days! Record conventions were fun back then as well. Now I'm happy with my 3000+ CD collection. I wish I knew people around me that loved music as much!

[@kenfrederick6223]

I agree with pretty much everything you said. Long live physical media!

[@reptiled7761]

I love my CD's and records. It drives me nuts when someone says vinyl sounds better than CD. It does not. Sometimes yes but not always. Good episode.

[@greenalishi222]

Dude you are supporting the artist. My fave thing about you is you buy new releases from the musicians. Righteous. I buy both way too much. Love CDs and vinyl. Never stopped buying both when most did. Just love music Such a great vid. Thanks

[@LarryFleetwood8675]

I've kept a handful of very personal old LPs of favorite bands bought back in the day when they were new or whatever, just couldn't part with them the history I have with them and all so that's purely for nostalgic reasons, rarely do I actually listen to them anymore but they don't take up too much space not given how important I value them. Occasionally though not often, buying some vinyl rarity single or album pressing I come across. Most stuff I have on CD now and tend to listen to them while on the computer, stored in the Windows Media Player.

[@rabarebra]

Get yourself a new turntable and good RIAA. Those old albums still sounds better than those CDs. I did the exact same thing as you, but kept all my vinyl records. I was blown away how good they still sounded when buying new equipment in the pandemic period.

[@christianhaynes1954]

Graduated in 85 Pete .our generation had a different appreciation for music in general I believe . Totally agree with how you as approach your music / listening habits .I'm exactly the same 😉

[@ernger531]

Vinyl until the early 90s is authentic, and great artwork. I buy both, CDs and Vinyl.

[@ronaldlonsberry3888]

Pete and I are around the same age and EVERYTHING that he said could have come out of MY mouth. I've never had another person express my opinion on a subject so accurately. I don't have as many CDs as he does, but I DO own somewhere around 5000, maybe a bit more. I still own probably 1000 albums, but I slowly replaced them on CD. I have quite a few albums that I can't replace on CD but most that I CAN replace, I have. I replaced my albums for the EXACT same reasons that Pete prefers CDs.

[@johnnolan5579]

I feel exactly the same. Love my cds and I hate downloading.

[@micolsen9824]

Pete, one of my favorite Deep Purple albums "The battle rages on" was a real grower for me. Many listens. Now, if I had checked it out via Spotify quick listen approach... I'd likely lose out on a great album experience.

[@larsbonnet17]

This is a nice comment and so true. I’ve had many similar experiences, but I also have a lot of shit in my collection. 😆

[@stevenausten9935]

As an old drummer , I enjoy looking at photos from inside the studio of equipment used and reading the liner notes, and remember, you can’t hug an MP3 👍

[@ToddMason]

I'm with you, Pete, I love my CDs. I do still play vinyl and love it too. However, I don't think you mentioned it but, VINYL WEARS OUT! After 40 - 50 plays, it's shot. I like my jams free of pops and skips. Rock on!

[@Ninjabadger76]

I'm a huge physical media guy like you I started off with vinyl and cassettes back in the day but transitioned over to CD when they became widely available so upgraded my collection and got rid of the vinyl/tape collection. I think they sound perfectly fine I do want a very good sound but am definitely not an audiophile so the differences some people hark on about are of no consequence to my listening experience. As far as my habits I also like you an an album guy so I make my playlist for work before hand (I use an SD card on my phone with my physical albums ripped and use bluetooth) and have full albums for the day picked and cued up before starting. At home I pick albums as I'm going as everything is on hand (I also had custom bookshelf style shelves made they fill an entire wall of my house as I have a huge blu ray collection too). I hope this never happens but if physical media ever does phase out I will not be happy with downloads I have to own things as like you I'm a stuff guy I like to look at and browse through my collection and I own it it cant be removed.

[@Vortigan07]

I couldn't agree more with every word of this! I want the attachment to the physical thing, to be as close to the music as possible, to hold it and feel it in my hands. CD's are the way to go for me also, at least for the most part. Vinyl too for the *really* special and meaningful albums but I've learned my lesson there when it comes to buying pre-owned, it's a massive roll of the dice to say the least! As for streaming, I could not have less interest in it! And just one of the upsides of that is that my amplifiers are always going to be cheaper because I'll never need them to also be network receivers! I've not owned a TV since 2009, zero interest in anything to be found there. Music has always been my passion, my lifeline and my sanity, even more so the older I get, I want to be as close to it and with it as possible.

