O/T: How do you listen to your collection

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   This is a 2-part question. We're all so into music that I'm curious to hear people's answers.

1) "Physical" format - Do you primarily listen to music by playing: your CD collection, CD-Rs you've made, vinyl, mp3s on your phone or iTunes, streaming sites like Spotify/SiriusXM/Pandora, letting song files play off your computer/laptop...?

2) Also, do you do anything creatively for your listening experience, i.e. do you make a CD-R for each of your favorite artists? do you make playlists for your phone based on some criteria (i.e. a specific genre, a specific year or decade, a specific theme, etc.?)

I primarily listen to CD-Rs I made (each has its own theme or something that ties the songs all together), though lately I've also been listening to mp3s on my phone quite a bit.

For my phone, I've compiled all sorts of playlists on iTunes. So I'll play something based on my mood. For example, I have playlists for different genres like classic rock, modern rock, country, AC, dance, disco, instrumentals (I even have enough songs for a ragtime genre :); playlists for each year and decade; playlists based on one artist or a favorite songwriter - and a variety of other topics. 

Most recently, I've been creating playlists based on Joel Whitburn books. I've put together ones for the rock book, the AC/hot AC book, the disco/dance book; and I'll be doing one for the country book soon. 

My AC/hot AC playlist is one based on 2000 until now. (I'll do the older AC charters later). And it kind of reminds me of the SiriusXM stations The Pulse and The Blend (but more expansive, as those 2 stations tend to focus more on recent stuff.)

I find it quite fun to listen to music grouped in so many different ways, because all I could do as a kid was listen to one 45 after the next, or play an LP.

So chime in, everyone. I'd love to hear your thoughts on all this!

Edited by EdisonLite

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EdisonLite Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 18 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 120	Post Options Post Reply Quote EdisonLite Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: O/T: How do you listen to your collection Posted: 27 February 2021 at 7:26pm
	This is a 2-part question. We're all so into music that I'm curious to hear people's answers. 1) "Physical" format - Do you primarily listen to music by playing: your CD collection, CD-Rs you've made, vinyl, mp3s on your phone or iTunes, streaming sites like Spotify/SiriusXM/Pandora, letting song files play off your computer/laptop...? 2) Also, do you do anything creatively for your listening experience, i.e. do you make a CD-R for each of your favorite artists? do you make playlists for your phone based on some criteria (i.e. a specific genre, a specific year or decade, a specific theme, etc.?) I primarily listen to CD-Rs I made (each has its own theme or something that ties the songs all together), though lately I've also been listening to mp3s on my phone quite a bit. For my phone, I've compiled all sorts of playlists on iTunes. So I'll play something based on my mood. For example, I have playlists for different genres like classic rock, modern rock, country, AC, dance, disco, instrumentals (I even have enough songs for a ragtime genre :); playlists for each year and decade; playlists based on one artist or a favorite songwriter - and a variety of other topics. Most recently, I've been creating playlists based on Joel Whitburn books. I've put together ones for the rock book, the AC/hot AC book, the disco/dance book; and I'll be doing one for the country book soon. My AC/hot AC playlist is one based on 2000 until now. (I'll do the older AC charters later). And it kind of reminds me of the SiriusXM stations The Pulse and The Blend (but more expansive, as those 2 stations tend to focus more on recent stuff.) I find it quite fun to listen to music grouped in so many different ways, because all I could do as a kid was listen to one 45 after the next, or play an LP. So chime in, everyone. I'd love to hear your thoughts on all this! Edited by EdisonLite

AdvprosD Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 12 June 2020 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote AdvprosD Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 February 2021 at 7:54pm
	When you come right down to the "Enjoyment" part of listening, I'd have to say I play files off the PC. I also have a few folders of favorites loaded into the phone, so that I can listen to my favorites over the nearest Bluetooth device. That's answer part 1... The other answer involves things that I am still working on. That includes a huge number of remixes and 12" singles dating back to the late 70's. There is the "Perfect Mix" yet to be made and I will be working on that eternally to try and mix together stuff that I know and stuff I am still discovering. I usually cap a mix at CD length. which is all I have patience for anymore. Gone are the days of hours upon hours of mixing. Edited by AdvprosD
	<Dave> Someone please tell I-Heart Radio that St. Louis is not known as The Loo!

AutumnAarilyn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 22 August 2019 Status: Offline Points: 3	Post Options Post Reply Quote AutumnAarilyn Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 February 2021 at 8:29pm
	I do full length play of a disc and other times run a clock where I put music tracks into groups based on style and era. The clock or sequence calls for max diversity and is reflective in percentage of the collection. I sometimes do one major hit and one unearthed or discovery song and go through the rotation that way. It's really the way radio should be as there's always a focus in surveys asking how familiar you are with the song. Who cares as long as it sounds good! I categorize using my head but I think software could be utilized to help people listen through their online collection or streaming service. The streaming service would either have to code the music or it could be left up to the listener. I find it rather odd that someone would just want to hear highly rated smash hits. When I first used Pandora many moons ago, you'd get in a rut. If you requested a channel with a song in 12/8 time signature, you'd end up with all songs with that characteristic.

edtop40 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 29 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Online Points: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote edtop40 Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 February 2021 at 8:43pm
	'the perfect mix' changes over time....
	edtop40

