How many albums do you own?

[Open Lane]

Hi,


Just curious, about how many ablums do you people own?


I'm at about 1100. Been digitalizing my collection and its taking me a couple months off and on.

[Vaughan]

A few thousand CD's.

I don't count digital copies as "albums". It makes a bit of a mockery of "collections", imo. I mean, I could download a thousand albums from a nefarious web site tonight and claim I have a large collection.

For me a music collection isn't about having access to a lot of music - the Internet changed all that. It's about a lifes journey, and a commitment to the music - through the exchange of hard earned cash which goes toward keeping the music alive - that differentiates music lovers from the rest.

Kind of like a library. A library in my view is a building with books in it. A Kindle with 10,000 books isn't a library. It's just a lot of digital text - nice for reading in this day and age, but it's not a collection.

I am, no doubt, alone in these antiquated views. But let's face it - you can grab literally tens of thousands of recordings in a 24 hour period today without paying for anything more than an Internet connection (or ten thousand books in PDF if that's what floats your boat). But you'd never confuse someone who did it with a music lover spending time, little by little, building a collection of which they're proud.

Blimey, I hate digital files...............

Rant over.

ps: I had another thought on this (unplanned) rant. There are thousands of songs/pieces of music on Youtube. Anyone can access them. The only difference between the music on Youtube and a digital download (legal of otherwise) is that downloads consume your (ever expanding) amount of personal disc space rather than sitting in the cloud. But you wouldn't say anyone with access to Youtube has a large collection. Even if they have links only to their favorites. It's something else.

Please assume IMO - in my view - I think - and various other caveats.

[HutchFan]

Originally Posted by Open Lane

Hi,


Just curious, about how many ablums do you people own?


I'm at about 1100. Been digitalizing my collection and its taking me a couple months off and on.

Open Lane,

When you say "albums," are you specifically referring to vinyl?

Or do you mean it in the broader sense, as in recordings?

[HutchFan]

Originally Posted by Vaughan

I am, no doubt, alone in these antiquated views. But let's face it - you can grab literally tens of thousands of recordings in a 24 hour period today without paying for anything more than an Internet connection (or ten thousand books in PDF if that's what floats your boat). But you'd never confuse someone who did it with a music lover spending time, little by little, building a collection of which they're proud.

Blimey, I hate digital files...............

Rant over.

Vaughan,

I hear you. But I do buy some digital downloads. I find that the cost savings often lets me explore music that I might not get to otherwise. (By the way, I pay for my downloads, mostly thru emusic.com and occasionally thru amazon.) But, all things being equal, I will ALWAYS prefer a CD or LP to a download.

I just tallied up all of the recordings (CDs, LPs, and digital downloads) that I purchased in 2012. It was just under 200 recordings. Of those 200, the breakdown was about one-third CDs, one-third LPs (all used), and one-third downloads (many new releases and some back-catalog stuff too).

All that said, if I download a particular recording and I really LOVE it, I'll inevitably want to find a CD or LP version of it. To me, digital files still aren't as "legit" as CDs or vinyl. Like you, I still love the idea of physical, tangible music collection. When I say this to most people, they're surprised. They say things like "why would you want to mess with the objects when you can put an entire digital collection on hard drive?!?!" CDs are on the way out, just like vinyl went away in the late-80s/early-90s.

I guess I'm old school too.

[Vaughan]

Well, I guess we're plain sad individuals.

Example - I've recently had a hankering to dip into Miles Davis. I wanted some box sets. With Miles there are some really good box sets from Columbia, and cheap to as reissues of earlier editions......

But if you're going to get a Miles box set.... it's got to be one of those metal spined editions for me. Big, heavy, even ugly. A tall box just isn't the same (except, in every way other than format, it IS the same). Funny old world.

If I included digital music too my collection would be much much bigger. But I don't.

Same with people who digitize their collections "to save space". I just don't get it. Why wouldn't you want to be surrounded by the things you love? They help define you. Like walking into a house and not seeing a single book on the shelves. What's that about? It's odd. The space you have ought to be FULL TO BRIMMING with the things you love. I'd get rid of the spare chair few ever sit in, the coffee table that doesn't do much, or the TV before I got rid of the books and music..... If I really truly couldn't have the things I love around me because I'm out of space.... well then, it's long passed time to move!

[xybert]

I currently have just over 1200 jazz CDs (rough calculation; double CDs and twofers are counted as 1 while for example a 7 CD box set i count as 7). Not a huge amount compared to those with mega collections but not bad for a civilian

I have all my CDs backed up in a lossless format. I love being able to listen to my albums in CD quality without having to physically take my CD off the shelf and risk damage (OCD/pointless, i know).

