I’ve been taking music for granted, and I’m sure most people do. I don’t blame anyone, we live in an era where music is more accessible than ever, but with the introductions of streaming services and algorithms a question arises; has the element of community connection in music been lost? This idea began to pester me when I realised how frustrated I was getting with my own listing habits. I was constantly consuming music wherever I went to the point where it was becoming constant noise, not an escape but a stressor.

“CDs seemed like the perfect choice for my new adventure; much more accessible, cost-effective and durable”

So I decided I wanted to bring whimsy back into my music consumption by making more conscious choices on what I listened to. This lead me to the humble CD. Underrated in an era of vinyl collecting, CDs seemed like the perfect choice for my new adventure; much more accessible, cost-effective and durable. With this goal I began a journey of appreciation and connection that I never expected, and I hope to share some of the lessons I learnt so you too can learn to love music again.

Branch out (in listening and collecting)

My collection has its origins in a rule I set myself when I was younger, that if I ever had an album I listened to and loved every track on I had to purchase it on CD. Though this meant I was starting my CD odyssey with a strong foundation I knew I loved, it did mean I felt very limited in what I looked for, as in the past few years my album-specific listening had lessened to focus on random singles and maybe the occasional b-side. So I chose to ignore it, picking up on the rare sale CD from a band I recognised or album I’d heard parts of from HMV whenever I chose to browse.

One of my personal favourite places to search has been local charity shops, with many offering records I would never consider searching for otherwise, paired with a great discount that makes it so much easier to try something new. Many of the places I’d frequent would offer deals such as five CDs for £1 and have led to my collection expanding to cover artists or genres I would not normally gravitate towards. Looking through my collection from when I was younger has also allowed me to evaluate and appreciate artists I would normally brush off and has led to an obsession with the most random of groups.

Get silly with it!

One of my personal favourite parts of CD collecting is finding hidden gems and funny compilation albums that I would never be recommended by the all-powerful Spotify algorithm. Choosing to listen to CDs feels defiant and can also help bring that fun back into listening by making the conscious decision to pick an album and stick to it (no matter how strange). I have personally found joy in discovering random soundtracks and compilations, including Barbie Let’s All Party 2011.

“Choosing to listen to CDs feels defiant”

Due to the relatively affordable nature of CDs, I have found myself taking more risks in what I listen to; picking up random compilation CDs in order to find new tracks or albums by artists that I recognise but have not listened to in full. This risk-taking has resulted in the discovery of some of my favourite albums, from Lily Allen’s It’s Not Me, It’s You to The Veronicas’ Hook Me Up, and I have grown to appreciate the compilation album as a vehicle for sharing a range of beats and genres, much in the same way I would create playlists.

Categorise, categorise, categorise

I love tracking things; from the movies I watch to the books I read, having an accessible list to consult and record the albums I own or want has been super helpful. Creating logs in apps like Discogs can support future collecting by providing a space to record exactly what you have and when you got it, preventing confusion later down the line. Personally, I love the wishlist and recommendation features, as they provide me with a starting point that I can work from when I don’t have the time to browse. Being a radio presenter, these apps also generate a social element as my friends and I discuss and compare what records we own, also making it incredibly easy to make recommendations.

“This ritual has led to some of the most memorable evenings, with friends finding albums in my collection that they had long forgotten”

Start a conversation

Collecting has become a way to connect with those closest to me, from aunts and uncles who have offered their own collections, to trips with my mother to charity shops, digging through CD bins and developing games where we randomly choose CDs to listen to. Not only has my collecting allowed others to share their own collections with me, reigniting a passion that had been forgotten with the overshadowing of streaming, it has also added a further element of interaction to group hangouts, with the night often starting with a guest choosing the music that will set the tone for the evening. This ritual has led to some of the most memorable evenings, with friends finding albums in my collection that they had long forgotten and swapping stories and tales that helped to deepen our connections and understanding of one another.

In an age of corporations and monopolies, becoming more mindful of my listening habits and using music as a way to connect with others feels like taking some power back, making the conscious choice to explore new artists and deep dive into forgotten favourites.