CDs. They're almost obsolete now-a-days. Bands now are just releasing their music online, and don't make hard copies. Sometimes the only way to get their actual CD is to get it at their concerts. Sometimes they don't even have their CD available at concerts. It's sad. But I'm just as guilty as the next person to say I like saving money by downloading music online.
I loved the days where I had my Walkman and a bag full of CDs. You really got to appreciate every song, you soaked in the whole thing. You just got the feeling of the whole CD, I think it's the feeling that the artist intended someone to get when they listen to it the right way. There's just something about listening to a CD all the way through while you're looking at the album cover and the lyrics and pictures inside. You just get the whole experience of it, you get the most out of it.
Now-a-days when a band comes out with a new album, you just pick and choose the few songs that stick out to you, or the songs that are played on the radio and download them, but never even give the other songs another listen. Some songs grow on you the more times you listen to them. The first time you hear it you may not like it, but after a while you realize it's one of your favorite songs. Just think of how many favorite songs you might be missing by only picking and choosing the songs you get.
I remember the first time I really discovered my music taste. I stopped just listening to what everyone else was, I stopped only listening to the stuff on the radio. I heard a song and I fell in love with it. I still remember the song, "Fill My Cup" by Paul Colman Trio. I heard it once but I didn't know who sang it or what it was called. For weeks I searched for it. I couldn't find it anywhere, Paul Colman Trio wasn't exactly NSync. I asked for it for Christmas, even though I didn't know who sang it or anything. But sure enough, my sister found the CD and gave it to me. That was one of the first CDs I ever owned. Crystal Clear by Jaci Velasquez was my first, but I really was too young to remember the story behind that one. I had that CD before I even owned a CD player. And that was the start of my music obsession. Though, I must say, thanks God my music taste has matured majorly since then.
Haha, I remember Paul Colman Trio, Jaci Velasquez, Matthew West, Rebecca St. James, Plus One and Jump 5 were basically the only things I listened to. I look back and laugh at my music selection. But oh, how much I loved them all. I was so in love with those artists.
Ah, but I really miss the days where on the long car trips I'd just pack all my CDs and my Walkman and I was ready to take on the world. I didn't have a huge music selection back then, so I listened so the same songs over and over again. I found the more I listened to them the more I loved them. I still know all of those songs word for word and I haven't listened to them in years.
I try to make a point of buying the CDs of the artists I really love and support. And if it's impossible to, I make sure I listen to every song on the album, in order, at least a few times, straight through. It's so much better that way. Not fast forwarding even the ending of the songs (sometimes you miss things!) and listening to the songs in the order they were meant to be played. There's something about it. I guess it just reminds me of the good ol' days.
xoxo,
Andrea
