Maybe it’s just me, but sometimes it’s not without pain when a new album is added to the music collection. The time when it was my music collection are long gone. That was the time when you knew each record inside-out because you saved your pocket-money at least for 4 weeks to finally buy it (arguing with the dealer whether “Elton John” should be filed under “E” oder “J”). Then you had the record on heavy rotation in your room. Sometime it was crap, but you couldn’t admit it, because you waited so long and wanted it so hard. Sometime after listening to it for 100+ times you began to hear something which undid the crap and made it awesome. This is all nostalgia, so forgive me but I remember this happening.
When I moved into my wife’s flat I brought my CDs/LPs, she had hers. Fine. As long as they don’t have to sit side by side in the same cupboard, together in an alphabetical sorted shared collection and as long visitors don’t need dedicated instructions to figure out which music belongs to the female/male inhabitant. Music taste was clearly separated and equally clearly connected to a specific person.
Add digital music to the scenario: Now, all music belongs to the hard drive connected to a household and no longer to a specific person. Pro: Smart DJ Mixes played wonderful music, you never had played on purpose. Songs you didn’t listen to for years and which makes you happy right now. Con: Show the music collection to visitors with the high risk of stumbling onto/explaining why Robbie Williams or George Michael is included? No way, at least no longer THE thing to do with male visitors.
But it’s getting worst: Enter three children and with them not only Bob the Builder and other audio books but also The Dome XXXIII, Toggo Hits 20 (Samplers of latest Top 40 Sh… err Stuff) and you should understand my point. Explain this to your single male hip music loving visitor? Hah!
I downloaded Dave Brubeck yesterday (for me) and Jason Mraz latest album (for my wife). Both from amazon for a good price, without waiting, without saving my pocket-money. They’re now stored on the hard drive and there will me no heavy rotation on my side, because I’m busy with “important” stuff.
Maybe the kids will like them and yes, my son (5 years old) likes Miles Davis, so Robbie eat this. Is this heaven or hell? You decide.
-mE
productivemonkey 
Wie heißt es in der Matrix so schön: Dodge this… (Robbie…) 🙂