Long story short, i love having a digital copy of the CD as long as i have the physical CD as a master copy/back up. I also love knowing that i have a digital back up of my physical CD. House burning down: i'm grabbing a hard drive etc etc...

All the indie record labels i can think of are still getting CDs manufactured so people must be buying them. My theory is most people that would buy an album from Pi Records for example are not casual music fans and are more likely to be 'collectors'. For whatever reason they're sticking to physical CDs, and with the deluge of 'death of CD' rhetoric it's not like they haven't had an easy out. I've said it before; i prefer CDs but if/when there is no other option i will purchase downloads (i have purchased lossless downloads in the past).

On a side note, here's a really nice video i came across the other day about a life long jazz lover and collector. Life affirming: http://vimeo.com/53867257

[Vaughan]

CD's won't be gone in my life time - even if I'm the last guy with them. You'd think we'd have learned from the years of vinyl. Remember when CD was going to kill vinyl? And just when it was dead, it was decided that vinyl wasn't really dead? The same will happen with CD. The thing is - and while I'm being controversial I might as well go the whole hog - these things are generally driven by the music industry and marketeers.

So, digital downloads are the new cool alternative to CD - so they do everything they can to resurrect vinyl. Once CD is "dead" they're resurrect that format. Punters get sucked in to believing it's all very underground and exclusive - when in fact it's not. But having people think it is sure sells more product, wherever you can create a feeling of being elite and in the know, creates a solid market.

Me? I first fell in love playing edited 7 inch singles on a portable mono player with a blunt stylus.

[Tenorman]

Currently listing and valuing my collection estimate 3500 CDs and LPs. This is to get a value for Insurance -- last valuation was £25k which is now too low

Check your house insurance. You may find that your albums are bulked as a single item with a maximum value of £1000 in the UK. That is only 100 albums or less at replacement cost.

[page]

I was going to say something about quality vs quantity, but that last comment does make sense. I do not own thát many albums simply because I can't afford to buy as much as I'd like, but the ones I have I have picked out carefully and most of them have a story because of that. I still have my desk tapes from my teens with memories attached to that. The advantage of this, is that I really know what I like and am excited with every new stunning album. I do listen a lot online and because of this board I have found many enjoyments in music. I do agree with Vaughan about the internet, there is nothing like the real thing with booklet and all, so I guess I'm part of the old school too.

[HutchFan]

I've compiled a spreadsheet containing all of my jazz recordings. As of today, there are 3,729 items in the list. All listings on the spreadsheet are counted as one item, regardless of whether it's a single LP, CD, or DL or a box set with multiple discs.

I haven't gotten 'round to cataloging my classical, rock, country & other recordings yet. Eventually, I'll get to it. I'd estimate that everything non-jazz is roughly equal to the size of my jazz collection. So I guess that's another 4,000 recordings or so.

I've been collecting music since I was a teenager, roughly 30 years. I enjoy discovering new music today as much as I ever have. Maybe more now -- especially since I'm older and can afford to explore/buy more. I just love music. Other than my family and friends, it gives me more enjoyment than anything else in life.

My music collection is small compared to a guy I know who formerly owned a record store. He estimates that he has well over 30,000 recordings.

[page]

I didn't mean to say, that you guys who have a lot of albums do not appreciate it enough, Hutch. You know that, right?

[HutchFan]

Originally Posted by page

I was going to say something about quality vs quantity, but that last comment does make sense.

page, from a certain point of view, I think you make a good point.

Speaking for myself, I know I can get caught up in the collecting, and it can become an end to itself -- rather than stopping and listening. Every so often I take time off from buying and delve into the stuff I already own. I've decided that I'm going to "take it easy" next year, for this very reason.

[HutchFan]

Originally Posted by page

I didn't mean to say, that you guys who have a lot of albums do not appreciate it enough, Hutch. You know that, right?

Yes, I know that you weren't saying anything disparaging. But you are a sweetheart for asking.

I'm just very fortunate, very blessed to have so much music!

[page]

Ok, good. Well it is because of guys like you around here, I can learn what to get, so I do benefit that way.

[Tenorman]

Just to add to my post above.

The standard house UK insurance views a music collection as a single item. A lot of house insurances have a limit of £1000 per single item. That doesn't go too far with a CD and/or Vinyl collection. If you take an average of £10 per album that is only 100 albums.

Strongly suggest that you list your albums, and keep that list "off-site". Preferably with at east one copy with the insurance company and insure forwads. That is estimate what your collection will be worth by the time you come to renew one year on