Anyone else been paring down their collection?

I ended up having a CD of everything (from being a 90s kid), a cassette of everything (from having cars with only tape decks), and a vinyl of everything (from being a DJ and sample-based recording artist).

Now that streaming is making it easier to access music anywhere, I have been having thoughts (only) of getting rid of the collection I have so lovingly curated over the years.

I still discover music that I want to buy physical copies of.

I don't DJ anymore.

But on the other hand, I still do grab a record and throw it on, or bring CDs for a road trip. Beats charging that damn phone all the time (or... draining it with streaming).

There is a tonne of stuff on digital now, but I'm still an analogue boy - and noticing when certain singles, remixes, versions, released versions or either omitted or altered.

I've considered pairing down my CD collection. But who's going to buy any of it??

I have dual copies on LP and CD. I'd ditch the CD since all my LPs are digitized. Even when I did my Tony M.-less edits on D&P and , I used the vinyl version of the songs to do it.

I just purged most of my remaining CD collection this past summer. I sold about 800 CDs and gave away about another 100 or so. This was after selling/giving away several hundred more in the previous years.

I kept (of course) the Prince stuff, Hendrix, Beatles and Bowie.

It was just taking up too much space, and I don't even know the last time I played a CD (I usually just use Spotify). It was not about the money, it was about minimalism and clutter.

I had about 10% of seller's remorse when it was all over, but mostly I just felt like a huge weight was lifted.

I sold them like 15 ish years ago when I moved for college.

Ripped 'em to FLAC with ExactAudioCopy. No regrets in the moment...

The other day though I was rediscovering some classiq nu metal from back in the day, though. I know we got some devout nu metalhedz at the org... always wished Prince would bust out a 7-string and downtune to drop-A back in the day. Anyway getting back into some of the underwritten/underappreciated/oft-overlooked "synth nu metal" style from back-when like Orgy, Deadsy, Videodrone, etc... honestly wish I could bust out the CD case to Vapor Transmission or peruse the liner notes to "The Key to Gramercy Park". In retrospect, that kinda stuff definitely shaped my later appreciation for new wave, goth, and synth styles, same with moments of the Queen of the Damned OST. It would be neat to have a relic of that evolution.

I'd never play the actual CDs, though. Too OCD. Back in the day I'd burn a copy and keep the silver disc mint. Car CD changers would always scratch the discs whenloading and unloading.

[Edited 3/17/23 14:40pm]

TrivialPursuit said:

I've considered pairing down my CD collection. But who's going to buy any of it??

Used CD store will give you like 40-50 bucks probably,

Some of the old CDs go for crazy amounts on eBay.

Like all of Esham's old CDs sell for like $50-$85++ on there. Definitely check if you got some indie pressings before selling.

I sold my entire collection of Vinyl / cd's and cassettes a long time ago. Ripped what I wanted to keep and made a small fortune from some of them.

I have it all on hard drives, safely backed up and have had zero regrets.

Last part of my collection I sold was the laserdiscs, didn't have a player, but I loved those things as objects. I do miss holding those, but now I have a wife.

^Buy almost 100% of my music now from Bandcamp and Qobuz.

mb71 said:

I sold my entire collection of Vinyl / cd's and cassettes a long time ago. Ripped what I wanted to keep and made a small fortune from some of them.

I have it all on hard drives, safely backed up and have had zero regrets.

Last part of my collection I sold was the laserdiscs, didn't have a player, but I loved those things as objects. I do miss holding those, but now I have a wife.

I made a move across the country and culled the collection by 70% - that was a little difficult.

Can't currently do it with the albums that made the journey with me but I'm done getting anything in a physical music format.

I'm done with collecting anything for that matter and will eventually sell what I do have.

I just took up getting vinyl records during the pandemic after not owning any sibce the '80s...

Se7en said:

It was not about the money, it was about minimalism and clutter.

I have a dozen underbed containers that are not very accessible anyway.

kitbradley said:

Got rid of 95% of my vinyl collection years ago. I will NEVER part with my 3000+ CD collection, though. Most of them are downloaded on youtube music so I can listen to what I want in the car but I am a physical media guy so whatever music or movies I like I prefer to have a physical copy since clouds, drives and streaming services are not guaranteed..

I just bought the new Miley Cyrus on CD and listened to it in my Jeep all weekend, even though I had already technically downloaded it. Old habits!

purplethunder3121 said:

I just took up getting vinyl records during the pandemic after not owning any sibce the '80s...

That was the funny thing about lockdown.

TrivialPursuit said:

I've considered pairing down my CD collection. But who's going to buy any of it??

My problem is my Macbook is ready to biff it any day now, and I might like to have my CDs to rip them again (if I can get an optical drive for my next personal computer).

WhisperingDandelions said:

I'd never play the actual CDs, though. Too OCD. Back in the day I'd burn a copy and keep the silver disc mint. Car CD changers would always scratch the discs whenloading and unloading.

