Help! I'm buying more CDs than I can listen to!

Browsing the dusty bins (CD & LP) opens one up to Discovery and the occ. Eureka! moment. Those "What the hell is this?!?" moments where you narrow your eyes and look carefully at the cover and credits and musicians and producers and year of release and studios and etc.... seeking to connect the dots from what you are already familiar is what it's all about!!

You take it home, spin it, muse awhile listening and then smile knowingly: "I f&%cking nailed that one! Score!!"

 

My CD Collection now is bigger than Target(and soon most likely also will be bigger than Best Buy with their shrinking selection), not sure if it means I own too many CDs, or just a sign of the times that B & M Stores will soon eliminate selling CDs altogether. Although, Amazon is now opening Physical Stores(not sure if they sell CDs though) in a few larger cities in the US, so will be interesting to see if they expand to most cities in the US and other Countries.

 

Don't worry about it. You'll get to them. Picking up some albums these days is cheaper than downloading one track from iTunes and the discs will be there for as long as you want them. I was the same, now I'm slowing down a little as I'm getting to the end of my catch up list and just buying new stuff as and when it may appear.
It's a hobby, it's not hurting anyone. Enjoy the good times while we all can...

 

I try to not buy on impulse. I am also very selective. If I see something I want that I wasn't expecting to find, I hold onto the cd for a little while. I ask myself whether or not I really want this. I usually end up putting more CDs back on the shelves then I actually buy.

If it's something online then I simply add it to my wishlist and let it sit there for about 24 hours. Most of the time I end up not buying those either.

I can not speak for anyone else, but usually when I buy a cd that never gets opened or played only once it's because I purchased it on impulse. It seemed like something I wanted at the time, but after some time passes I discover that it was something I didn't need. Those CDs always end up getting sold because I don't want anything in my collection that doesn't get played.

My music collection may be smaller then many others on this forum, but I promise that everything I have gets played often.

 

You write as if this is a bad thing....
As long as you can pay your bills and put enough food on the table, do as you like. The worst problem should be shelf space.

 

Yes, have just returned from a visit to op-shops with 12 CDs, couldn't pass them up at $1-2 (but did leave some in the racks). It was easier to control the uptake when disks cost a lot of money, and because of the quantity of cheap disks (also on ebay) I'm not buying much at full price. Some are titles I had on vinyl when young, some are disks I've been curious to hear (and recognise that I will probably only play once or twice), others I'm not familiar with and looked interesting.

There are two problems - not finding the time to listen to them is one, finding the space to store them is the other!

 

it's a common disease, the diagnosis?
none

 

Go with it. If there are artists you are interested in, check on-line (Allmusic for example) to determine which are the artist's best albums.
Never buy on the strength of the sleeve or the popularity of the artist. Anything you don't like or have gone off, sell/trade the thing.
Also, get the storage situation sorted out at home!

 

Yes, me too. I'm very selective.

It's a question of money, time & space. I have 1500 (physical) cd. I know and appreciate each of them. I don't need & want to sell one of them: my collection is part of me. Now, before buying a cd, i listen to it online to avoid disappointment & wasting.

 

Shop at a store that's a long distance from your house. Listen to the CDs on the way home, cull the weak ones and when you get home, you'll know which to listen to more and which to set aside. Return those for credit, after ripping them, of course. Repeat.

 

Not to derail this thread, but I have a song by these guys called 'Hurricane' that I got from a compilation. Good stuff!!

 

Amassing piles of dirt cheap, yet-to-be-played CDs is for amateurs.
It's a stash of huge, multi-disc deluxe box sets that marks you out as a pro.

 

Yep. Except with me, it extends to books and DVD's, also. Been in this zone for 55 years or more...

Just last week, I acquired Condoleezza Rice's new book-Democracy, David McCullough's newest, plus another book added to my 15-or-so "books to read" pile, (4) Blu-ray films, plus a couple seasons of CSI, in addition to Tull's Songs..box set, plus about 5 other cd's, not including scoring the 2-cd Sgt. Pepper 2017 release I'm acquiring today.