[@ivostoyanov4850]

I still buy books and CDs , just love it , this is part of my life

[@ryanday633]

I still buy CDs to this day. I treat it like how people collected vinyl in the 60s and 70s. I'd much rather buy the bands product and support them instead of streaming or downloading for free. I'm pretty proud of my collection and I must say I have some really rare CDs that are out of print to this day. Anyone seen a copy of Slash's Snakepit album It's 5 o'clock Somewhere? (Post GnR solo band)I haven't,but recently I was lucky find a copy at a second hand store. I'll always keep buying cd as long as they keep making them. Great video and I totally agree with you Pete.

[@Rextum]

I actually agree - I prefer cds to other formats. It just makes sense due to compatibility and compactness. Also, sound quality is fine by me. I do have my favorite albums also on lp, I like especially picture discs simply because they look awesome. That way I can enjoy the huge lp picture or cover artwork in my hand while listening to the cd😄

[@martinfranco3716]

Hey Pete, you are 100% our brother. I'm 58 and embraced the CD format from day one. I only have around 3,500 and about 300 albums I kept that haven't been replaced yet. Just got Explorer Suite by New England based on your ranking the albums show and I got The Unforgiving by Within Temptation, both just yesterday. You're a legend, brother and I for one hope you're still doing this show ten years from now. I am beyond grateful to you and for also bringing your gang of cool friends into our lives. You do things the right way and are the human Encyclopedia Metallica. Thank you, Mr. Pete Pardo. 🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@groofoot]

lol 'Only 3,500" ...? (wink) ...

[@loudseywillingham5522]

Totally in agreement! I traded ALL my vinyl records in 1986 when the titles became readily available on cd.

[@GeorgeTheGreekFan]

Always wanted a video like that from you! Great idea Pete, stay awesome!

[@leafsfan1728]

Couldn't agree more with a lot of what you said Pete! I enjoy collecting physical media because I like owning stuff. I want to look at the album art and read the album notes while enjoying an album in its entirety! (As the artist intended) I refuse to stream music..if I want to research a new artist or album, I go to KZbin. I used to collect mostly CDs but now I've moved into the realm of vinyl. It's an exciting and fun(and expensive) hobby!

[@steevenfrost]

There are so many deep cuts the casual listener on Spotify will miss if they cherry pick the best tracks. That's the reason to listen all the way through an album. What about the art of sequencing an album? Classic albums are classic; not only because the songs are great, but the order that you listen to them.Each song leads on to the next and enhances because of what you just listened to.

[@quentinnussbaumer8922]

I adore CDs, have always lived with them (I was born in the mid eighties), and still buying CDs of bands who still craft albums rather than collections of singles, whenever I can. Thank you Pete, it is nice to hear you advocate these little objects that are so special really.

[@markallan4849]

Having a CD collection is like having pieces of time and great memories frozen in time until you play a CD and bring that place in time with your own personal memories back for that 40 minutes or so and bask into that time period once again. 😊 Yes, I'm Generation X 🎉

[@robertklimczak2207]

Thank God for any "Deep Track" radio out there. People can finally appreciate songs they've been skipping over for years.

[@davej.meister5421]

KSHE-2 in St. Louis is one of those stations you can stream online. And they go really deep on their playlist.

[@robertklimczak2207]

@@davej.meister5421 Thanks Dave

[@davej.meister5421]

@@robertklimczak2207 I highly recommend it to you. You will hear a lot of stuff on this station that Pete/SoT has mentioned or may himself be unaware of in lost classic rock.

[@pearlmario9858]

I’m a 24 year old man and I buy physical media. I collect CDs and Vinyl because to me, there’s nothing better than actually owning the albums physically instead of going all digital like most of my generation and younger. Believe it or not I used to get made fun of for owning vinyl. Did I care?? Absolutely not. ;)

[@gidgetmaurer123]

I like the idea of having some stuff on cd to play on our multi disk player, but I mostly buy vinyl now. I also like the price of cds better. Both in most cases, sound great to me.

[@humphreygruntwhistle3946]

I used to own a ton of CD’s. I ripped (lossless) all of them to my desktop computer and sold the entire lot, with the exception of a handful of out of print/valuable CD’s. Also kept a few vintage CD’s with cool retro covers for display. I rarely listen to albums; it’s usually set to random. Every genre imaginable.

[@denniswalker8089]

Amen, Pete! I have shelves of books, CDs, movies, collectables, LPs, etc! Love ‘em! As always, love the show! Merry Christmas!

