I know there’s already a few posts about how people listen to, or discover new music, but I wanted to see how other people get their music. Do you buy CDs or vinyl? Digital downloads? Use streaming services? Something else? And why?

Until a few years ago, I would jump between streaming services depending on the best deals I could get, but got very concerned the more I read about how little money most musicians get from streaming listens (especially via Spotify) - and given I tend to listen to less popular bands/artists, it seems particularly bad for them.

I have a small selection of CDs and vinyl, but mostly buy my music digitally - directly via Bandcamp if the artist is on there, or through an online store like 7digital (or even sometimes if no other option, Amazon) if not. I have a home server where I keep my music and like to be able to stream it directly to my phone, so this tends to be the best of both worlds for me.

Interested to know what others do!

  • jackalopeEnglish
    2·
    3 years ago

    I like to discovery tunes through friends and suches, and services like TIDAL. I started collecting vinyl earlier this year and just playing an entire album front to back is amazing, takes me back. Also didn’t realize how much I miss how “older” mixing used to sound …more dynamic not all compressed into a brick. I really admire Vinyl for that. It’s also fun to collect which doesn’t hurt … Thinking of working on my CD collection again. As for digital archival, I use FLAC for “backing up” my vinyl, and when aquiring new I like bandcamp or any service that offers FLAC in highres.

    • moral_imperative@beehaw.orgEnglish
      0·
      3 years ago

      I’m not jazzed that they’re trying to turn it into an Instagram/TikTok of sorts. I don’t want little video clips with my music - I just want the music!

      • kbtaco@lemmy.oneEnglish
        0·
        3 years ago

        You can turn the clips off in the settings if you want. That’s what I did because I also think those little clips are annoying

  • kobra@readit.buzz
    1·
    3 years ago

    Apple Music has become my main ‘first stop’ after Spotify’s latest UX overhaul. I’ve also started buying physical CDs again because I’ve realized the importance of physical copies. Never got into vinyl but I think the CD boom is still to come, ha.

  • LazyDaisy (she/her)@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    1·
    3 years ago

    I buy my music on BandCamp when I can and physical when I can. I prefer to buy albums on CD, other than Dungeon Synth music (which I prefer to buy on cassette for the sake of consistency). I do also own a number of albums on vinyl and/or cassette, most of the time because it is the only format I can get a physical copy in. I keep digital copies of all my music in FLAC format both on my desktop and on my jellyfin server.

  • milkytoast@beehaw.orgEnglish
    1·
    3 years ago

    if i want to own something, vinyl. only exception it an NF CD i got because it was cheap and signed

    aside from that, spotify

  • neko_chibi_chibi@beehaw.orgEnglish
    1·
    3 years ago

    I buy mostly digital mp3 and FLACs from BandCamp, the band’s website, or Amazon, expect for Band-Maid, which I buy the CDs for. I don’t stream.

    I also borrow from the library and rip CDs from there to add to my digital collection. Thankfully, my library system has a great selection of CDs and gets music from bands from like The Pretty Reckless and Sabaton. The library also has stuff that hasn’t made it to digital or is hard to find like some live Jimi Hendrix.

    Use the library to expand your music collection. You can find a lot there. You just have to look.

    • emma@beehaw.orgEnglish
      0·
      3 years ago

      Libraries are brilliant. I used to do a lot of ripping too, when I was learning how to listen to traditional musics from around the world, which then led to buying even more :) I’m not able to drink alcohol for health reasons so my entire entertainment budget was gigs and CDs for years. And it all started with libraries <3 Youtube and MySpace used to be great for exploring too but alas.

  • Terevos@lemmy.oneEnglish
    0·
    3 years ago

    I buy mostly from bandcamp and Amazon.

    I use Plex to host my music. It’s not super difficult to set up. And Plexamp is a pretty good player.

    Plex also has the option for you to subscribe to Tidal, which I do. And the ability to stream my own music that’s not available anywhere on any stream plus almost everything out there that Spotify has is the best combo.

    Jellyfin is another server like Plex, but I haven’t ever set it up so I don’t know how involved it is.

    • sheinar@beehaw.orgOPEnglish
      0·
      3 years ago

      I use Jellyfin, and this was my first home server. Think if I managed it it has to be relatively easy for most people comfortable enough with computers. Probably slightly more involved than Plex though I imagine!

  • andyMFK@beehaw.orgEnglish
    0·
    3 years ago

    Spotify for finding new music and most of my listening.

    I’ll buy vinyl for my favorite albums or if I see something at the record store that takes my fancy.

    I’ll usually listen to my records while cooking or if I want to just sit and listen as a primary activity

  • sexy_peach@feddit.deEnglish
    0·
    3 years ago

    yt-dlp from yt, SoundCloud etc. Download from Bandcamp, Spotify free. Basically I use everything where the music lives and then download it.

  • emptyother@beehaw.orgEnglish
    0·
    3 years ago

    When I find a song, I like to keep it. Streaming cant do that. You can create playlists of course, but they may at any time silently remove or replace that song. You dont know suffering until you’ve heard a bad cover of Hotel California.

    Now I only buy mp3s. Mostly from 7digital.com or Bandcamp. Amazon dont sell music to Norwegians somewhy. The last album I bought I finally had to download iTunes because thats the only place except for Amazon they released. The app wasnt as intrusive and DRM enforcing anymore as it used to be a long time ago. So I might use iTunes a bit more now. (Yeah, I tend to hold a grudge against software companies for a LONG time. You hear that, reddit!)

    Got all my mp3s (23 GB) stored on Onedrive, and use CloudPlayer on android to stream it wherever.

  • Domi@lemmy.secnd.meEnglish
    0·
    3 years ago

    I usually download my FLACs from Bandcamp or Deezer. Sometimes I rip them from CD when I can’t find an album anywhere else.

    I stream them from Jellyfin afterwards.

  • themollusk215@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    3 years ago

    I actually use archive.org for a lot of live concert recordings. bands like the Grateful Dead and Phish have been allowing/sort of encouraging fans to record and freely share their concerts for a long time and it’s all just out there to listen to and download as much as you want. there’s also the official streaming services like nugs.net and LivePhish for higher quality professionally recorded concerts, the subscription is kind of pricey but I think the artists get a better cut than on regular streaming services.

    other than that I do use Spotify a bit and try to buy stuff on Bandcamp to support the artists when I can.

  • insideoutside@beehaw.orgEnglish
    0·
    3 years ago

    i do buy physical albums by kpop artists i really like. otherwise i purchase digitally (bandcamp if they’re there) or pirate. i like not having to worry about my music being pulled off of streaming services or how those services handle privacy. the only downside for me is missing out when everyone shares their yearly streaming wrap-ups lol

  • David@beehaw.orgEnglish
    0·
    3 years ago

    Mostly Pandora for music discovery with some occasional Spotify mixed in

    yt-dlp to download a few favorites to listen to in car via phone

  • 💡dim@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    3 years ago

    Independent artists: buy physically in person or online, or digital from bandcamp.

    Mainstream or in affordable stuff: rip flacs from deezer

    Bootlegs/live stuff: archive.org

    Everything on a self hosted airsonic instance