I was organizing some CD’s on my shelf this afternoon, making room for new stuff, and a thought came to mind… It’s awfully hard to NOT be a music collector sometimes. It’s no secret that we get sent a lot of our music for review purposes, and these days it’s almost always a stream or mp3s and not physical CD’s, but I come from a generation where we bought our music in a physical form of some kind — we got artwork on a disc and cover artwork, lyrics to pour over, etc. So even now, even if I have the music already in digital form, I often like to still collect the CD’s and even vinyls from my favorite artists. This requires the “music collector” to buy music once, twice, sometimes more to “collect” everything available. (Like those artists with special editions exclusive to different retailers? That’s just MEAN to the collector!)
I’ll find myself at the merch table of a favorite artist or on their website, staring at that “limited edition EP” or “limited edition vinyl” release that contains music I already own and something nags inside:
“You gotta get this. You gotta get it now or never.”
The rational mind shoots back, “But I have this already. Is there a better way to spend this $10.00?”
You find yourself looking up at the t-shirts at the merch table — there’s something you don’t already have. But your music collector instinct pushes your gaze downward towards that special EP that’s not available anywhere but at this artist’s live show.
“I don’t even really like that song,” you tell yourself.
“But it’s a collector’s item! If you don’t get it now, it’ll be $75.00 on eBay in a couple months.”
“…or 75 cents.”
“FOCUS!”
I realize this is an exaggerated (even silly) example, but I know there are others like me out there — others who don’t need that dang physical EP CD or limited edition vinyl but for some reason have GOT to have it.
Let me hear you, music collectors! Any other fans out there who can relate?