Music has always been an important part of my life. Sometimes I wonder if I would be a different type of fan if my formative years were more recent. Being in my 40s, I remember a time when there was no internet, and purchasing the physical product was what needed to be done to get the highest possible sound quality. You could dub a tape from a friend, but the quality goes down each time a tape is copied. Obviously, a child would have a limited number of tapes. At 10 dollars each, it was a big decision when going to the store. It might be another month or two before enough money could be saved to buy another. For each album, I would examine the liner notes and give attention to every song.
Today, streaming services are dominant and vast libraries are available. In 2022, it is estimated that only 9 percent off all music is sold as physical albums. The advantage for the listener is the wide variety of music one can be exposed to being no longer limited to what is available on radio playlists. However, the effect of this wide exposure could cause the listener to focus on a particular playlist or genre. Individual songs could be more important than albums and particular artists. How has streaming changed the type of listener you are? Do you still listen to albums? Feel free to comment.
