Physical Cd or Digital

Just curious of how many still buy actual CDs or just go the download route.
I have around 95% of my music on cd.
I have tried legally downloading but feel like I don't really own the album, and have even gone back and bought the cd.
I guess I am just old and stuck in my ways

^I'm exactly the same. 

I'd rather have a hard copy I can hold in my hand.

I'm pretty much 50/50.
I started purchasing legal downloads a few years ago and in the last few years would rather have physical CDs for the stuff I'm sure I'm really going to like.

Physical whenever possible, digital if no physical is available. To put it like Steve Taylor did during one of his kickstarter campaigns, I like shiny objects.   But like the OP I don't really feel like it's mine if I can't pull it off my shelf and hold it. In fact, I just recently built a new CD/cassette rack that will hold 1100+ CDs and 250+ cassettes.



As much as I love adding to my collection of shiny, spinning discs, I hope I don't reach the 1100 mark too soon as I don't want to build another one! LOL!

I prefer having a CD but if it's only available as a download, I'll go with that.

I am going with more and more downloads.  Except for some uber rare ones, I wouldn't mind switching altogether as I just no longer have the space.  Even with that, though, we are still dinosaurs behind the times.  People don't buy music now--they pay a subscription and stream it.

I prefer physical cd's, especially for favorites of mine. There are a few digital only releases I have, or digital because they only made 500 copies of the album (Michael Knott has 4 or 5 releases like this...).

There are a few bands I always go for the CD with, but that is because they put so much into the physical packaging.  Most of the time, however, I'd much rather buy the downloads because of the space the physical product takes up and they are generally cheaper.  As long as a product is in some way available to purchase, I will always buy music rather than subscribe to a streaming service.  I use Pandora and Spotify, but only as a free account and as a convenience rather than a substitute for buying stuff.

I will always prefer physical cd's... However I'm not opposed to downloads... But if I get a download and really dig the album I will want to buy to disc... No sense it getting deleted accidentally... and I can usually tell the difference in sound quality...

I prefer physical copies, nothing like jamming a new album for the first time and going along with the lyrics is there's any and reading all the other stuff contained therein. BUT... with limited space having a family and all I go digital more than I'd like to.

I'm a real fan of physical CDs.
So now and then I'll buy the downloads of CDs.

That's what my toughts are, what when your computer crashed, poof gone all your downloads.

Physical copy, so I can rip in the format I choose. Also don't like the idea of a computer crash (more common than fire) wiping out everything. Artwork and liner notes are worth something to me, as well.

I'll download samplers, and buy single tracks online occasionally.

Welcome CT!

Xid wrote:

Welcome CT!

Thanks. Seems like a good community here. Listening to Joshua's Creed right now. Spent yesterday afternoon with GF&M playing.

It's a good group of folks here.  Thank you for giving Joshua's Creed a listen!

Welcome to CHM ChristTrekker.

God bless people that still by CDs.  You are the only ones keeping original music alive.  Legal downloads are a close second.  I stream too, but when everyone streams everything, we better start liking Taylor Swift more because she is all we will have to listen to.

I still buy them but sometimes use iTunes or Amazon Music. And with Amazon Prime many of the albums are free downloads now. This morning I downloaded a U2 Best of for free, Rush - Moving Pictures and Boston's first album (I have both of them on CD already, I didn't have U2). I downloaded them and put them on my phone. I wanted to hear "New Year's Day" so I had intended on buying the song. Then when I saw it said "included with Prime" and downloaded the whole album for free (well, with my Prime subscription).

If all we have is Taylor Swift, I will be happy just listening to all of my old CDs

mudpuppy wrote:

God bless people that still by CDs.  You are the only ones keeping original music alive.  Legal downloads are a close second.  I stream too, but when everyone streams everything, we better start liking Taylor Swift more because she is all we will have to listen to.

I would respectfully disagree and say folks that contribute to PledgeMusic, IndieGoGo and Kickstarter are the people keeping original music alive, regardless of the format they choose.

I dont disagree, ishmael81.  However I consider crowd funding as a form of pre-purchasing someones CD or what have you.  Whether the CD is purchased before it is released or after it is released, the artist is making enough money from direct sales to justify creating the product.  The same applies to a legally purchased download, a t shirt, or any such product.  Streaming pays the artist about 1/3 of a cent per song, which can never amount to much for the average band, let alone an indie band.

I see what you mean now. I was thinking you meant only buying cds but you meant actually purchasing a product vs. streaming...

Had an outrageous physical collection of music all my life until about 12 years ago when I decided to go 100% digital. Sold, traded and gave away 1000s of tapes, cds and records over a 2 year period. Then after about 5 years totally digital, I missed the feel, smell, and excitement of the hunt for tangible albums. Several years ago I dove back into music collecting, re-collected all my original albums, then added to the collection about 1000 albums I never owned prior.

Those of you who've been here for the last 15 years watched me go through that whole phase.

Only way I'll ever go back to digital is if things keep going south with our finances and I'm forced to sell my collection.

I favour physical CD's too.  It's much better to hold the CD in your hands, read the lyrics, look at the artwork and listen to the music.  With digital it feels a bit superficial.  I'd have brought the new Cell9 album if it weren't for that (the only place I could find it the shipping was too expensive).