A Year of Listening Differently: Mindful Music
Ayup! Around a year ago, I purchased an external CD/DVD drive for my MacBook. It cost somewhere around £17 and has completely changed how I listen to music. Now, instead of streaming through Apple Music, I buy and import CDs or digital downloads to Apple Music. It still works in exactly the same way as iTunes did back in the day. Wohoooo!
The initial appeal and convenience of streaming had long passed. I'd also been conscious that my listening habits (and enjoyment) were in rapid decline. Infinite choice just doesn't work for me. Instead of immersing myself in an album, my inquisitive brain would forever be hunting down something else to listen to. It's the musical equivalent of mindless scrolling on social media. No thank you!
So next up, I needed to own some music. This is where the real fun began. Although they're starting to get more expensive as demand increases, second hand CDs are an unbelievable bargain. Most charity shops sell them for between 50p and a few pounds. Over on eBay, you can also normally find most older albums for three or four pounds.
CDs are also pretty easy to convert into high-fidelity digital music files–much, much easier than vinyl. You get the best of both the physical and digital music worlds. Plus, it's often cheaper than purchasing digital downloads. You can find a second-hand CD, rip the tracks from it, and you've got a cost-effective way to enlarge your music library.
Building a music collection again
When you quit streaming, you revoke instant access to almost every album that exists. Good! This is the first stage in reclaiming a deeper listening experience. All of a sudden, you've got to pick and choose what you buy. A little more thought goes into the process.
Granted, when an album is only 50p in a charity shop, you can go wild. Some even have three for a pound deals. Spend a tenner, come home with thirty albums. However, once the initial excitement wears off, you'll likely realise that you need to start looking further afield.
All charity shops stock a very similar collection of CDs. You'll quickly figure out that while Robbie Williams will be in every single shop, Fleetwood Mac would be considered an extremely rare find. Normally, for anything on your list that you can't find, eBay, Bandcamp or HMV are all solid options.
At-home digital music libraries offer a more permanent alternative to music streaming services. Once you have one set up, there are no additional fees to pay or ongoing monthly subscription, nor is there the chance that songs you love might simply disappear as licensing agreements change.
In a year, I've been able to build up a collection of well over a hundred albums. Mostly second hand CDs, new CDs as an occasional treat and plenty of Bandcamp downloads. They're all imported as ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) and played wirelessly through my Sonos system.
Additionally, I sync the whole library to my iPhone (cable connection to laptop needed). I only have a small amount of memory (256 GB), so I was unsure how this would work out. As it turns out, even without compressing the files, it doesn't take up too much storage.
Mindful music (with artwork)
If you follow me on Mastodon or Bluesky, you probably already know that I love my album artwork. It's all part of the overall experience. Stick an album on and admire the cover and booklet from the CD, just like we used to.
Visual accompaniments aside, switching back to collecting, rather than streaming, has rekindled my love for music. It was always my thing, but slowly deteriorated as a result of subscription services that seek to alter our listening habits. I'm not OK with that.
Ownership. It's a simple swap, and doesn't even need to cost any more than your monthly Spotify or Apple Music fee. Try and buy at least some new music, but just do whatever works for you and your budget.
No matter what you spend, owned music holds more value than rented music. It deserves more attention, therefore, leading to a much more immersive and mindful listening experience. Love it!
