[Joe]

This poll is primarily for people 25 and under. People over 25 should feel free to post in the thread, but please select the "over 25" option in the poll. Also, if you could indicate your decade in your post (30s, 40s, etc) that would be helpful.<br><br>
"Digital downloads" is used to indicate people who purchase music in the form of downloadable computer files (MP3s, WMVs, OGGs, etc.) through such services as iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, etc.<br><br>
Please select the option closest to your purchasing practices during the last year or two.<br><br>
The purpose of the age restriction is to focus on what younger/college-age people are doing, but also to focus on whether the CD format is really commercially viable by downplaying the behavior of people who may be purchasing CDs out of the force of habit.<br><br>
Digital purchases have certainly increased in recent years, but I'm trying to get a feel for how much this is so and what is the behavior of people by age group.

 

[Spang]

I purchase all of my music through Amazon or directly from the artist/s via digital download. Also, I am 32.

 

[rags.]

I don't really purchase any, generally I listen online on Spotify or Last.fm. If I do buy any, it's downloaded. And if there's an album I've been listening to that I really, reaaaally love and listen to frequently...I will purchase the CD (this is very rare though.)

 

[Beetlejuice]

<div class="quote-container">deleted</div>

 

[Melanie]

I am 31 years old, and I rarely buy any music anymore. When I did, it was in the form of CDs mostly. If I were to buy music nowadays, it would be in digital form.

 

[Herbivorous B.I.G.]

I am over 25, and I couldn't tell you the last time I bought an actual CD. I buy all of my music through Amazon or iTunes.

 

[ElaineV]

What the... I thought the age thing was a joke.<br><br>
All my CDs were stolen so now I get everything as a download unless there's some special reason not to. But the whole 'having my entire music collection stolen' thing has basically meant that I mostly listen to the radio now and don't much bother with 'my' music anymore since obviously it's not mine.

 

[CuCulain42]

I buy mine on CD. Thinking about going back into vinyl though. Oh, and yes I'm over 25... Thirtysomething.

 

[Hazelnut]

I'm 30.<br><br>
I'm 100% digital download now.<br><br>
I get robbed on average about once a year, and I'm tired of re-purchasing CDs four times or more.<br><br>
I actually have a special gmail account set up for my music. They have the cloud thing now, but for years, every time I purchase a new song or album, I'll attach each file to an e-mail and send it to that address. Permanent storage. My whole house can burn to the ground, but I can still get to all of my music!!!

 

[fadeaway1289]

I'm 33 and I haven't bought any type of music in forever but when I did it was always on cds. I have never purchased any music online in digital format.

 

[exiled_expatriate]

<p>...</p>

 

[Joe]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>ElaineV</strong> <a href="/forum/post/2918053"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
What the... I thought the age thing was a joke.</div>
</div>
<br>
No. And I'm sorry if that aspect of the poll offended you or anyone else. The poll grew out of a question put to me by my old college philosophy professor (who is 65+ and still teaching undergraduates), who is a classical music fan that I correspond with through e-mail. He wanted to know about music in digital format, and specifically whether "young people" (roughly college age people) are still buying CDs. Since I am over 40, I really had no clue what "young people" are doing, but had to assume that their purchasing practices might differ significantly from those of older people.<br><br>
I do not support age discrimination. But it is just an aspect of reality that people's behavior in many aspects of life often tends to differ with age, so that aspect has to be factored in if we are to understand that behavior.<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>ElaineV</strong> <a href="/forum/post/2918053"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
All my CDs were stolen so now I get everything as a download unless there's some special reason not to. But the whole 'having my entire music collection stolen' thing has basically meant that I mostly listen to the radio now and don't much bother with 'my' music anymore since obviously it's not mine.</div>
</div>
<br>
I am very sorry to hear that. I guess I am fortunate to live in a low crime area and have never had anything stolen from inside my house.

 

[Joe]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Hazelnut</strong> <a href="/forum/post/2918071"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
I get robbed on average about once a year, and I'm tired of re-purchasing CDs four times or more.</div>
</div>
<br>
I am very sorry to hear this. Also, this is an eye-opener to me, reading both your and ElaineV's post. I never imagined that this would be a factor in CD vs. digital purchases. I guess I'm naive.<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Hazelnut</strong> <a href="/forum/post/2918071"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
I actually have a special gmail account set up for my music. They have the cloud thing now, but for years, every time I purchase a new song or album, I'll attach each file to an e-mail and send it to that address. Permanent storage. My whole house can burn to the ground, but I can still get to all of my music!!!</div>
</div>
<br>
I guess you are smarter than I am in that regard. I have a GMail account, but I haven't kept up with the "cloud thing." I did have a computer crash about 9 months ago, and was able to retrieve a lot of important files and documents from my GMail correspondence. But I never really thought of preserving music files that way.

 

[Hazelnut]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Joe</strong> <a href="/forum/post/2918275"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
I am very sorry to hear this. Also, this is an eye-opener to me, reading both your and ElaineV's post. I never imagined that this would be a factor in CD vs. digital purchases. I guess I'm naive.<br><br>
I guess you are smarter than I am in that regard. I have a GMail account, but I haven't kept up with the "cloud thing." I did have a computer crash about 9 months ago, and was able to retrieve a lot of important files and documents from my GMail correspondence. But I never really thought of preserving music files that way.</div>
</div>
<br>
I never really thought about being robbed until the first time I sat down in my car to go to work, and realized I had to adjust my seat forward about 6 inches.<br><br>
I like Amazon.com's cloud they just cranked up.<br><br>
When you buy music on Amazon, they save it to your cloud. Its always there, and you can download it whenever you want. You can also UPLOAD your non-Amazon music (as long as its a legal copy) to your Amazon cloud for safe-keeping.

 

[reneeannem]

I'm 27. I buy most of my music in digital form, but I also collect vinyl. If I'm at a concert for someone local, I might buy a CD, but generally I stick to the other two formats.

 

[JoBravo]

I just turned 26 in May.<br><br>
What's a CD? <br><br>
I haven't bought a CD since high school.

 

[Spang]

My first CD was Bobby Brown's Don't Be Cruel.

 

[exiled_expatriate]

<div class="quote-container">...</div>

 

[sequoia]

OP, you should know that many young people still buy vinyl. Vinyl is considered the best by music snobs and is very trendy within a certain much-maligned subculture *cough*hipsters*cough*

 

[Beancounter]

Note, I accidentally chose something other than "I'm over 25". Sorry for skewing the results...<br><br>
I'm significantly over 25, and I'd say 90% of my music purchases are digital. The remaining 10% get digitized right away, and the CD is left to collect dust.<br><br>
After going through years of records, 8 tracks, cassets, and CD's, I am a huge fan of the space saving digital format. A room full of music on a small plastic rectangle!!<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/rockon.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":rockon:">