The term Addiction is a little strong in my world, yet the attraction of acquisition is an extremely strong force. As long as you can still make rent, pay your bills, and save a little, go ahead and invest in yourself (media) within constructive boundaries. If you find yourself pushing outside or compromising those boundaries, it's time to pause....

Just Gramp's observation today.....
GT

 

Hey, Eric, I hear you. In my experience, some of my best scores were impulse buys that led me to appreciate new artists and sometimes, even new genres.

Example:

This disc delivers some great contemporary original American Blues music that I never would have accessed except for seeing it in one of the used shops I frequent.

Sometimes, the buys have been flops, but for less $ than the cost of a cup of STARBUCKS coffee, I'm willing to chance it sometimes...

I used to be more like you, in that if I hadn't spun a disc for about 6 mo, it got sold (in the day when used cd's sold for $5-7, and you could recoup about $3-4), I looked at it more like a long-term rental. After a career change that took me off the road, I stopped selling as the timing coincided with the depressed cd market, but have continued to acquire with a bit of discernment. At age 60, I moved them all when my wife and I bought a townhouse. Short-term pain, and now that chore is behind us, it's all ok...

Nice discussion..

GT

 

I'm glad to read that I'm not the only one. I feel like I should be on "Hoarders." If I see a $1.00 CD I am even remotely interested in, or remember a time 20 years ago I wanted for a split second, I grab it. I comb through eBay 100 times a day looking for deals. I have cd's come in the mail 3 or 4 times a week. I go to used bookstores at least once a week and go through the shelves looking for something new, and shaking my head at what people have sold off. I talked to a worker at a book store yesterday and asked her how much they give for used cd's if they are selling for a $1.00. She said usually $.01 of store credit per cd!!! How can someone take their collection in and sell John Prine, Joe Ely, Lyle Lovett for $.01!!???? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they did, but what are people thinking?

 

Been buying so many lately that I still have 40 of them that haven't been listened to for the first time ! These days I'm glad if I can give each one one good listen before being put away for years.

Then again this is a ¨problem¨ I'd rather have than not have. I remember when I first bought my first CD player I bought 25 CDs and had to listen to those for years because I couldn't afford any more. Glad I didn't get rid of my TT and records (god forbid)

 

I have the same problem, I remember a lot of my CD buys at the time that I bought and saw so many
more that I would love to have and hear. I'm talking about CD's that were 29.95. at retail price in the
early 90's. It's just insane to think that now. Cassette's were even still around the 20 dollar mark.
Now I'm seeing these like so many, 1 or 2 bux or less each! what the hell?
I'm even buying albums of people I'm not really into, just to think I can pass this off to someone
else one day who wants it bad, and i'll feel good about and it's cost me one dollar or so!
I'm already doing it with some of my double up's.

 

Try finding scores of $1-2.50 CDs at the thrift store. It's almost mind boggling. I've bought 60 in a single month, in the last year, and all strong titles.

 

It's new music if you've never heard it.

 

This is similar to what I do. I find a disc in the thrift store, don't have a CD player handy but I do have my telephone and it is connected to YouTube. I'll listen to a piece of a track or two off the album I am holding, and if it's a winner it goes home with me.

 

CDs, vinyl, and cassettes! I still collect all 3 and keep finding all 3 at ridiculously good prices. I keep making these commitments to slow down on my collecting (periodically thinning out a few) and focus more on enjoying and rediscovering what I already have, but then that crate-digging fever strikes again!

 

Upload the cds to an ipod etc

Put the player on random single song

I do this with albums I never play

Can always skip a track you don't like that comes on

It adds new life and is fun

I have been buying those 5 cd Original Classic albums $15 new collections
Nice padding and trying out stuff you never had

 

This is a problem?!?

 

I OWN this thread !

 

I'm afraid you came to the wrong place for help.