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I recently rediscovered my love for physical CDs last summer, after stepping foot into San Francisco's infamous record store Ameoba Music.
I don't know what took me so long to traverse there. Like I lived in the city for 3 years, but it didn't hit me to truly take the time and start exploring cool places like this until after I was unemployed with nothing but free time to fill. Despite being late to the party, the experience was still well worth it!
Stepping in there felt a lot like the way the world used to feel when I followed my parents into places like FYE, Borders and Blockbuster, staring down endless aisles of walls of physical media. It instantly transported me back into memories that I thought for certain was gone for good.
I didn't come in with a purpose to even buy anything. I just wanted to check out the place and see what records they had in store. What was supposed to be a 5 minute trip turned into an hour quickly as I found myself lost between the shelves of vinyls, cassette tapes, and CD players of 20th and 21st century artists. I recognized a few names in each aisle, from classic rock to hip hop, reggaeton and jazz.
I ended up leaving the store with a fresh new $50 portable nonskip CD player (yes ik I could've gotten it cheaper from a thrift store, but I didn't wanna wait) and a few Britney, Mariah Carey and Kelly Clarkson albums.
This store quickly became my favorite third place during my final months in SF, with my CD collection growing to encompass additional artists like Usher, Black Eyed Peas, Bobby Valentino and Alicia Keys. I still haven't listened to each album in full yet, but I'm enjoying every second I get.
What I wasn't expecting was to become so emotionally nostalgic from the experience of popping these CDs into the player, which I hadn't done for at least two decades. Unwrapping my Britney Spears, “Oops I Did it Again” album, I was immediately flooded with a wave of nostalgia from the past, despite never even owning that one in particular. The last time I listened to CDs, my collection was full of nothing but Disney Channel artists like the Cheetah Girls, Hannah Montana, Ashley Tisdale and Vanessa Hudgens. Yet, still the memories alone of opening a CD case were enough to bring me back.
After grabbing rubbing alcohol to seamlessly peel the price sticker off the front, I opened up the case to a beautiful leaflet encasing photographs from the album shoot, and lyrics to each song on the album.
I couldn't help but smile with sadness, looking at the photo of 19 year old Britney hidden beneath the CD tray, as I slipped it out. There she was, sitting upside down in a chair and smiling brightly with excitement and joy in her eyes.
Having been a lifelong fan of hers, and reading her memoir last year, it just made me so sad to think that this same girl at the top of the world in year 2000, was turned into such a shell of herself after barely surviving that industry.
I continued combing the stack of my albums, excited at the thought of what I would get behind each one. A poster this time perhaps? Or more fun photos of the artists hiding beneath the CDs. Playing the tracks, I’d listen for fun interludes like voicemails, or hidden messages trapped between the seconds at the end of one song as it faded to another.
I realized listening to a physical album felt like a whole other world compared to downloading the song straight to my playlist on a streaming service like Spotify. Of course, I’d never digital media for anything. I don’t think I could ever go back on the instant gratification of getting whatever song I want, wherever I go. But there is a distinct art of the album that is lost in the presence streaming.
The album goes from being a full visual and auditory experience of photographs, lyrics and stories behind the music, to just a couple songs we choose not to skip.
Funny enough what inspired me to make this post, is just yesterday I came across this 2000s Nostalgia TikTok video that was showing off cool interactive CD features from old 2000s albums like Green Day, Linkin Park, Usher and Britney. Just that name alone “interactive feature” felt like it came out of a time capsule! I forgot that shit even existed!!
I watched in awe, as the video unveiled all of these cool hidden interactive bonus features like screensavers, exclusive live performances, and photos and instantly ran to my CD case ready to try my own… That is until I realized none of the computers in my house have a CD drive anymore!!! So, there went that idea!
But the second I get my hands on one, I know exactly what to do!
Comments
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Ree </3
Love ur finds ( I have like every one of those albums too)! I'm glad to see more people in this day and age who still see the beauty and importance of physical media
Thanks, you have great taste! I'm so glad I started collecting physical media, cause it's so fun to hunt the cds down!
by Bree; ; Report
sambri912
So lovely! Thanks for sharing your finds... you have great taste. Once I move back home to Ohio I want to get back into physical media. Streaming music just won't ever hit the same. I'll always remember carrying my little portable cd player and listening to my one Black Eyed Peas and Aaliyah album over and over.
Thanks for reading! I used to have a cd player too! I miss it, but I'm so glad my new one doesn't skip! Those sound like great albums, which BEP did you have? I have "Monkey Business"
by Bree; ; Report
Technotism
A friend and i were literally just talking about this today. physical albums are so amazing, i love physical media with my whole heart and soul. It's a totally different experience from streaming.
Ha that's so funny when that happens! I love it too, I can't wait to grow my collection even more! Thanks for the comment!
by Bree; ; Report
I think my collection at the moment is pretty small, but there is a small cd store in my city i frequent. I only have about 15-20 cds.
by Technotism; ; Report
That's goals, I'm only at 9! Outside of the record store, I found a couple at some thrift shops. They tend to have good options too but you gotta really search to find the gems
by Bree; ; Report
Yeah thats the problem with thrifting cds is you gotta be patient and look through all of them, which can be tedious. which CDs do you have so far?
by Technotism; ; Report
Had to grab the stack lol.
Britney Spears - "Oops...I Did It Again"
Kelly Clarkson - "Thankful"
Mariah Carey - "Merry Christmas"
Usher - "Confessions"
Bobby Valentino - "Bobby Valentino", Self Titled Album
Alicia Keys - "Songs in A Minor"
Britney Spears - "Britney", Self Titled Album
Black Eyed Peas - "Monkey Business"
Mariah Carey - "Charmbracelet"
by Bree; ; Report
I have got
Endless rooms by rolling blackouts coastal fever
Maps of non existent places by thank you scientist
Strange heads prevail by thank you scientist
Igor by Tyler the creator
Wolf by Tyler the creator
The family jewels by marina
Electra heart by marina
Mr morale and the big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar
To pimp a butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
Amputechture by the mars Volta
Frances the mute by the mars Volta
Relationship of command by at the drive in
Songs for the deaf by queens of the Stone Age
The sun and the moon by the bravery
The court of the crimson king by king crimson
Traveling without moving by jamiroquai
The Scott pilgrim soundtrack
And
Tourist history by two door cinema club
by Technotism; ; Report
That's awesome! The only ones I recognize in that stack is Marina & the Diamonds and Tyler the Creator lol. Sounds like you have a great music taste tho!
by Bree; ; Report
Likewise ! I know quite a few of the albums you listed ^^
by Technotism; ; Report
Likewise ! I know quite a few of the albums you listed ^^
by Technotism; ; Report
Likewise ! I know quite a few of the albums you listed ^^
by Technotism; ; Report