Listening to CD's again?

[astrodomekid]

As a kid in the early 2000's, my go-to music format was CD's. I remember my first album being "No Strings Attached" by *NSYNC and just jamming to it non-stop back in the day (and I still find it hard to believe that it's been over 20 years since!). I've enjoyed listening to a number of CD's over the years before shifting towards iTunes, and later vinyl records. While collecting the latter, I tended to buy a CD of an album that I was interested in just to rip it to my iTunes library (the family sharing plan I was on at the time made it difficult for me to buy albums from the iTunes Store without getting a gift card), and if I enjoyed the album enough I would try to find it on vinyl shortly after. This slowed down in 2019 when I began using Apple Music and started running low on storage on records (which I do plan on expanding upon so I can start collecting again). But lately, I started missing listening to CD's. Much like vinyl, there seems to be a charm in actually owning an album that digital and streaming just can't seem to capture.

So I've decided to start searching for and collecting CD's again - emphasizing on 90's/Y2K rock, pop and electronic - and popping them into my stereo, cranking up the bass, and pushing play for old times' sake.

Some of my favorite CD's I already have include:

Backstreet Boys - "Backstreet Boys (U.S. Version)" (1996)
Backstreet Boys - "Millennium" (1999)
Blink-182 - "Enema of the State" (1999)
Britney Spears - "...Baby One More Time" (1999)
Britney Spears - "Oops! I Did It Again" (2000)
Carmen Electra - "Fantasia Erotica [Maxi Single]" (1992)
Christina Aguilera - "Christina Aguilera" (1999)
Evanescence - "Fallen" (2003)
Green Day - "American Idiot" (2004)
John Mayer- "Room for Squares" (2001)
The Killers - "Hot Fuss" (2004)
The KLF - "The White Room" (1991)
Leftfield - "Leftism" (1995)
M.C. Luscious - "Boom! I Got Your Boyfriend [Maxi Single]" (1991)
Meat Beat Manifesto - "Subliminal Sandwich" (1996)
Moby - "Play" (1999)
Nirvana - "Nevermind" (1991)
*NSYNC - "*NSYNC" (1998)
*NSYNC - "No Strings Attached" (2000)
*NSYNC - "Celebrity" (2001)
Oasis - "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?" (1995)
Portishead - "Dummy" (1994)
The Prodigy - "Music for the Jilted Generation" (1994)
Sting - "Brand New Day" (1999)
Various - "Club Mix: The 90's" (1998)
Various - "Fired Up!" (2003)
Various - "Now That's What I Call Music! 9" (2001)
Various - "Tempest 2000: The Soundtrack" (1994)
Various - "Thunderdome: The Megamix of Thunderdome 1-5!" (1994)
Weezer - "Weezer (The Blue Album)" (1994)

And here's some that I plan on obtaining in the future:

Alanis Morissette - "Jagged Little Pill" (1995)
Archive - "Londinium" (1996)
ATB - "Movin' Melodies" (1999)
BT - "Movement in Still Life (U.S. Version)" (2000)
The Chemical Brothers - "Exit Planet Dust" (1995)
The Chemical Brothers - "Dig Your Own Hole" (1997)
Cher - "Believe" (1998)
The Crystal Method - "Vegas" (1997)
Darude - "Before the Storm" (2000)
Destiny's Child - "Love:Destiny" (2001)
DJ Icey - "Generate" (1998)
Doran - "Electric Daisy Carnival" (2000)
Eve 6 - "Eve 6" (1998)
E-Z Rollers - "Drumfunk Hooliganz" (1998)
Fear Factory - "Remanufacture" (1997)
Fu Manchu - "The Action is Go" (1997)
Gravity Kills - "Perversion" (1998)
The Immortals - "Mortal Kombat: The Album" (1994)
Incubus - "S.C.I.E.N.C.E." (1997)
Junkie XL - "Saturday Teenage Kick" (1997)
Karsh Kale - "Realize" (2001)
KMFDM - "Symbols" (1997)
Lagwagon - "Let's Talk About Feelings" (1998)
Mandy Moore - "So Real" (1999)
Massive Attack - "Mezzanine" (1998)
The Mavis's - "Pink Pills" (1998)
Moby - "Everything is Wrong" (1995)
*NSYNC - "N' Sync (European Version)" (1997)
The Offspring - "Smash" (1994)
Orbital - "Orbital 2" (1993)
Paul Oakenfold - "Swordfish <<The Album>>" (2001)
Pearl Jam - "Ten" (1991)
Pitchshifter - "www.pitchshifter.com" (1998)
The Prodigy - "The Fat of the Land" (1997)
Robert Miles - "Dreamland" (1996)
Simply Jeff - "Funk-Da-Fried" (1997)
Sum 41 - "All Killer No Filler" (2001)
Timecode - "MSX00.1 10th Anniversary Special Edition CD" (2000)
TLC - "Fanmail" (1999)
Various - "Fired Up! 2" (2004)
Various - "Gran Turismo 2: Music at the Speed of Sound" (2000)
Various - "The Matrix: Music from the Motion Picture" (1999)
Various - "NBA Jam Session" (1994)
Various - "Sonic Dance Power" (Volumes I - VIII) (1995 - 1997)
Various - "Space Jam (Music from and Inspired By the Motion Picture" (1996)
Various - "The Sound of Gran Turismo" (1998)
Various - "Storm from the East" (1996)
Various - "Thunderdome" (Volumes I - X) (1993 - 1995)
Various - "wipEout: The Music" (1995)
The Wipeouters - "P'Twaaang!!!" (2001)
Yellowcard - "One for the Kids" (2001)