My car CD changer has actually been having a problem reading ones that are new and mint. Seems to read worn ones a bit better.

I am surprised as a numetal fan that you are that OCD because used Metal albums (CDs or wax) always looks like they were thrown across a room.

S2DG said:

mb71 said:

I sold my entire collection of Vinyl / cd's and cassettes a long time ago. Ripped what I wanted to keep and made a small fortune from some of them.

I have it all on hard drives, safely backed up and have had zero regrets.

Last part of my collection I sold was the laserdiscs, didn't have a player, but I loved those things as objects. I do miss holding those, but now I have a wife.

co- HEY I RESEMBLE THAT REMARK

S2DG said:

I made a move across the country and culled the collection by 70% - that was a little difficult.

Can't currently do it with the albums that made the journey with me but I'm done getting anything in a physical music format.

I'm done with collecting anything for that matter and will eventually sell what I do have.

That's what I always tell myself, then this Saturday I came home with two CDs and vinyl.

mb71 said:

^Buy almost 100% of my music now from Bandcamp and Qobuz.

Yeah, I have a lot of interesting stuff that will never be on Spotify.

WhisperingDandelions said:

TrivialPursuit said:

I've considered pairing down my CD collection. But who's going to buy any of it??

Used CD store will give you like 40-50 bucks probably,

Some of the old CDs go for crazy amounts on eBay.

Like all of Esham's old CDs sell for like $50-$85++ on there. Definitely check if you got some indie pressings before selling.

I have some MF DOOM related vinyl that is going for crazy. I should probably pull the trigger!

Has anyone taken the Marie Kondo approach to deciding what to keep and what to get rid of?

My problem is I got rid of a bunch of stuff at a garage sale when I was 12 thinking I would appreciate the money more, but it sent me into a spiral of trying to re-find some items. OBVIOUSLY IT WAS BEFORE THE INTERNET, but the process still triggers me to that memory.

Cinny said:

There is a tonne of stuff on digital now, but I'm still an analogue boy - and noticing when certain singles, remixes, versions, released versions or either omitted or altered.

JUST THIS MONTH, De La Soul's catalog from Tommy Boy has been added to streaming services. Their debut album especially was wrought with legal problems from uncleared samples. I was absolutely devastated to hear "Cool Breeze On The Rocks" COMPLETELY RUINED in the March 2023 re-release by keeping only the game show portion.

It happens a lot in pre-1993 rap which is some of my favourite stuff, so I guess I will have to hold on to that stuff.

It keeps happening, even where you would think it would be "in the clear", so to speak.

Have you heard EPMD's 1988 "Let The Funk Flow" in the last five years? It sounds like the Beastie Boys "Slow And Low" scratch has been taken out except where the noise bled onto other tracks. Keep in mind Beastie Boys were the first to catch a sample lawsuit from the very same album "Slow And Low" came from.

Now why would I get rid of my original physical copies of anything

Cinny said:

Has anyone taken the Marie Kondo approach to deciding what to keep and what to get rid of?

My problem is I got rid of a bunch of stuff at a garage sale when I was 12 thinking I would appreciate the money more, but it sent me into a spiral of trying to re-find some items. OBVIOUSLY IT WAS BEFORE THE INTERNET, but the process still triggers me to that memory.

I did something similiar in 2003/2004 where I got rid of all of the jewel cases (in favor of CaseLogic binders). I kept the paper inserts in another box.

But about a year or so later, I regretted that decision and bought all new jewel cases to re-assemble them all.

Side note: at the time, I had donated the cases to my local used CD shop. Nothing went in the garbage or recycle. Bonus: all of my CDs had new jewel cases.

Se7en said:

One thing about moving jewel cases is I could stack them in a couple rows and another row high in a Bankers Box... but I had over thirty Bankers Boxes of just CDs

Cinny said:

S2DG said:

I made a move across the country and culled the collection by 70% - that was a little difficult.

Can't currently do it with the albums that made the journey with me but I'm done getting anything in a physical music format.

I'm done with collecting anything for that matter and will eventually sell what I do have.

That's what I always tell myself, then this Saturday I came home with two CDs and vinyl.

That's how I've been my whole life, I just need to just go cold turkey.

Cinny said:

One thing about moving jewel cases is I could stack them in a couple rows and another row high in a Bankers Box... but I had over thirty Bankers Boxes of just CDs

My cds are in Pampers boxes!

nayroo2002 said:

Cinny said:

One thing about moving jewel cases is I could stack them in a couple rows and another row high in a Bankers Box... but I had over thirty Bankers Boxes of just CDs

My cds are in Pampers boxes!

omg I'd have to be wearing the Pampers to lift those

S2DG said:

Cinny said:

That's what I always tell myself, then this Saturday I came home with two CDs and vinyl.

That's how I've been my whole life, I just need to just go cold turkey.

It's like I forget what my goal is, and my access to these recordings.

Update: Canada Post is delivering a new album today!