Remember Napster? It was '98-'01 or something like that. I call that the "kid in the candy store" era. Anyway, that was the time that my music collection increased by leaps and bounds. I was buying 50-count blank cd spindles every other month.

Well, recently I decided to finally dig and re-dig into that collection and simplify my life (i.e. closet space). By my count, I got rid of about 450 burned cds of music. I would say about 25% of it were actually "copies" of albums that I eventually bought, and another 60% went right into the trash. The rest I snagged some key tracks to save on my external before ditching.


Also - did I just destroy a forest or kill a baby lamb by throwing out all those cd-rs?

You need a third option in this poll.

Eh, a cull is necessary now and then with so much stuff available. I was actually thinking about all the downloading this morning and while I do think it is a shame that so much music is taken for free, I really have to say if it were not, I would still not spend anymore on music than I already do. I pretty much spend what I can afford buying the stuff I really like after downloading to listen, especially if it is on vinyl. If I couldn't download, if anything I may actually buy less...or at least rely more on buying back catalog of old favorites since I would be less likely to take a chance on stuff when I can't hear it first. Most of the downloads I don't buy in some format are things I end up listening to a couple times and then delete, stuff I'd have never bought in the first place anyway.

And really, as crappy as radio and all is for hearing new stuff, without downloading I really don't know where I'd hear much of anything decent. Maybe a bit of a rationalization, but absolutely true in my case anyway.

This thread reminded me to cancel my emusic subscription today.

Bingo...

Even streaming is not the same...If i can't live with a record for 2-3 listens, strong chance I won't buy it. I'm not taking chances anymore on a good review, cool album cover, or one song that siriusxm may play over and over...

I really need to delete some of the stuff taking up space over 4 hard drives.

So you want us to make you feel better about shit you stole just because you no longer want it?

exactly! i'm no longer held hostage under the karmic retribution that Elbow and Les Savy Fav were bound to reign upon me.