Technology is ever entwined with the way we listen to music. There have been vinyl records (78 rpm to 45 rpm to 33 1/3 rpm), 8-track, radio, cassette, CD, digital downloads and streaming. Despite the boom in streaming music with Pandora, Rdio, Spotify and now iTunes Radio, there’s also been a resurgence for vinyl records, with worldwide sales of $177 million last year — the highest number in 16 years. So how do you like to listen to music? On satellite radio in the car? Digital downloads on your iPod or Android phone? Streaming? Or good old-fashioned vinyl? Vote in our poll below and explain more in the comments.
I’m all over the place and use all technologies. I ripped my thousand or so CDs onto my computer and use this for downloads on my iPhone or iPods for the car or to work out. iTunes is my computer Jukebox. The CDs themselves haven’t been used for many years. I acquire vinyl from thrift stores and estate sales to listen to in my upstair hippy lounge. I’ve bought digital downloads through online services. When thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail I lost my music on my iPhone so I downloaded a couple of albums and podcasts for musical motivation during the end of my hike. There are some great podcasts out there and some very talented podcasters. I’ve been streaming Pandora through my PS3 and Blu-Ray disc player and that is an incredible resource. Shoutcast is also a great resource through my disc player. I’m and trying to live smaller so as long as there are free to inexpensive services available, I don’t feel I need to possess music.
I stream music! I use Torch Music, which is a free music streaming service and I’m totally addicted. I have a playlist for work and for when I’m cleaning the house, it totally puts me in the right mood!