Could you stop buying music?
Posted by: Whizzkid on 24 February 2011
Even if you did not have to, I have been on a forced not buying spree over the past six months because of my financial situation and that I bought loads of stuff over the previous 5 years and wanted to get to know what I had more intimately. So with the economic downturn it seemed like a good time to do it, of course I could have with some searching for bargains like secondhand stuff and re-issues expanded my collection much slower than previous but I decided to try and cut it out altogether. Now to my surprise its been easier than I thought, I really haven't felt a massive urge to buy more music, like I did previously and this has allowed me to really play what I already own on a much more regular basis which has been very enjoyable and I've found many albums I had forgotten about. I imagine this last point would be echoed by many others on here as I was buying 4+ albums a week at one point and inevitably some will be stashed away and forgotten.
In this period of musical Lent I have had time to think about where to take my collection without filling it with forgotten albums and fluff and that has lead me to the conclusion that I need to focus on artists or labels that interest me and try to have a wide variety of styles that I'm not really listening to the same thing by two different bands as can be the case if you have a narrower musical taste and mine is far from narrow
also not to be taken by the latest Flash In The Pan (remember them?) and to research my acquisitions more thoroughly than before, this should get me a much more focused and ultimately enjoyable collection in the future.
So could you stop buying music and just savor what you already have? as it is said happiness comes from wanting what you have rather than wanting what you don't have.
Dean...
Posted on: 24 February 2011 by Develyn
I've went several years in between purchasing new CD's then get on a roll and buy 40+ in a year.
Posted on: 24 February 2011 by Florestan
Dean,
I have had to press the pause button as well on buying music. It has been since before this last Christmas and I hope I can last until this Easter or even a little further. This is the first time in 25 years that I have consciously made an effort to stop buying CD's for any length of time. I didn't think I could do it actually. Like you, it has been a nice time to slow down and appreciate what I already have.
To answer your question though, in a broad sense, my answer would be no. I will always buy more music in the future but could possibly just try to limit myself in how many is reasonable within a period like a month or year.
I'll always have an appetite for exploring and seeking out new recordings. In classical music, there is a danger of building a fortress around one or two recordings from the past and forgetting about growing musically.
I am really passionate about supporting the younger generations as they enter into this field and try to make a go of it. Next to my own personal satisfaction that I receive from listening and studying music my main reason for buying a lot of music is that I feel it is important to support the young artists.
Regards,
Doug
Posted on: 24 February 2011 by Bruce Woodhouse
I buy music in two ways. Partly I enjoy exploring new music, following lines of connection between artists that I like to new places and picking up new artists from reviews or recomendations. I guess I could stop doing this more speculative buying if I wanted or needed to.
I also have perhaps 5 or 10 artists where I will buy their next release pretty much come what may, and own most of the music they have ever put out. Although not an obsessive collector I'd find it hard to resist a new release by these absolute favourites of mine.
I probably buy about 40 CD's or downloads a year. I would have to cut an awful lot of other things out before stopping buying music.
I do like the idea of spending tme with my existing collection and re-exploring older purchases but I'd really miss that exciting first play of something new and anticipated.
Bruce
Posted on: 25 February 2011 by GraemeH
'Could you stop buying music' - My better half often say's this............... and it's not a question!
Posted on: 26 February 2011 by ewemon
Nope. I would die first.
Posted on: 26 February 2011 by A0S
I haven't stopped buying music but I actually buy a lot less and the reason is Spotify, if an album I have heard about is on Spotify then I download it onto my phone (I have Spotify Premium) and live with it for a couple if months before deciding if I want the CD rather than just going out and buying it.
Posted on: 26 February 2011 by Whizzkid
@Florestan
I understand completely Doug and I shall continue to buy new music as I too want the support the young and upcoming artists. I should have made it clearer in my OP that this is temporary situation for me but it has been a real eye opener about the nature of collecting rather than just accumulating.