I also ordered "Now That's What I Call Music!" volumes 2-6 on eBay yesterday, and now I'm waiting for them to show up in the mailbox. For the longest time, I only ever owned volume 9; once 2 thru 6 are in, I'll definitely look for the remaining four of the first ten volumes of that long-running series (to match the timeframe that my childhood took place).

Have you been listening to CD's again recently? And if so, what do you usually enjoy listening to?

[Matchstick]

Nice topic! Say what you will about CDs, but you can't beat the convenience. They don't take up much room, they display well enough with their album art, and they're very easy to transfer to a digital format - or, if you get the itch, to transfer to tape. A very versatile, flexible format, even if some would argue that it lacks some of the "charm" of records.

Myself, I've actually begun collecting vinyl again here in the last few weeks! But I am determined to keep my collection small. This is my third attempt to build a collection, with the last two being sold off due to nasty breakups and cross-country moves. Now that I have my first house - and the most stable living environment I've ever lived in - I feel comfortable enough setting up a turntable and making it happen all over again.

(Though I will say that many of the albums from my old collection have gone through the roof on the online market! I was hoping to pick up the first few Devo and Oingo Boingo records, buuuuuuut... let's just say they cost a little more than the $3 or $4 I paid for them twenty years ago...)

As far as the CDs you listed, high-five for mentioning BT. One of my all-time favorites, even if some of his work becomes a guilty pleasure. I do recommend the follow-up to Movement in Still Life, titled Emotional Technology. The albums after that, This Binary Universe and These Hopeful Machines, are popular with fans, as well. And I highly recommend his first release, Ima, if you've never heard it before. Very nice soundscapes.

No mention of Daft Punk in your lists? Tsk, tsk. I'm kidding, of course, but I can't imagine my collection without Homework or Discovery. Two of my most-listened-to albums, hands down.

I get that New Order is mostly viewed as an 80s band, but one album they released in the 90s, Republic, might just be up your alley. To me, it has a very distinct 90s sound.

And you mention the soundtrack to Mortal Kombat, but not Batman Forever? Man, what a slice of 90s cheese that album is! I'm sure it's worth the 75 cents it would cost you to track it down, just for a laugh.

As far as 90s alt-rock, and bands that sound distinctly 90s, I had a soft spot for 311. My wife makes fun of me every time I put them on, but man, sometimes I just gotta rock out to Soundsystem! Transistor, Soundsystem, From Chaos, and Evolver... mmmm, mmmm, was that ever a time to be alive for yours truly, here. I saw them on tour for three of those four album releases, and had a great time at each show - even if I can't remember too much from those nights

Also, is Ten the only Pearl Jam album on your wishlist? Have you ever listened to Vs, or Vitalogy? The latter is a little weird (in a good way) but Vs might as well be Ten, part two. It's on the same level, to my ears. I also liked Yield, one of their later albums. Very stripped-down and rough around the edges, and it sounds **GREAT** on CD. Can't recommend it enough.

As a last recommendation, it may be from earlier in the decade, but are you a fan of Fishbone? If you've never heard of them, I'd check out The Reality of My Surroundings. It was pretty popular back in the day, so you should be able to find it dirt cheap. Might just change your life, my friend...

[bluenote]

Great topic!

I've been collecting cd's for about 30 years now, (since I was 16). Got my first cd player in 1991ish. I've always preferred cds, even with the vinyl revival. I get that some records can sound better than cds, but there are too many obstacles with vinyl that make it not worthwhile for me. First, the price. New records are about $35-$40 (for the most part), here in canada.

As well, when I was a kid and listened to records, I would sit and listen from start to finish and wouldn't do anything else but listen. Now, I usually listen while doing something (cleaning, cooking, background music while entertaining friends, etc), and having to flip sides and change records is not very convenient for that.

I love the compact nature of cds. I hate the scratches and pops with records. I know a lot of people say it adds to the experience, but to me it's distracting. When I listened to records as a kid, pops and scratches were a nuisance, it didn't add to the experience!

