8 replies to this topic

[Mr.Nobody]

I was listening to a stack of records yesterday, When I realized that with the amount of records I buy it's harder for me to get into some of them. For a lot(Take Elvis Costello's Get Happy. An album I was certain that I'd enjoy.I had loved My Aim Is True when I bought it in high school.) of them I just spin it once and decide to listen to something else.Because of the vast amount of music I have I'm less inclined to give the stuff that doesn't grab me at first listen aside for awhile. Flash backwards a couple(about 4) of years to when I was in high school and making money solely from allowance and birthdays. When I bought records then I was more apt to listen to them multiple times so I didn't feel like I wasted my money. By listening several times several of these records began to grow on me and slowly become favorites. Nowadays, I've got so many records that I haven't heard yet(I get a lot of used vinyl for reasonable prices.So most of the time I have about 10-20 records waiting to get spun.) that I barely bother to listen to things twice that didn't grab me. My question to everyone is, Are you less willing to give things a try now that you can afford more music? Also,has owning more music hindered your appreciation of certain types of music a younger you would surely love?

[cerebralcaustic]

Flash backwards a couple(about 4) of years to when I was in high school

Wait until you reach the real world, when your free time will go way way down. I'm at the point that I welcome El delays because they mean I get to enjoy another 10 minutes of music.

[Pavement Ist Rad]

The more I obtain, the harder it is to give everything the proper attention. I used to seriously measure my listens of albums... you know, "I need to listen to each of the albums that I bought four times before making up my mind about them!" and shit like that. I can no longer think about that kind of stuff anymore because I regularly obtain more albums than I used to. I wouldn't say that I "enjoy" music less, though. I feel I give everything in my collection the proper attention and consideration. I mean, years ago, I was a different music listener. I heard a lot more albums that while they were playing I was never thinking, "Man, I wish this was a little bit better" or "I like this, but it's ever so slightly underwhelming" or "It'll grow on me." I've grown much more skeptical and cynical over the years. It's a good thing, but the experiences are different. A bit more challenging, but I like it. EDIT: But the "price of music"? Fuck that! Shit should be free. Or not cost that much money. That is my unique opinion.

[Rob Gordon]

Nope. Sure, you have to get over the fact that you're collecting way more music than you can ever listen to. But that's what being a music collector is about. There's an over riding desire to want to hear something new. As for not being able to listen as you get older; 1. Find a job in which you can listen while working. 2. Set up a distributed audio system in your home so that the music plays throughout the house.

[The Curse Of Millhaven]

Having been unemployed for 6 months, I can't afford any music at all. I find that I don't listen to music often, prefering to spend time with my girlfriend and my friends. Only when I am alone do I put my iTunes on random. I don't even listen to music on buses anymore - mainly because I have nothing to listen with.

[Sid Hartha]

I think most people start to lose interest in music after college - for some it happens more quickly than others. It has nothing to do with buying power, or lack of free time.

[Agrimorfee]

I can afford to buy more music? Really? I don't download music, and I haven't bought a full-price album since last spring.

[elcorazon]

when you're in high school and college, music seems like one of the most important things there is. Hearing a new album can open up new worlds. Your experience is limited enough that many genres and ideas are new and relevant and exciting. And even forgetting the experience part, your time is your own and your responsibilities are limited enough that you can focus in on the music and really make it an important part of your life. Hearing new music, seeing live music, these are the building blocks of your life. As you get older, not only do you have less free time and more responsibilities, you also have a bigger music library, and so while maybe you did pick up a new cd, there's little urgency to "get into it". You might or might not. In high school, I listened to anything I bought many times before I'd be willing to decide I didn't like it. Now I might listen to a new cd once and enjoy it, but still not listen to it again for many many months, depending.

[nobodies]

I'm at the point that I welcome El delays because they mean I get to enjoy another 10 minutes of music.

I relish the times I get weekend insomnia (it happens about once a month now). The wife's asleep, the kid's asleep, the phone's quiet; and I can stay up till five or six in the morning listening to albums on my headphones.