@Bruce
Thats interesting Bruce as you buy what I would call a reasonable amount each year so you're collection is not growing a rate that you cannot enjoy what you purchase and is something I'm looking to do. Now as I mentioned in my OP that I was buying 4+ albums a week which adds up to about 200 to 250 a year and thats just too many as I have found out by finding stuff that I had completely forgotten about.
@ewemon
Now your reaction was similar to mine though not as dramatic, I thought I couldn't do this as I would miss the thrill of buying new music but as I have mentioned its been a bit of a revelation that I could do it and it has given me a better understanding of why I buy music in the first place. I understand a bit more about the reason for Religious abstinence now.
@Graeme
I don't have that problem being single but you have my sympathies.
@AOS
Thats what I call sensible and I need to start using in the Internet as review system more. I find most stuff I'm interested in on Youtube so thats all good no need to shell out to Spotify.
Dean..
Posted on: 26 February 2011 by Whizzkid
@ Develyn
Thats maybe what I'll be doing in the future.
Dean..
Posted on: 26 February 2011 by MilesSmiles
Nope.
Posted on: 07 March 2011 by Franx
I have less to spend and more time to buy cd's
I'm afraid that if financials get really tight i will still be driven by "the force" to buy cd's. So... i'm addicted too...
Many Franx
Posted on: 07 March 2011 by TomK
At the bank's insistence I'm going to have to do just this. Initially I'll start catching up on the cds I've bought over the years and written off after a couple of listens. After that who knows.
Posted on: 08 March 2011 by fasterbyelan
No.
Karl
Posted on: 08 March 2011 by Jono 13
No, but I am buying more second-hand stuff to cut down on the cost. I know t his does not help the original artist but they already have their cut, I hope.
Jono
Posted on: 09 March 2011 by Derry
Yes
Posted on: 17 March 2011 by patk
Dean-
No. But I am trying to make a conscious effort to reduce my purchases. Just so I can enjoy what I have. Not financially motivated, but I came to the same conclusion you did - I was buying more than I had time to really listen to and enjoy.
So I will see how it goes over the next few months.
Pat
Posted on: 20 March 2011 by Whizzkid
Yes Pat I feel that it is a waste to buy an album only to file it a way and never get to know it properly. It will take self control on my part but I think its really the only way forward for me.
Dean..
Originally Posted by patk:
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Dean-
No. But I am trying to make a conscious effort to reduce my purchases. Just so I can enjoy what I have. Not financially motivated, but I came to the same conclusion you did - I was buying more than I had time to really listen to and enjoy.
So I will see how it goes over the next few months.
Pat
Posted on: 20 March 2011 by BigH47
Why does this keep appearing, in some posts?
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Is it another "new" feature? 
Posted on: 20 March 2011 by Whizzkid
Only happens with us Opera Browser users BigH. Thats mainly me and ewemon.
Originally Posted by BigH47:
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Why does this keep appearing, in some posts?
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Is it another "new" feature? Dean...
Posted on: 20 March 2011 by George Fredrik
Two things have come together to mean that the last Cd I bought was in May 2010. The longest pause for me since 1978.
Firstly iTunes is one heck of a leveller. You really do find out the dusty corners of a music collection this way. Nothing can hide from the search engine even if physical CDs on occasion do hide! This is but one of the many advantages of computer audio over playing physical discs for me!
And the money situation is ever tighter. Wages have remained the same for years, and I believe that real inflation is running somewhere between 10 and 20 per cent on unavoidables. Of course the average for the RPI is brought back by including many rarely purchased things like computer washing machines and so on that get less expensive by the year, but the price of baked beans, fuel, bread, cheese, and butter would be a much more reasonable indicator ... things we buy every week.
So the first casualty will be anything that is not other than a luxury, and certainly the music I already have is not crying out to be augmented. Of course the reality is that some pleasures are shown by actions to be higher on my list of priorities, and that I would not have predicted, but as they say, "You never know till faced with the real choice."
Next weekend will see the first party of 2011, and no doubt I shall spend more on Wodka and Beer beforehand than say four or five CDs!
ATB from George
