Posts Tagged ‘Digital’

CD cover art for Johnny A's album Get Inside

While tearing through my CD collection looking for Steely Dan’s Alive in America to hear Dennis Chambers solo in Josie I realized why the Compact Disc format is dying. A few years ago when my kids would buy CD’s and quickly take out the disc and insert it in their travel cases only to leave the jewel cases and printed inserts gathering dust in some drawer I just couldn’t fathom that.

For me the cases were the only way to connect with the CD in a way that we used to connect with an LP. Having something to hold and read over and over from the lyrics to the credits to whatever the album contained. The albums stored in some sort of order on a shelf or in boxes to help you find whatever you were looking for. Part of the fun was searching through them and finding something interesting during the search.

Your albums stayed at home. You might of brought a couple with you to a friends house but for the most part you listened at home. Sure you could record them on a cassette or even buy the cassette or eight track for the car but the first thing you did was buy the album to play at home. You buy a CD and there is no telling where you left it last. Home, car, somewhere in between.

Now all I have is frustration. I thumb through my collection and all I do is get pissed at my inability to find what I’m looking for. I know I have played it in the last 6 months but I can’t find it anywhere. Along the way I realize all the CD’s I no longer have in my collection any longer. Some I loaned out and some were borrowed without my knowledge so I don’t even know who to retrieve them from.

Enter Itunes. Whether you bought the album from Itunes or loaded your own into your library It is there easy to find with a click. No rummaging through jewel cases only to find what you are looking for and opening to discover an empty case. ITunes organizational skills put my filing system to shame. Actually it is more a pile system than an actual file system. Sure I still enjoy reading the inserts but for that to happen you have to find it first. Now where the hell is that Steely Dan CD I don’t want to have to buy it again online.