NightAire Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 20 February 2010 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote NightAire Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 February 2021 at 8:47pm
	When listening for pleasure, I'm almost 100% using streaming services: TuneIn, Spotify, SiriusXM, Pandora, Accuradio, Amazon Music, and YouTube. Favorite sources are (of course) my own station BlackLight Radio for 80s pop & rock, Electro Swing Revolution Radio, and SiriusXM Chill (Channel #53). I'll use Spotify for obscure albums from my childhood: The Limeliters, Sons Of The Pioneers, Mick Fleetwood, Henry Mancini, Esquivel, Martin Denny, and others. I listen on my phone, via bluetooth in my car, on my Amazon Echo Dot in the bedroom and in the kitchen, and on my home stereo through apps loaded onto my Roku. It's funny how I insist that my collection be bit-for-bit perfect... yet am perfectly happy with streaming services who seriously data-compress what they're sending me! :) (If I'm getting serious about my listening I'll sit down with my blu-ray of Yes's "Close To The Edge" in my home theater, close my eyes, and enjoy the 5.1 mix... but that doesn't happen very often.)
	Gene Savage http://www.BlackLightRadio.com http://www.facebook.com/TulsaSavage Tulsa, Oklahoma USA

AutumnAarilyn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 22 August 2019 Status: Offline Points: 3	Post Options Post Reply Quote AutumnAarilyn Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 February 2021 at 9:56pm
	I use youtube when I'm working on other things. It's really the only site that has most of what I like.

Paul Haney Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 01 April 2005 Status: Offline Points: 39	Post Options Post Reply Quote Paul Haney Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 February 2021 at 4:40am
	I do most of my listening at the office. My hard drive has most of the hits from 1950-present. I'll pretty much just pick a year and hit shuffle. For songs I don't have on my hard drive, I'll usually go to YouTube. This came in especially handy for the 1950s Cash Box regional research. When not listening to my collection, I'll listen to either a podcast or a radio show such as an old AT40 or Ron's current Crap From The Past. An ongoing personal project is the Top 20 from the R&R CHR charts each week on homemade CDs. I have 1973-1992 done and hope to eventually finish up thru the last R&R chart in 2009. I picked R&R over Billboard, because it more closely resembles what I remember hearing on the radio at the time. I put one of those in when I'm feeling nostalgic for a particular week in my past. I also did homemade CDs for the Top 4000 that I posted on this site last year. I'm currently listening to those in my car. Part of my job is to download every new entry on the Hot 100 and Bubbling Under charts each week. I listen to every single one, but I'm finding less and less to like these days. Not a fan of most of the rap stuff, although some of it is tolerable. Were it not for this part of my job, I doubt I would keep up with new music much at all. Edited by Paul Haney

rnell Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 19 September 2006 Location: Argentina Status: Offline Points: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote rnell Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 February 2021 at 7:09am
	I do my listening everywhere (office, home, travelling). using different devices (ipad is the #1 at the moment) .I have uploaded about 40,000 songs to my hard drive (most of them from my own cds, or eventually from vinyl and I tunes). Basic playlists are related to the US charts using RR books (top 40, 41-100, #1 and bubbling under, all per year starting in the late 50s and including current charts). Since 2000 playlists are only for Top 40 and #1 and in the playlists for late 50s and early 60s only include Top 40 songs. I follow the BB charts every week to track highest position of a particular song that enters the Top 40. For the US chart playlists I have additional ones such as Cashbox (Songs that made Top 40 in Cashbox, not BB), Cashbox and Record World #1s and A/C charts year by year. I have done the same for UK charts (top 40 and #1 playlists) also for charts starting in 1960 including the current ones (huge work for the UK because there is nothing like Pop Annual book with highest position of each song year by year). I have worked to recreate the same format of the Pop Anual book using weekly charts information that are now readily available through the webpage of the "UK chart company" who owns the rights to chart information for the UK. I also have playlists with my personal favorites year by year (which may have charted or not) and even a personal chart of best songs of the year (Singles and Album tracks). As I have worked for radio stations during many years I have purchased different radio-only services of new music since 1990, so I listen to a lot of songs (US and European) that never enter any chart. Another interesting note, I have scanned thousands of covers from my 7"s to use as the image of all songs that have been released as singles (with PS or just a plain company sleeve). The internet (and pages such as Discogs) is a good source for those I do not have. Needless to say it has involved a lot of work but it looks really nice in my ipads.

vanmeter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 28 December 2005 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote vanmeter Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 February 2021 at 10:55am
	Lately I'm using a combination of Logitech Media Server bridged to Foobar2k in order to use SqrSoft's brilliant crossfade plug-in, then run through actual AM processing software, fed to a stream I listen to anywhere. I love it...I love the compressed, low-fi sound of AM and this is about perfect to me.

BSharp Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 23 July 2020 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote BSharp Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 February 2021 at 11:13am
	I'm fortunate to be working for a station that plays what I like (and adds music from my personal collection as we grow). When I'm in the car, it's alll I listen to: https://www.big1013.com/ At home, and as part of another project, I recently hauled my collection of 45s out of storage. As much as I love the convenience of streaming through my Sonos system, there's something about handling the physical media and dropping the needle on some of these songs that brings new life into them for me. It's almost therapeutic!