Over the last century, the way we listen to music has changed. It was only about 40 years ago that the CD was first introduced.
Today, we are able to listen to an almost infinite supply of music on our cellphones.
In 2023, the average person listens to digital music on their favourite streaming platform.
This year, Spotify boasted over 574 million users, with Taylor Swift taking the top artist spot with more than 26.1 billion streams.
But even with the convenience of streaming apps like Spotify, there is still a market for physical music.
“Physical music still serves both listeners and artists” said Jackson Wells, Station Manager of Radio Laurier.
“For artists, being able to sell CDs and vinyl in stores and on tour makes them far more money than the pennies they can expect to receive from streaming.”
Wells also explained how CDs have a higher bitrate than streamed music which improves its quality.
Vinyl, on the other hand, provides a lot of novelty. “You get to flip the side halfway through which is fun!” said Wells.
The undying love for vinyls, CDs and cassette tapes is kind of hard to explain.
It seems like everyone has an experience that ties them to physical music. For me, my first car had a CD player, and while I’ve since exchanged it for a Bluetooth stereo, I find myself fondly remembering my old CD collection.
What I really like is records. It’s fun to have a collection of physical objects that represent my creative tastes.
They’re also widely avaliable, due to more people collecting them.
I’ve even started getting into cassette tapes since I got a player from a thrift store.
It’s not just me – it seems like every generation is enjoying physical music for their own reasons.
Some generations grew up with it, and others like mine just find it cool. But physical music does come with its disadvantages.
The main hurtle with physical music, as many will know and relate to, is wear and tear.
Every form has its own issues, so when collecting and playing physical music be sure to do your research on how to best take care of it.
Records, CDs and cassettes can damage easily, and for some artists the only copies are physical.
“The preservation of physical music is incredibly important because sometimes it is the preservation of music itself,” said Wells.
As artists sometimes cannot afford to keep their music on streaming services, it can be lost if a physical copy does not exist.
Wells also spoke on independent music, saying “if not for a CD or other physical release, the music would be lost forever and with it some of our history.”
Organizations like the Canadian Conservation Institute work to preserve historical physical copies of music to prolong their cultural impact.
Along with large organizations, independent record stores are also strong advocates for the preservation of physical music.
Campus radio stations, such as our own Radio Laurier, also play a role in the preservation of physical music. “A campus radio station can serve as a physical library for local and independent music in the area,” said Wells.
In a changing world, physical music stays put.
If you’re someone who enjoys collecting physical music, take care of it and support your local retailers.
Take care to remember that physical music is a tangible way to support your favourite artist.