Metal heads vs normies : Physical media

[Necro Red]

Out of my group of friends and work mates, I seem to be the only one who still prefers and purchases physical media.  My question here is, is it because us metal folk are devoted fans? Or "normies" average spotify listeners/ music fans just don't care as much about music as we do? Myself, I've always preferred to own music and enjoy the ritual of removing the CD or vinyl and playing it. A friend once said I was old fashioned which I found endlessly amusing 
Thoughts so folks?

[Eoin McLove]

I think it's an old fashion thing but I also think that because the culture of buying physical media is alive and well in the underground metal world, it's likely that some young heads will adopt the habit too. Artwork, band photos and lyrics sheets are all an important part of the experience for me. I was always massively drawn to the imagery of metal bands and I still am. I'm half kicking myself now as I'm doing a big move in a couple of months and moving a thirty year record collection versus moving an ipod is proving to be costly 

[Necro Red]

That was a point I forgot to mention actually. I get the convience of spotify and downloads as moving a collection is a pain. I've moved a few times and know that  for sure. The collection will never stop with me anyway. One would hope the younger fans start collections of their own. Tapes seem to be the rage lately I see. They look better than they sound

[Anton Arcane]

The normie's relationship with music is a fickle and disposable one. Most of them stop even taking notice of what's on the radio once they reach their 20s. So it stands to reason that they regard physical music in much the same way as they would a phone box call card from the 90s.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

There are plenty of metal heads who have largely abandoned the physical medium and plenty of, particularly vinyl, collectors who aren't into metal at all; dance heads, hip-hop heads, jazz heads, classic rock heads, R'n'B heads, etc., etc. The vinyl revival wasn't at all limited to heavy metal, and there's plenty of music buffs who say that X, Y, and Z genre sounds best on wax. See here, for example:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinyl_revival#2012_vinyl_LP_charts

[Slaughterday]

Can't ever see myself moving away from LPs and CDs for metal as long as I can afford them. For any other genre Spotify or YouTube is fine, but for metal I need to have the physical format. Can't enjoy the album as much without owning it.

Sold a load of deadwood in my collection years ago so what I have now is quality over quantity.

[TurnTheAirBlue]

I prefer records too, but I will say the Tidal streaming service is very good!
I connect via Bluetooth to my stereo with Tidal and the sound is superb.
Plenty of bands on there now, not just the mainstream stuff.

This is a pretty cool feature they offer that Spotify don't (although they do have plans to implement it)

https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000397069-TIDAL-MASTERS-AND-MASTER-QUALITY-AUDIO

[Blackout]

I'm probably the only one with not a hint of physical media anymore. I had quite a  cd collection back in the day but had to sell most of it off due to financial struggles. Spotify/soundcloud/bandcamp keeps me going.

[Pedrito]

I prefer records too, but I will say the Tidal streaming service is very good!
I connect via Bluetooth to my stereo with Tidal and the sound is superb.
Plenty of bands on there now, not just the mainstream stuff.

How much is it?

This is a pretty cool feature they offer that Spotify don't (although they do have plans to implement it)

https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000397069-TIDAL-MASTERS-AND-MASTER-QUALITY-AUDIO

[TurnTheAirBlue]

10 euro a month I think it was.

[son of the Morrigan]

I'm in the same boat as Necro Red above, out of all the people I know, I seem to be the only one still buying CDs, I'm also the only metal fan.
As a fan of death metal in the main, Id be lost without the lyric sheet, sure ya have to read along with the vocals the first time or two ya listen to a new album or ya won't know what the hell the vocalist is raving about, for me its one of the joys of experiencing a new album.
The third or fourth listen to a new album is enjoyed while looking at the artwork in conjunction with soaking up the art of the music in the background, a feast for the senses.

I was discussing this with a friend of mine some time ago and he called me a "purist", which I had a bit of a giggle about, given the subject matter of the stuff I listen to.

I don't get this obsession with vinyl at all, at all. As far as I'm concerned the sound quality of CDs is second to none and the ability to effortlessly skip tracks, find whatever track you'r in the mood for, or repeat a good song with the press of a button cannot be overestimated.

[Kurt Cocaine]

I prefer records too, but I will say the Tidal streaming service is very good!
I connect via Bluetooth to my stereo with Tidal and the sound is superb.
Plenty of bands on there now, not just the mainstream stuff.

How much is it?

This is a pretty cool feature they offer that Spotify don't (although they do have plans to implement it)

https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000397069-TIDAL-MASTERS-AND-MASTER-QUALITY-AUDIO

Check Tital offers. I got a 4 or 5 month deal there before Christmas for €3.99....
When that deal runs out get your missus or whoever to sign up for another deal and you sign in under their email address.
I've never paid €10 a month to them yet....
Good service but they push a lot of Rap, Hip-Hop and R&B on you.....

[Nazgûl]

I don't think it's a metal thing at all and moreso just how much a person loves music -- that meaning the whole visual, tangable aspect to it as well as listening. Two of my good mates aren't into metal and both buy a lot of records. One is into vinyl DJing so that's a big aspect for him, and the other is into predominantly jazz and electronic music.

[Necr0rceN]

I'm the same lads, most of my non-metal friends don't get why I'm still buying LPs when I have Spotify as well. For me Spotify is great for podcasts and music in the car, but there is nothing more pleasurable that opening that LP you were chasing for a while and cracking a beer and just enjoying the sheer pleasure of the crackles and the metal  . It might be the ceremony that I have now around listening to my LPs (Jesus Christ, I sound like my old lad) but lights low, LP on, cold beer. The LP covers, inlays are all part of the product and the experience for me. I will never stop. I don't get same feeling from CDs and especially not from anything on spotify, even if it is the same music at the end of the day. I will support the bands I like and will always prefer LPs.

[Doctor Crippen]

I'm in the same boat as Necro Red above, out of all the people I know, I seem to be the only one still buying CDs, I'm also the only metal fan.
As a fan of death metal in the main, Id be lost without the lyric sheet, sure ya have to read along with the vocals the first time or two ya listen to a new album or ya won't know what the hell the vocalist is raving about, for me its one of the joys of experiencing a new album.
The third or fourth listen to a new album is enjoyed while looking at the artwork in conjunction with soaking up the art of the music in the background, a feast for the senses.

I was discussing this with a friend of mine some time ago and he called me a "purist", which I had a bit of a giggle about, given the subject matter of the stuff I listen to.

I don't get this obsession with vinyl at all, at all. As far as I'm concerned the sound quality of CDs is second to none and the ability to effortlessly skip tracks, find whatever track you'r in the mood for, or repeat a good song with the press of a button cannot be overestimated.

I think when you grew up and bought music before CD's  came out vinyl and tape were the go to that is ingrained in me personally.

I love vinyl and remember in a lot of vinyl you would get posters and extra stuff. Also vinyl weighs a lot and takes up a lot of space so Cd's and tapes were a god send especially when moving.