Quote:Younger listeners don't buy music the same way young listeners bought music 30-40 years ago.

 

That being said, it's not wrong that most new music doesn't stand up to music in the past.

 

Younger listeners don't actually pay for their music most of the time.  They stream it, or they download it off sites for free.  My daughter subscribes to one of the premium sites to get the new music streamed.  Occasionally she'll buy a song, but it's rare these days. 

 

The more mature audiophiles tend to actually buy music because that's what people do.  I can't tell you the last time I actually bought a CD from a store.  It's been a few years.  I have thought about snapping up vinyl while it's trending back into popularity though.  

 

My wife worked in the music business for years, and that's the direction they've been taking it over the past couple of years.  People want the vinyl, and if you look at sales, the albums they're buying actually go back to the vinyl age in the majority of cases.  Go into an old music stores like FYE and they're ditching shelf space once designated for CDs and putting album racks in.  People will download the music electronically, but there's something about buying an album that still appeals.  I've got an old turntable and a lot of old vinyl boxed up in a closet that I've been tempted to pull out of there, but I ditched the high end stereo system years ago for a set up that works with the TV and doesn't require giant tower speakers.  I'd have to go out and reinvest in stereo equipment just to enjoy records again.

 

Of course, music retail has really bottomed out in the age of the digital download.  That's why stores like Sam Goody and Record Bar have all disappeared, and the companies that still remain have had to rebrand themselves to include movies, games, more tee shirts, and crappy collectibles like you'd see at Spencers or Hot Topic. 

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