[@rotadyma]

For me, I love the CD experience. All my music is CD based. I have a few downloads but not many. And I love to listen to a CD from start to finish. I think you absorb the writing and recording experience of that particular band in that time of their life. If you have several CD's from a particular artist, you can experience the growth from CD to CD and see the progress of their lives being portrayed in music. The whole concept of full CD is intriguing and I will always love the deep tracks or unknown tracks the best. The hits are the tip of the iceberg. The other songs are the ones that were not promoted by the record company. Those are the songs that are REAL. They mean something to the artist. Great video Pete.

[@_diogo_lima]

I hope this channel never end.

[@stevenbruno2752]

I'm similar to you Pete - I like the physical product. The only time I have bought a digital song/album is if I cannot get it in a CD. I've actually gotten back into vinyl recently, but only to pick up some of my most favorite releases - not to rebuy my entire collection. Oh yeah, I remember the days where you'd sit on your bed and go through every song reading the lyrics and keep on pounding those albums day after day. Today, I think there is so much music out there, plus the enormous backlog of music, it's much tougher to devote so much time to one particular album like the old days. So recently, I went back over the 2nd Dickinson/Smith era of Iron Maiden albums to really get to know them - now I appreciate them much more because I spent the time like I used to with them. Excellent video! Thanks!

[@svendelsupehe3940]

What a great channel Pete. We possibly can't thank you enough. May it long continue !

[@collectrify]

I grew up with vinyl. When CDs came along, it felt like a dream come true. No surface noise, no degradation. From 1987 to 2004 I collected CDs exclusively, replacing all my vinyl. In '04 I was seeing vintage vinyl in shops and feeling the pull of nostalgia and attraction to it as an artifact. I bought a few favorite albums and set up an inexpensive system and confirmed that I still preferred to listen to CDs. Then I put together somewhat better vintage system (Pioneer, Marantz, good Shure cartridge), and got a few more clean early vinyl pressings and the sky opened up. I was drawn in to the music like never before. Today my vintage vinyl albums far outnumber my CDs, and have a far bigger place in my heart.

[@mike_burke]

Exact same experience as me 👍 To get the best from vinyl requires a fair amount of effort, time, care and expense. I fully understand why many people prefer CD or streaming. I play music on CD and stream for short periods, or when I am multi tasking. When I want to get lost in the music, only vinyl does it. It never sounds fatiguing as digital often does. I would rather have 200 vinyl albums I love then 2000 CD’s I just like. No doubt that CD or streaming is best for people on a tight budget. Records now cost the same part of your salary as they did in the 70’s and 80’s, they are not more expensive, but they sure are compared to buying CD’s (especially used) which are a real bargain right now. But as I say, everyone has different needs, so respect to everyone, there is no right or wrong way.

[@3ggshe11s]

Born in '71 here, and I never really got into vinyl. I didn't care for the surface noise and the potential for skipping and sticking grooves -- plus LPs just aren't portable, like you said. I pretty much started with cassettes and moved on to CDs. And I still buy them. I want something tangible, something that I can call my own, rather than being limited to what some subscription service offers -- and that the service can take away whenever it wants to.

[@Norshammar72]

I’m with you Pete. Been buying CD’s since 1988. I too love physical stuff. I use streaming as a “research lab” and buy the albums i dig.

[@Ncrveteran4035]

Same here i like using streaming as a look at bands and try out their music then if i like them i buy an album

[@stevecowder4774]

I’ll always love vinyls and wish I had a much larger collection than what I do. However, it’s my CD collection that contains the majority of what I own. And thanks to you Pete, it’s constantly growing. Plus vinyls are more difficult to keep perfectly flawless due to the delicate surface and so forth. A CD surface will get scratched and more often than not they’ll play just fine without skipping. I love the durability as well as they conveniences they provide and will always be an avid collector.

[@MrMusic193]

My buying habits have increased so much since watching SOT.

[@stevenhanson1454]

Trading cassette tapes via USPS back in the 1980's got me access to the NWOBHM with collector's from the UK. I was able to get Gillan's b-sides from the 45rpm 7" singles. Bands like Legend, Jameson Raid, Silver Mountain, EF Band + they had BBC sessions with Samson etc. Sometimes I would get a picture from a lucky fan with Ian Gillan. I loved the early 1980's NWOBHM. This video brings this back.

[@Skycladatdusk78]

Great video, these are the exact reasons I still buy them. Whenever I'm asked what I want for Christmas I always give people a list of CDs I want and I'm always told why not just stream it! 😅 As far as new cars and CD players I just have them installed. Driving is when I have lots of free music time.

