Growing up, physical media was the main way one enjoyed music. Whether it was physical albums, music discs, tapes or even record players, physical copies of music were the best way to listen. However, that’s changed since then. With the rise of streaming and the internet in general, there has been less incentive to buy physical copies of music.
The rise of streaming has made listening to music convenient to the point where it costs more to buy physical copies individually. Just for a monthly subscription of a few bucks, one could access any number of music listed on a single streaming service, but the cost of physical albums could quickly pile up. While yes, this may change depending on how much music you listen to, if you only listen to a few songs and artists, buying the music itself could save money in the long run. Meanwhile, if you like exploring a wide array of songs, streaming could save money for those with more extensive tastes.
There is one leg up that physical media has, which is the novelty of it. If one likes a particular artist or album to an extensive degree and considers themselves a fan, owning a physical copy of various songs or even entire albums has an alluring novelty to it, especially if they find collecting a fun hobby.
The slow downfall into obsolescence that physical media is experiencing isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however. Streaming allows for a heightened ease of access and a more efficient method for artists to publish their work for others to experience. Physical media still has its place for sure, but it’s hard to deny how much easier it is to listen to music nowadays.
