An end to an era that Im not ready for. Mixture of sadness and pragmatism at this news, as with most news on the music industry.
Sadness from nostalgia, because I definitely remember how much I loved the physical aspect of CDs as a kid (fond memories of breaking into the plastic and marker-ing over the Parental Advisory stickers when I was very little, so as to get them around my folks). I do think the limitations of a physical format caused me to listen way more intently on my Walkman than having unlimited access to every song as I do now–it definitely helped me find some personal favorites and get to know songs/albums on a more intimate level.
Pragmatism because, if we’re going to have a digital format and an analog/physical format, I kinda like the new turn towards streaming for the former and vinyl for the latter. In retrospect, CDs served a good historical bridge between the two, but ultimately end up losing some of the best aspects of both formats. As physical things, they weren’t as cool as vinyl; in terms of ease of use, they can’t hold a candle to streaming or digital audio files.
That being said, a lot of current music doesn’t translate nearly as well to vinyl, what with its heavy bass. I would like it if things like liner notes or artwork (which to me always enhance the whole experience, but that’s a personal preference) could somehow be better transported to the digital age.