[@diannecarpenter7718]

Thank you, Pete for your discussion about,CDs !! All the damn time. Glad you have so many CDs !! I also, love and have CDs, records, too !! I love the physical copies of releases, too !! 🎤🎸🎵🎹🥁 Life is better with music.

[@JRChiossi]

I'm very similar to you in my music buying and listening to habits. While I don't yet have as much CDs, I'm already well over 4000, which would be a nightmare to organize were they vinyls. I also listen to whole albums, I abhor shuffles. Where I diverge is in that I can't say I care for bonus content too much. Except for a few exceptions, I seldomly listen to all that extra content, mainly because I like to listen to the album as the artists envisioned them. Also, remasters tend to mean "louder" and that makes my ears tired, so I'm very picky about them too. A great video as always!

[@265126]

Amazing! It’s like hearing from a kindred soul. My sentiments exactly. I have been an audiophile, who has gradually developed an amazing & unique hi-end audio system. But my CD collection has been growing since CDs were invented in the early ‘80s. I listen everywhere. The key is to be organized so you know where all of your music is. The other thing is that while My memory is not failing me (yet!), I doubt that I can remember some obscure music that I grew to love. With the physical CD, you don’t have to remember, because it is there! I listen to a lot of pretty esoteric, uncommon music. I agree that going to a music store to buy CDs is very therapeutic. And your sound quality is only as good as your system - regardless of vinyl or CD - so you can enjoy it ALL! Mahalo!

[@Benji306]

God I feel so much better....Most of the people who talk about music on KZbin showcase vinyl and they're usually snobbish about it. I was the exact same as Pete, grew up buying vinyl starting in the mid 70's and stopped in the late 80's. I was amazed when CD's came that they were many titles that were really hard to find on vinyl, had been Out of Print for years. CD's rectified that and the sound began to improve dramatically within a few years. After 25 years i couldn't go back and then replace my CD's with vinyl again, mainly for cost purposes. But I've been feeling a modicum of guilt in the last few years since a lot of the guys I watch on KZbin tend to show vinyl (Ken Golden for example) and I began to feel like I was missing out...Pete has made me feel a lot better about how I feel. Thanks! I'm sure they're a lot us out there but I they don't seem to be the ones who have these channels (Except Pete)!.

[@davej.meister5421]

Hey, don't stereotype vinyl collectors. NOT all of them are snobbish, as you suggest. Trust me. There are tons of CD collectors out there at YT that are aholes, too. They don't give a damn about people who cannot afford to buy expensive CDs and have to opt for vinyl, and they'll brag about spending hundreds of dollars for one "rare" 10 or less songs CD by simply rubbing it in our faces, while some of us just don't have that kind of money to burn or waste. They also could care less about good albums that have NEVER been reissued to CD, like those from Ray Manzarek's post-Doors band Nite City or late 70s UK power pop band Headboys. I just met one of them in this very comment section, and those kinds of people just plain make me sick. I'm trying to save up for more important things in life, and these knuckleheads spend like drunken sailors on buying expensive CDs that most of us could NEVER afford in our lifetimes. I want to know collectors who spend their money wisely on albums, regardless of their preferred format, while understanding that NOT everyone has the kind of money they have to buy albums. I don't want to hear about how much they paid on a single album, CD or vinyl.

[@b.g.5869]

I remember when CDs were first being hyped and all the buzz was about how they sounded _so_ _much_ _better_ than vinyl etc, and I recall straining to hear this alleged extraordinary difference. At most I would say there is a minor _difference_ but I wouldn't say one is necessarily _better_ than the other. The only thing I missed about vinyl was the loss of the album cover as a platform for art and liner notes and inserts etc; I always thought the footprint of CDs just wasn't big enough to provide the same experience; I think something was lost there. A lot of people under 30 today have never listened to a CD anyway; in fact they're probably more likely to have listened to or own a vinyl since they have a sort of hipster appeal.

[@jimmycampbell78]

The obvious difference is the clean sound of a CD. Absolutely no crackle or surface noises that you will get with a vinyl record. But I think thats the mid to late 80s debate. Many older people prefer the vinyl record format and find the CD sound too ‘sterile’ and ‘sanitised’, claiming vinyl has that ‘warmer’ sound. They find CDs as unsatisfactory and new fangled as I find streaming now! But I think its psychological and what you grew up with. I never owned a record player as a kid. I bought cassettes first of all and then moved to CDs in the 1990s because I was in that age group. I was a teenager/in my 20s in the 1990s so the CD format is what I am used to and moved forward with that ever since. Vinyl record collecting now would be an expensive luxury for me.