Anyway, I love cds, and they are perfect for my lifestyle. I like collecting them still, instead of streaming. A nicely mastered cd played through a proper 2 channel stereo still sounds so good.

[MSR1701]

I usually listen to digital music, mostly due to the fact that the main genre of music I enjoy is video game soundtracks (and movie soundtracks), and only in recent years have I started to collect some of the official CDs to some of the series (which has gotten QUITE pricey in recent years).

[Voor]

My vehicle is older, so it doesn’t have any accommodations for digital music, so I stick to CDs for the commute. But I only buy probably 2-3 a year.

For other stuff, like doing chores or activities, you just can’t beat the convenience of having music on your phone with wireless headphones. I listen to a lot of music via YouTube.

[LuckyWDFN]

I never stopped listening to CDs or purchasing them. Like other forms of physical media, the price has really started to rise in the past few years.

I just purchased a late-90s Kenwood Stereo component system with Bose speakers for very cheap on facebook marketplace - a tuner, 300 CD player, turntable, the speakers, and dual-cassette deck. You can find these state-of-the-art (for the time) systems that used to literally cost thousands of dollars for very cheap - and the quality is still excellent. Before I bought it, I even debated buying parts for a component system through thrift stores. You can literally get a Pioneer, Technics, or Kenwood tuner for $10-20 and part out the rest (and speakers) from thrift stores and marketplace.

[Matchstick]

You can find these state-of-the-art (for the time) systems... through thrift stores.

Excellent point, Lucky.

I think a lot of it boils down to the size of the old equipment. As time's gone on, tech has gotten smaller. People that aren't used to old tech also aren't used to dedicating a room to a stereo setup or a home theater. Give them some wireless headphones, or a Bluetooth speaker, and they're set. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but that type of crowd doesn't tend to value older equipment or understand its functionality - they just want it gone, and out of the house.

This can also be said for older tube TVs - the types that are perfect for retro gaming. I see very, very nice TVs that, like stereo equipment, cost hundreds of dollars back in the day, now being given away for free on Marketplace and whatnot. Just this last weekend, my wife showed me a 32" Sony Trinitron CRT on Marketplace, fully working and including the remote, for free. I used to have that same TV, and it is a beauty! But it also weighs 200 pounds, and there's no way I'm lugging it up to my game room in the attic. But for someone that can value it, its a nice pickup.

Myself, I got a Panasonic all-in-one bookshelf stereo system at a thrift shop for $25, about five years ago. Came with two bookshelf speakers with a central unit featuring a tape deck, tuner, and CD player. Also had the remote, and looked like it had barely been used. These were the types of sets that used to be at any Circuit City or Best Buy back in the day for $250 or so, and I got it for a tenth of that price, in excellent condition and full working order. It still sounds great, and I currently have my turntable hooked up to it through a line-in port. I also use it to create some modern, custom cassette tapes.

(As an aside, I've always thought Panasonic had the best sound and quality for a budget brand.)

For $25, it was a steal. Anyone looking for great deals on stereo equipment - or older tech in general - would do well to take Lucky's advice. It's out there - you just have to know where to look!

[jon]

The thing that sucks about not having a CD player in the car is that there's some singles from obscure bands I had that there's songs that are impossible to find on the internet. I lost my CD single for this band Spot, Moon June Spoon from 1995, and it contained 2 songs which I haven't been able to find on the internet, much less Apple Music.

[DrLitch]

I think Vinyl might be a more foolproof method of collecting music - that is if you take good care of your stuff. I have a CD collection running perhaps into the 700's, much of it obscure underground and thus irreplaceable stuff (eBaying a rare CD for hundreds of $$$ is not my favorite pastime but I have done it in the past on the odd occasion to complete a collection). I have noticed three of the older CD's, collected that were one off prints in the 1980's early 90's (and paid a large amount of money for) no longer f*****g work . They are now expensive frisbees. No scratches that I can see, just do not bloody work. As a medium, CD's should last at least 100 years or more but some manufacturing standards or methods varied wildly in the 80's and 90's during the medium's peak popularity so YMMV. Vinyl? Lasts pretty much forever if you do not scratch it. I also think vinyl is cooler than CD in some ways. Vinyl, for rarer prints, is waaaaaaaay expensive though. Mainstream music fine, some of the more obscure stuff, as hard to collect for as vintage video games, that is if one cares to be frugal.

[LoganRuckman]

The thing that sucks about not having a CD player in the car is that there's some singles from obscure bands I had that there's songs that are impossible to find on the internet. I lost my CD single for this band Spot, Moon June Spoon from 1995, and it contained 2 songs which I haven't been able to find on the internet, much less Apple Music.

https://www.discogs.com/release/9004256 ... June-Spoon

There's a copy for $20