[@stephenjones9726]

Pete, I echo your sentiment about music cds, physical media and listening habits exactly. I fell in love with the cd format when it arrived in the 80’s and have never looked back. The clean sound, wide dynamic range and portability of the format were an immediate draw to me. I personally use a Bose Wave radio/cd system to listen to much of my music in the house and highly recommend it because of it’s small footprint, room filling sound and how it faithfully reproduces music the way the artist intended for it to be heard without all of the external equalization and mega bass that other systems seem to apply. Although I see the convenience of digital streaming services, I find it kind of sad that it has taken over to the extent that it has and is robbing most people of the wonderful experience of actually buying a physical copy of an artist’s music, and the joy of looking at the artwork and liner notes that the artist spent so much time creating. I have recently started buying vinyl again, but only for the older music that I can’t seem to find on the cd format and only cheap used ones that I find thrifting. I won’t pay the high price they charge these days for new vinyl. Thanks for all of the great videos you provide and introducing me to great music and bands that I have overlooked from the past and present!

[@philmole1209]

Most of the difference people here has to do with mastering. CDs are more often, but not always, “brickwalled” and compressed for loudness at the expense of dynamic range. But sometimes modern vinyl can sound overly loud and lack dynamics too, if it’s pressed from a master meant mostly for streaming. A better mastered CD can sound better than a vinyl album, and vice versa. The most important factor is the mastering.

[@wolf1977]

@@philmole1209 Vinyl, since it's a physical medium where a stylus tracks physical changes embedded in its grooves, is also subject to physical compression. That happens when those grooves are spaced too close together (when too much music is crammed on one side of an LP) resulting in less dynamic range. Theoretically all things being equal (which as you noted many times they're not) cd's have an advantage in terms of the potential dynamic range they can reproduce (around maybe 70dB for vinyl vs 90+dB for cd, with a theoretical limit of 96dB for 16-bit digital audio). And not to mention that since bass content on LP's that's too 'dynamic' can cause the stylus to skip & the fix for that is - you guessed it - compression (eg reducing the dynamic range further)

[@cindyfalstrom7231]

@@stephenjones9726 Hello Stephen. I too have a Bose Wave that is close to 20 years old. I have been very happy with it, but lately it is acting up and I'm afraid it will die one of these days. Some CD's play fine, Some start skipping and breaking up after about 5-6 tracts, and some CDs will not play at all. Have you encountered this problem with your unit? How old is yours? I intended to buy a new one on Amazon, but the very bad customer reviews scared me off. My old unit loads CD's from a flip up top. The complaints mostly seem to be that the newer models have front loading (like an car player) and CD's get stuck and won't come out. Do you have any thoughts, advise or recommendations of a good source for advise? Thanks.

[@DonMcCulloughCyber]

I agree entirely. I Collect like you and love having the physical media. I love the continuity of listening to an album the way the artist gave it to us.

[@virtualsignals1215]

Amen. You perfectly encapsulated how I feel. I wish I knew people like you on my side of the world. Alas, it will have to be just through KZbin.

[@international9155]

I completely agree. Thanks for doing this video Pete, one of the fewer things that I've been able to relate to this year. And I really agree on the booklet parts of CDs. I love reading through 'em.

[@PengDerick]

Pete you inspire a lot of music listeners to keep listening..Thanks!

[@paulrivers4741]

enjoyed this Pete !!!

[@jpaleologos1]

I completely agree with you about listening to albums in their continuity instead of out of place. For example, ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky" is a great song on its own, but it's actually part of a four-song mini-rock opera called "Concerto For A Rainy Day" which takes up the whole third side of their Out Of The Blue album. The first three songs are about the rain, and then this song celebrates the sun coming out. It takes on a whole new meaning if you listen to it in that context.

[@wolf1977]

Great example of a 'mini-suite' where it makes sense to play a group of songs back-to-back in the original order but I think that, and quite a few others, represents the vast minority of all albums. There are lots of records where the album is basically a collection of songs that can 'stand alone' - where the play order or excluding one/more tracks doesn't impact anything. Makes perfect sense to me to play new albums through end-to-end as many times as necessary to get the gist of the music but after that I don't know that the ONLY way to listen to music is by doing that. To me it all comes down to how each person consumes music...

[@reznik232]

Bravo Pete, very well said! I agree 100% with...just about everything you said. It's really refreshing to hear someone else echo my own feelings in this day and age. 😁👍